The 10 Most Expensive Drugs on the Market in 2023

Prescription drugs can be costly in the United States, whether you’re insured or uninsured. Many of the most expensive drugs on the market are known as “break-through” therapies, in which they treat a serious or life-threatening condition. Zolgensma is the most expensive drug in the U.S., with an estimated annual cost of $2,125,000. Below we outline the ten most expensive drugs on the market in 2023.

If these drug prices seem daunting to you, Mira offers members discounted prescriptions with up to 80% off. The membership also gets you access to low-cost urgent care visits and affordable lab testing, all for just $45/mo. Sign up today and start saving. 

10 Most Expensive Drugs on the Market

The ten most expensive drugs on the market in 2021 range between $2,125,000 and $678,392. These prices are based on their annual cost and the length of therapy an individual would have to use them.

The Annual Price for Each Drug

Zolgensma

Zolgensma is typically used to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare disorder caused by a defective gene; the illness destroys the nerves that control muscles. The condition (if severe) is typically terminal, and babies born with it usually don’t live past age two.

Zolgensma is delivered as a single, one-time dose to address the genetic root cause of the disorder and ultimately produce long-term effects; many people who take the drug show no signs of the disease in the future. “Gene therapy is a patient-specific treatment that modifies one’s DNA to change their genetic makeup,” says Dr. Nouhavandi.

The medication costs $2,125,000 annually per patient. However, it’s essential to know that insurers may not cover Zolgensma as there are various requirements to obtain coverage. The OneGene program provides patients guidance and helps to navigate insurance requirements.

Zokinvy

Zokinvy is a disease-modifying agent that can improve survival rates in children and young adults with Progeria, also called Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome. This rare genetic disease causes premature aging.

Zokinvy reduced the incidence of mortality by 60% and increased the average survival time by 2.5 years. For an annual dosage of Zokinvy, the medication typically costs $1,032,480. However, it’s important to know that because the disease is so uncommon, pharmaceutical companies normally won’t develop medications for it without a form of government assistance. The Eiger OneCare program can assist patients with insurance coverage and financial support options.

Danyelza 

Danyelza is used to treat pediatric and adult patients with neuroblastoma in the bone or bone marrow, a rare form of cancer. 

Danyelza has an annual cost of $977,664. Y-mAbs Connect is a program that can help patients navigate insurance and offers a patient assistance program for eligible uninsured patients.

Myalept

Myalept is used to treat leptin deficiency in patients with generalized lipodystrophy, a condition of abnormal fat distribution in the body. Myalept essentially replaces leptin in the body.

It is dispensed in a pharmacy and costs $889,904 per year. Patients self-administer Myalept once a day and typically use 14 vials per month. Aegerion Pharmaceuticals offers a copay card to help some patients afford Myalept.

Luxturna

“Luxturna is a gene therapy medication used to treat an inherited form of retinal dystrophy that can lead to blindness,” according to Dr. Nouhavandi.

Luxturna requires a doctor to administer one vial of the medication into each eye which a pharmacy cannot dispense; patients should only need Luxturna one time. 

It costs $850,000 per year. Spark Therapeutics Generation Patient Services assists patients by helping them navigate insurance coverage and provides financial resources. 

Folotyn

Folotyn is used to treat patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma, which is a condition in which the lymphoma does not respond to treatment (meaning that the cancer cells continue to grow) or when the response to treatment does not last very long.

Folotyn is an injection and costs about $793,870 per year. The recommended dosage of Folotyn is 30 mg/m 2 administered as an intravenous push over 3–5 minutes once weekly for six weeks, followed by one week of rest in a 7-week cycle.

Brinuera 

Brineura is a prescription medication used to slow loss of ability to walk or crawl (ambulation) in symptomatic pediatric patients three years of age and older. 

Brineura is only given by infusion into the brain fluid (known as an intraventricular injection) and using a sterile technique to reduce infection risk. The recommended dosage is 300 mg every two weeks. The annual cost is $730,340.

Blincyto

Blincyto is used to treat a rare form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer.

