Turing reneges on drug price cut, rival’s version sells well

From the Associated Press. Excerpts:

"After weeks of criticism from patients, doctors and other drugmakers for hiking a life-saving medicine to more than 50 times its former price, Turing Pharmaceuticals is reneging on its pledge to cut the $750-per-pill price.

Instead, the small biotech company is reducing what it charges hospitals, by up to 50 percent, for its parasitic infection treatment Daraprim. Most patients’ co-payments will be capped at $10 or less a month. But insurers will be stuck with the bulk of the $750 tab. That drives up future treatment and insurance costs.

Daraprim is a 62-year-old pill whose patent expired decades ago. It is the preferred treatment for a rare parasitic infection, toxoplasmosis, which mainly threatens people with weak immune systems — such as organ transplant and HIV patients — and pregnant women, because it can kill their baby."

"Turing’s move comes after a pharmacy that compounds prescription drugs for individual patients, Imprimis Pharmaceuticals, started selling a custom-made version for 99 cents per capsule."

"Imprimis chief executive Mark Baum said Wednesday that orders are pouring in for its version of Daraprim from doctors, and the company has dispensed more than 2,500 capsules since Oct. 22."