Tough UK line on funding rare-disease drugs raises concern

London

A TOUGHER stance in the UK on funding expensive medicines for rare diseases is raising questions about the government's pledges to support a life-sciences industry that's already rattled by Brexit.

A proposal to introduce a cap on coverage of treatments within the state-run health system would have a significant impact on access to ultra-rare disease drugs, said Heidi Wagner, senior vice-president of global government affairs at Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Last week, the US biotech company was denied support in England for Kanuma, a drug that's estimated to cost £492,000 (S$8…