Krystal Biotech Priority Review Voucher Sold for $100M to Undisclosed Buyer

Krystal Biotech is offloading its priority review voucher for a cool $100 million to an undisclosed buyer, a practice that nets companies cash.

The genetic medicine-focused company had been awarded the coveted voucher in May following the FDA’s accelerated approval of Vyjuvek (beremagene geperpavec-svdt) for the treatment of recessive or dominant dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) for patients six months and older. DEB is a rare pediatric disease that makes kids’ skin fragile, leaving them vulnerable to frequent wounding and constant pain.

The vouchers are awarded as an incentive for developing certain types of drugs that don’t affect large portions of the population — tropical diseases, rare pediatric diseases and countermeasures that prevent or treat harm from a biological, chemical, radiological or nuclear agent. When a company develops a new treatment for a neglected disease, it wins a voucher for speedier FDA review of a second drug.

The firm can retain that voucher to speed review for its next drug — or sell it for millions to another company.

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