Is Gleevec an orphan drug?

Gleevec (imatinib mesylate), a highly promising new drug for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis, in accelerated phase, and in chronic phase after interferon failure or intolerance, received orphan drug status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Orphan Products …

Are orphan drugs FDA approved?

The FDA has authority to grant orphan-drug designation to a drug or biological product to prevent, diagnose or treat a rare disease or condition. Orphan drug designation qualifies sponsors for incentives including: Tax credits for qualified clinical trials. Exemption from user fees.

Does Medicare cover orphan drugs?

Medicare Plans’ Coverage of Orphan Drugs—Stand-Alone PDPs and MA-PDs. The coverage rate (percentage of plans covering a drug) for orphan drugs among Medicare prescription drug plans is high. On average, an orphan drug is covered by 84 percent (standard deviation: 24 percent) of stand-alone PDPs.