Remdesivir: Drug Companies Secretly Ensure Critical COVID-19 Cure Is Expensive

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our world as well as people¡¯s lives. With no vaccine or definitive drug that can take down the novel coronavirus, researchers are trying hard to crack the code.

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However, one drug dubbed Remdesivir, developed by Gilead Sciences prove to be helpful in stopping COVID-19 from replicating in patient¡¯s body and helping cure severe cases, has received a temporary nod by the FDA too.

But now, reports reveal that Gilead Sciences is signing confidential licensing agreements with nine pharmaceutical companies -- including seven from India. These agreements might be good news for the companies who¡¯re a part of this deal but this is also limiting the distribution of the generic version of the drug in nearly half of the world¡¯s population.

The licensing agreement doesn't include many developed nations

Gilead has revealed that these agreements will allow for cheaper, generic variants of the drug to be made available in 127 countries (including India), which mostly include developing nations.

However, with several developed countries not on the list, it means that Gilead plans to sell its name-brand drug in these countries, that come with a hefty price tag. It is also important to note that these are also the countries that are one of the worst-hit across the world.

According to a Reuters report, Gilead has priced Remdesivir at $2,340 per patient in developed nations -- nations that aren¡¯t included in the aforementioned list.

Reuters

Remdesivir in India

In India, Gilead has teamed up with pharmaceutical companies like Cipla, Hetero, Jubilant Lifesciences, Dr Reddy¡¯s Laboratories Ltd, Zydus Cadila, Mylan and Ferozesons Laboratories (subject to approval by authorities) to make a generic version of remdesivir, which saves us from the exorbitant price other nations might have to pay.

Only Cipla, Mylan and Hetero Labs have received a go-ahead to start making the drugs. Reports have revealed that Cipla¡¯s version of remdesivir is going to cost less than Rs 5,000 whereas Heter Lab¡¯s version is priced at Rs 5,400. These prices though aren¡¯t as expensive as the actual aforementioned price, are surely expensive for people in India, making it out of reach for many already.

COVID-19 drug prices

Patient advocates strongly condemn the high-pricing of the drug in developed nations, especially since the medicine was developed after receiving $70 million in federal funds.

U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, said it was ¡°an outrageous price for a very modest drug, which taxpayer funding saved from a scrap heap of failures.¡±

Reuters

Peter Maybarduk director of Public Citizen's Access to Medicines Program said in a statement to Financial Times, stating, "In an offensive display of hubris and disregard for the public, Gilead has priced at several thousand dollars a drug that should be in the public domain."

Steven Pearson, founder and president of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, said in an interview with Bloomberg Law asked for the drug to prove a reduction in mortality to be able to charge that much, ¡°The price should be flexible so that, going forward, if we learn that it doesn¡¯t have a mortality benefit as we get more data the price should be dramatically reduced.¡±

Disclaimer: While there have been several different types of treatments being given to COVID-19 patients across the world, there isn¡¯t any one drug that has worked as a sure-shot treatment yet. Don¡¯t self medicate and always consult your doctor or medical health professional for any symptoms.