Bluebird’s $2.8 Million Gene Therapy Becomes Most Expensive Drug After US Approval

Bluebird’s $2.8 Million Gene Therapy Becomes Most Expensive Drug After US Approval
Signage outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Md., on Aug. 29, 2020. Andrew Kelly/Reuters
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved bluebird bio’s gene therapy for patients with a rare disorder requiring regular blood transfusions, and the drugmaker priced it at a record $2.8 million.

The approval sent the company’s shares 8 percent higher and is for the treatment of beta-thalassemia, which causes an oxygen shortage in the body and often leads to liver and heart issues.