Boston Business Journal

Amylyx Lobbies Congress for More Insurance Coverage of ALS Clinics

Following the U.S. approval of the company's first drug for ALS, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. co-founders and co-CEOs are working with members of Congress on a bill that would change how reimbursement works for ALS multidisciplinary care centers.

Amylyx's Justin Klee and Joshua Cohen have made amyotrophic lateral sclerosis their primary focus for the nine years their company has been in business. They scored their first approval from the U.S. Drug Administration last week, when the agency greenlit a drug meant to stop the neural degeneration that is a hallmark of the disease.

Klee and Cohen have said they want to use their newfound platform to better the patient experience, not just by selling the drug but by bringing down other barriers to ALS care.

"Our priorities No. 1 to 100 are access," Klee said.

One of those priorities will come in the form of lobbying.

Cohen said his team is working with a consortium of ALS advocacy groups, leading doctors and members of Congress to adjust ALS billing codes so multidisciplinary clinics are reimbursed properly for the services they provide. Such clinics involve several types of physicians, including neuromuscular specialists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, respiratory therapists and speech and language pathologists, as well as social workers who can help patients navigate various issues.

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