AstraZeneca (AZN) and GSK (GSK) will be invited to join a UK government panel tasked with shaping a new drug-pricing framework to replace the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access, Sky News reported Tuesday, citing industry sources.

The working group, to be convened in the coming weeks, will assess options including outcomes-based pricing and links between pricing and UK research and development activity, the report said.

The effort follows a new UK-US drug-pricing deal that will lift National Health Service spending on branded medicines by about 25% and cut industry clawback payments while ensuring UK medicines avoid US tariffs for at least three years, according to the report.

The current pricing framework has been criticized by pharmaceuticals groups, which warn that they could delay or cancel billions in spending in Britain if it is not replaced.

AstraZeneca, GSK, and the UK's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment on the matter.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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