Heather Bresch, CEO of pharmaceutical giant Mylan, said she understands the outrage over the disclosure the company's EpiPen's price skyrocketed from $103.50 in 2009 to more than $608.61 in 2016.
Her comments came in an interview with CBS News, where she discussed the nearly 500 percent increase for the life-saving device for allergies.
"I get the outrage, because it is so complicated and so complex," Bresch said. "And the only face that you see on that medicine is the pharmaceutical manufacturer. Where in reality, there's at least five entities touching that product."
She noted Mylan receives $274 for every $608 EpiPen two pack. Middle men, including pharmacy benefit managers, collect the remaining $334, Bresch said.
CBS News reported the cost of the drug inside the EpiPen is worth a couple of dollars, but the design of the injector has added to the price tag.
Bresch said as Mylan tried to make the EpiPen more accessible, it became more expensive.
"That price went up because we were making investment," she argued, pointing out the company spent about $1 billion over the last decade to reach physicians and educate legislatures.
"We're now in over 70,000 schools across America," she said. "We've donated more than 800,000 free EpiPens and remember, that price incorporates the entire supply chain. But it was that investment over the last eight years that would allow us to reach patients and save lives.
"But then you also invest in the supply chain, to make sure that employers, that employees, that everyone has access to have our medicine. Last year, 90 percent of EpiPen patients paid less than $50 for EpiPen."
But in response to all the criticism, Mylan has introduced a generic injector, which sells for $300, half the price of the EpiPen.
And Bresch said she welcome President Donald Trump's pledge to address high drug prices.
"I think President Trump has shown that he is willing to make tough decisions, hard decisions, but right decisions," she said.
The Washington Post reported a major competitor to EpiPen will launch Feb. 14 at a price of $360 for a two pack from a pharmaceutical company called Kaleo.
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