Short answer: in the U.S., the list price for a typical full course of Yervoy (ipilimumab) has historically been in the low-to-mid six figures (roughly around $100,000–$120,000 per standard course of 4 doses). Other checkpoint inhibitors (like nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab) are in a similar ballpark for a full course, but the exact cost depends on dosing schedule, duration, and whether you’re using a single agent or a combination. When Yervoy is used in combination with nivolumab, the total drug cost is higher than either drug alone. Prices also vary by country, payer discounts, rebates, and patient assistance programs, so the actual out-of-pocket cost can be quite different from list prices.
A bit more detail to help you compare
- What “cost” means here:
- List price per course (what’s often cited in reports).
- Cost per infusion/cycle (depends on the fixed vs weight-based dosing and how often you get the drug).
- Total duration of treatment (some regimens are fixed, others continue until progression or intolerable side effects).
- Additional costs (administration, monitoring, managing side effects) aren’t included in drug list prices.
- Yervoy (ipilimumab) monotherapy vs. combination:
- Monotherapy: about the cost of a full course around the same range as other ICIs for a typical course.
- Combination with nivolumab: substantially higher total drug cost because you’re paying for two drugs over the same or longer period.
- Other commonly used ICIs (context, not exact prices):
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo) are in a similar overall price range for a full course, though dosing schedules differ (e.g., fixed doses like 200 mg every 3 weeks for Keytruda; 240 mg every 2 weeks or 480 mg every 4 weeks for Opdivo).
- Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) and other newer ICIs generally have comparable list-price ranges for typical regimens.
- Europe/UK and other regions often have negotiated prices and rebates that reduce the payer cost compared with US list prices.
How to compare if you want specifics
- Identify the regimen you’re considering (monotherapy with Yervoy, or Yervoy + nivolumab, etc.).
- Note the dosing schedule and the expected number of cycles.
- Check the payer’s negotiated price or the hospital’s actual charges (list prices can differ a lot from what an insurer pays).
- Consider potential discounts, patient assistance programs, and whether any part of the cost is covered by insurance or genomic/tumor-agnostic approvals.
- Remember to include administration and monitoring costs, not just drug costs.
If you share your country and whether you’re looking at Yervoy alone or in combination (and the typical regimen), I can give you more targeted, up-to-date rough ranges and help you compare with the other agents more precisely.