Biotech execs still fret about pressure to bring down drug prices — but fears are starting to ease

Biotech executives appear slightly less concerned about drug pricing than in the recent past, according to a new analysis, but the continued pressure from payers and lawmakers to bring down costs does still weigh on them.

A review of risk factors cited by the 100 largest companies listed in the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index found 84 percent cited worries over pricing pressures, according to the BDO advisory and consulting firm, which examined the most recent crop of annual filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

This is less than the 89 percent that reported the same concern in 2016, but otherwise, still reflects an increase from prior years. In 2015, the firm noted that 79 percent of biotechs cited anxiety over pricing as a risk factor to their businesses, while 68 percent did so in 2014 and 66 percent in 2013.

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