Imprimis launches low-cost Daraprim alternative
pharmafile | October 26, 2015 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Daraprim, Imprimis, Martin Skhreli, turing
Imprimis Pharmaceuticals has announced that it has made available a customisable compounded formulation of pyrimethamine and leucovorin accessible for physicians to consider prescribing for patients as a low-cost alternative to Daraprim.
The customisable compounded formulations of pyrimethamine and leucovorin in oral capsules will start as low as $99.00 for a 100 count bottle, or at a cost of under a dollar per capsule. Compounded medications may be appropriate for prescription when a commercially-available medicine does not meet the specific needs of a patient, Imprimis said.
The company said it would push to counter soaring generic drug prices with the launch of its Imprimis Cares program, aimed at reversing this trend and increasing patient access.
Mark Baum, CEO of Imprimis, comments: “It is indisputable that generic drug prices have soared recently. While we have seen an increase in costs associated with regulatory compliance, recent generic drug price increases have made us concerned and caused us to take positive action to address an opportunity to help a needy patient population.
“While we respect Turing’s right to charge patients and insurance companies whatever it believes is appropriate, there may be more cost-effective compounded options for medications, such as Daraprim, for patients, physicians, insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers to consider. This is not the first time a sole supply generic drug – especially one that has been approved for use as long as Daraprim – has had its price increased suddenly and to a level that may make it unaffordable.
“In response to this recent case and others that we will soon identify, Imprimis is forming a new program called Imprimis Cares, which is aligned to our corporate mission of making novel and customisable medicines available to physicians and patients today at accessible prices.”
Last month, Turing Pharmaceuticals, the sole supplier of Daraprim, increased the price of this prescription drug from $13.50 per tablet to a reported $750.00 per tablet. The FDA-approved label for Daraprim indicates that it is prescribed for toxoplasmosis and other types of infections.
Toxoplasmosis can be of major concern for patients with weakened immune systems such as patients with HIV/AIDS, pregnant women and children.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims pyrimethamine works by blocking folic acid synthesis in the parasite T. gondii, the cause of toxoplasmosis, and leucovorin helps to reverse the negative effects on bone marrow caused by this mechanism of action.
Baum adds: “Today, some drug prices are simply out of control and we believe we may be able to help control costs by offering compounded alternatives to several sole source legacy generic drugs. Imprimis Cares and its team of compounding pharmacists will work with physicians and their patients to ensure they have affordable access to the medicines they need from the over 7,800 generic FDA-approved drugs.
Imprimis Cares, available in all 50 states, will work with all third party insurers, pharmacy benefit managers and buying groups to offer its patient specific customisable compounded drug formulations at prices that ensure accessibility and that provide a reasonable profit for Imprimis. We are here to serve our patients and their physicians. We believe that when we do a great job serving our customers, our shareholders will also benefit.”
Turing CEO Martin Shkreli appeared untroubled by Imprimis’s attempt to muscle in on Daraprim’s market share, saying during a Reddit Q and A session that pyrimethamine/leucovorin “isn’t really an alternative” to his company’s drug.
Yasmita Kumar
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