Gilead's increase of HIV drugs price unreasonable, says AHF

Today AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, blasted the news that Gilead Sciences Inc. increased the prices of several of its top selling products at the beginning of the month. The California-based drug maker increased the price of its biggest seller, HIV treatment Atripla, by 5.1%. Gilead also raised the price of HIV drugs Truvada and Emtriva by 7.9%.

“Gilead reported 2010 total product sales of $7.39 billion with Atripla bringing in $1.9 billion in the U.S. Truvada had U.S. sales of $1.3 billion last year, while Emtriva had just $16.7 million. Letairis had 2010 sales of $240.3 million.”

These increases are in addition to increases of 12% for Atripla, 13% for Truvada and 13% for Emtriva from the first quarter of 2009 to the fourth quarter of 2010 (based on Wholesale Acquisition Price).

"Price increases like the ones Gilead announced today— on top of 2009 and 2010 increases— are unreasonable, particularly in light of the fact that Atripla, Truvada and Emtriva are older drugs that contain no new formulations," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Such increases do harm to already strained programs such as Medicare and contribute to medical inflation—which is already ballooning. With only a 2% rise in inflation last year, there simply is no justification for these most recent increases."

According to a Dow Jones article today ("Gilead Sciences Raises Price of Top Selling Products," by Thomas Gryta): "Gilead reported 2010 total product sales of $7.39 billion with Atripla bringing in $1.9 billion in the U.S. Truvada had U.S. sales of $1.3 billion last year, while Emtriva had just $16.7 million. Letairis had 2010 sales of $240.3 million."