And look at the ethics of these guys (Ms. Mars statement) apart from the exploding business:
Daraprim is approved for the treatment of toxoplasmosis and had long been priced at $13.50 per pill. However, under the direction of CEO Martin Shkreli, Turing Pharmaceuticals dramatically increased the price to $750 per pill in September. Although offered at discounts to hospitals, the drug is commonly prescribed for treatment upon discharge. Daraprim at the current price is unaffordable for most patients with HIV/AIDS and those with weakened immune systems.
Specialty medications prescribed for treatment of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and certain cancers have been the subject of disturbing price hikes by pharmaceutical manufacturers in recent months. To combat this trend, PharmCo is offering a compounded capsule alternative to Daraprim by adapting a formulation of pyrimethamine and leucovorin (folinic acid) at a retail cost of less than $1 per pill. This announcement comes on the heels of Express Scripts' (ESRX) partnership with Imprimis Pharmaceuticals (IMMY) to produce Daraprim substitutes by the end of the week.
Shital Parikh Mars, COO stated, "PharmCo has long been an advocate for those patients with specialty pharmaceutical needs. These patients often lack the resources necessary to afford proper treatment for their conditions and are a vulnerable segment of our community. Today our company has begun to stem the tide of rising prices for these patients by providing an inexpensive alternative to Daraprim and will prepare additional formulary alternatives to other high priced brand name specialty drugs. As a leader in the pharmacy industry and the community, we can do no less."
AI