Dosing for Blincyto is done in cycles and can only be performed by a healthcare provider. Patients need varying amounts of the medication during each phase. “The first cycle, known as the induction phase, is aimed to reduce the number of cancer cells. Cycles 2-4, known as the consolidation phase, helps new healthy cells grow,” says Dr. Nouhavandi. 

Patients typically use about 168 vials per year. The annual price for Blincyto is $712,672.

Raviciti

Ravicti is used to treat urea cycle disorders. These disorders are genetic conditions that result in high levels of ammonia in the blood. They should not be left untreated due to the severe risks: confusion, coma, or death.

Ravicti is dispensed in a pharmacy and doesn’t require administration from a healthcare practitioner. Patients are typically prescribed 132 bottles annually and have an annual list price of $695,970. Manufacturer Horizon Therapeutics offers a way for some patients to save on Ravicti through the Horizon Cares Patient Assistance Program.

Soliris

Soliris is an infusion prescription medication used to treat adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, blood disorders that destroy red blood cells. Soliris comes with a high risk of infection. Because of this, the drug is part of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. Medications such as this come with serious safety concerns and require a REMS program.

Many patients need a maintenance dose of 1200 mg every two weeks, which only a healthcare provider can administer, and dosage may vary depending on the patient. The medication is priced at $678,392 per year. There is no copay card available for Soliris, but the OneSource program from manufacturer Alexion can help patients navigate health insurance.

According to Dr. Nouhavandi, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of online pharmacy HoneyBee Health, “the reason why so many of these medications are so expensive is usually that:

1. They treat such rare disorders that are not commonly seen or
2. They are usually highly effective, and patients recover from their conditions or other treatment options. Some of them are only a one-time dose and do not require repetitive dosing, making it convenient for the patient.”

Reducing the Costs of Prescription Drugs

There are several ways you can reduce the costs of the prescription drugs you need. Below we list the best options and dive into what it is and how you can take advantage.

Copay Cards

When prescribed a medication, you may be able to sign-up for a copay card through the drug manufacturer’s website. When enrolled in the copay program, you will receive a card to bring to the pharmacy when picking up your prescription.

The pharmacy can then process your prescription using your insurance as the primary payer and the copay information as the secondary payer. Ultimately, the manufacturer will pay whatever your insurance is not willing to pay for the drug. 

However, if you are uninsured, copay cards may not be the best solution for you. Additionally, you should do your research or speak to your medical provider to see if copay cards would work for your situation.

Drug Assistance Programs

Drug assistance programs are offered through pharmaceutical companies, drug manufacturers, non-profit groups, or state governments. They help patients get financial assistance to pay for prescription medications.

To begin the process, you would need to mail an application to the drug company with information about your financial situation. The application can usually be found on the company’s website and filled out online. Your doctor will also most likely need to provide information about your prescriptions.

Once reviewed by the drug company, they will let you know if you’re eligible for assistance. If you’re approved, many companies will ship a supply of the drug to your home or your doctor’s office. A new order of the drug will have to be placed by you or your doctor every several weeks before the supply runs out.

Generic Brands

A generic drug is a medication created to be the same as an approved brand-name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, and performance characteristics. They work in the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as their brand-name version.

Generic drugs are less expensive than brand-name drugs because the manufacturers have not had the expenses of developing and marketing a new drug. When a company brings a new drug onto the market, the firm has already spent substantial money on research, development, marketing, and promoting the drug. Generic medications typically cost about 80% to 85% less than the same brand-name drug and may be a great way to reduce to costs of prescriptions. 

Alternative Solutions

Mira is an alternative solution when it comes to reducing the costs of prescription drugs. For just $45/mo, Mira members not only get up to 80% off prescriptions, but also access to urgent care clinics across the country, affordable lab testing, and more. MiraRx can help you reduce the costs of your prescription drugs and is often less expensive than going through insurance. 

Below is the price for Truvada, a popular prescription drug costing nearly $2,000 per month, through Mira:

Bottom Line

Prescription drugs can be pretty costly, especially medications on the market known as “break-through” therapies. However, there are ways to access drugs at a reduced cost, such as using Mira, providing members with up to 80% off prescriptions, low-cost urgent care visits, and affordable lab testing. Sign-up and get started today.