Swiss drugmaker Novartis boosted its 2019 forecasts on Tuesday after beating third-quarter expectations, a feat helped by the sales debut of gene therapy Zolgensma, the world’s most expensive one-time treatment. CEO Vas Narasimhan’s bet on the potential cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has drawn scrutiny, initially due to its $2.1 million (£1.6 million) price and since August over a data manipulation scandal that has prompted a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation. “We’re very pleased with the uptake,” Narasimhan told reporters on a call.
