The drug, which is called Makena (mah-KEE'-nah) is given to high-risk pregnant women to avoid another early birth. Despite the price cut it is still pricey at $690 per weekly injection but it is a drastic reduction from the $1,500 price charged by KV Pharmaceutical Co. when it went on the market last month. The company also announced rebates and other steps to give the drug to needy pregnant women at little or no cost. The weekly injection is given for as long as 20 weeks; the price drop cuts the maximum cost of treatment from $30,000 to under $14,000.

The drug is a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone. It came on the market more than 50 years ago to treat other problems and was withdrawn in the 1990s, this was not due to safety reasons. The drug drew new attention and interest in 2003, with publication of a study that reported it helped prevent early births for women who had a history of giving birth prematurely.

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