Payers, patients coming on board for Novartis’ Zolgensma

Novartis reported steady uptake for newly launched gene therapy Zolgensma, with about 40% of lives reimbursed via formal coverage policies and 17 payers signing up for the pharma’s novel pricing arrangement. But payers are resisting requests from patients and physicians to combine the one-time spinal muscular atrophy treatment with Biogen’s Spinraza nusinersen.