Orkambi maker made secret price threat to the state during talks

Vertex Pharmaceuticals threatened to increase the price of Orkambi in response to HSE efforts to devise a scheme that would allow cystic fibrosis patients who responded well to the drug to access it.

The revelation is damaging for the pharmaceutical company, which initially sought €159,000 per patient per year for the drug, but reduced that price during negotiations.

The HSE said it asked Vertex to explore the possibility of an outcomes-based model, which ...