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Federal regulators on Friday approved the first of a new class of drug that can sharply lower cholesterol levels, offering a new option for millions of Americans suffering from cardiovascular disease, the nation’s leading killer. But the drug, Praluent, which analysts project will become a huge seller, is expected to become the next flashpoint in the growing controversy of escalating pharmaceutical prices, and health plans are expected to put in place strict measures to control which patients can use the drug and prevent it from becoming a budget buster. (Pollack, 7/24)

The drug, called Praluent and developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sanofi SA, provides a new and in some cases desperately needed option for several million high-risk heart patients who can’t get their cholesterol to desirable levels with the blockbuster group of medicines known as statins. But the companies are pricing the drug at $14,600 a year, an especially high amount for a medicine aimed at a common condition like heart disease. By contrast, statins, which are available in generic versions and remain the mainstay drug option for cholesterol reduction, can be purchased for just a few dollars a month. (Winslow, 7/24)

A newly approved drug that has been hailed as a breakthrough treatment for high cholesterol is causing sticker stock across the healthcare industry. The injectable treatment, Praluent, is the first of a powerful new class of drugs proven to lower cholesterol. It also carries a list price of $14,600 a year — nearly twice what analysts had been expecting. While the newly approved drug is far from the most expensive on the market, it has potential for widespread use: It could be used by millions of people who have been unable to treat their high-cholesterol with existing — and cheaper — drugs. (Ferris, 7/24)

Two of the most anticipated new heart drugs to be launched in recent years have been priced well above analyst expectations, fuelling the debate about whether modern medicines cost too much. Praluent, made by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Entresto from Novartis are both treatments that represent significant advances for millions of patients at risk of serious heart problems. (Hirschler, 7/27)