Gilead Sciences and the ADAP Crisis Task Force (ACTF) today
announced a series of initiatives to help state AIDS Drug
Assistance Programs (ADAPs) continue to provide antiretroviral
medicines to people living with HIV in the United States. The new
measures are a response to budget shortfalls being experienced by a
number of ADAPs across the country, and the growing number of
individuals on ADAP waiting lists who are not receiving the HIV
treatment they need.
The initiatives announced today by Gilead and the ACTF
include:
- Additional discounts and
extension of pricing freeze to ADAPs for Truvada® (emtricitabine
and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), Viread® (tenofovir disoproxil
fumarate) and Emtriva® (emtricitabine) through December 31,
2013
- Expanded eligibility for
Gilead’s patient assistance program
- Elimination of minimum payment
for patients through Gilead’s co-pay assistance program
- Support for creation of
“universal” patient assistance application
As of May 20, 2010, there were 1,143 individuals on ADAP waiting
lists in 10 states. ADAP waiting lists have increased more than
ten-fold in the last year (99 individuals were on ADAP waiting
lists in May 2009). In addition to waiting lists, 16 states have
implemented other access restrictions such as lowering financial
eligibility criteria, removing drugs from their formularies and
limiting expenditures.
“Gilead’s willingness to help with the current ADAP crisis by
agreeing to these initiatives demonstrates that they are committed
to serving the needs of people living with HIV in the U.S. who have
no access to life-saving medicines except through ADAP,” stated
Jennifer Brown, Director of the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Utah
Department of Health and spokesperson for the ACTF. “The ADAP
Crisis Task Force and Gilead Sciences have come together to find
ways to bridge the gap that ADAPs are experiencing, strengthening
the case for further assistance from the federal and state
governments at this critical time of unprecedented need for ADAPs
and their clients,” added Brown.
“Gilead is committed to ensuring that a drug’s price is never a
barrier to access for those in need,” said Kevin Young, Executive
Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gilead Sciences. “As one of
the first companies to freeze pricing for ADAPs in 2008, we remain
focused on developing solutions that ensure that individuals living
with HIV, regardless of where they live or their income level, have
access to our therapies.”
New Lower Prices and Extension
of ADAP Price Freeze
Effective July 1, 2010, Gilead will set lower ceiling prices for
its HIV medicines Truvada, Viread and Emtriva. The revised prices
will include supplemental discounts that are in addition to any
federally-mandated discounts.
Additionally, Gilead’s new ceiling prices will be frozen through
December 31, 2013. This extends Gilead’s original ADAP price freeze
that was established in 2008 and continued through 2010. Taken
together, these changes will result in lower net prices for
ADAPs.
Expanded Eligibility for
Gilead Patient Assistance Program
Gilead’s U.S. Advancing Access® patient assistance program was
developed in conjunction with feedback from advocates in the HIV
community. The program utilizes a rapid and simple process that
ensures clients who apply and qualify for assistance can receive
immediate, same-day access to Gilead’s antiretrovirals.
Effective on or before July 1, 2010, Gilead will increase the
income eligibility guidelines of this program from 300 percent of
the Federal Poverty Guidelines to 500 percent of the Federal
Poverty Guidelines as published by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services.
This change results in income criteria that currently matches or
exceeds all state ADAPs. This is an important change for clients
eligible for ADAPs but on waiting lists as all now will have access
to this program until they are accepted into ADAP. Clients seeking
further information on the program should contact U.S. Advancing
Access at 1-800-226-2056, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m.
and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern).
Enhanced Co-Pay Assistance
Program
Effective on or before July 1, 2010, Gilead will eliminate the
requirement for clients with private insurance to pay the first $50
of out-of-pocket expenses before co-pay assistance begins. Going
forward, Gilead will pay up to $200 per month ($2,400/year) toward
out-of-pocket expenses for Truvada, Viread or Emtriva. All clients
in the U.S. with private insurance are eligible, except where
prohibited by law. Clients seeking further information on Gilead’s
co-pay program should call 1-888-358-0398 to request a pharmacy
Co-Pay Card for use when filling prescriptions.
New Effort to Create Universal
Patient Assistance Program Application
Gilead recognizes the challenges that case managers and client
advocates face in coordinating access to care across multiple
pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs. Gilead
therefore supports and will participate in a new collaboration
between industry and community partners to develop a universal
application system for patient assistance programs that would
simplify access to HIV combination therapy for clients requiring
medications from different manufacturers.
About the ADAP Crisis Task
Force (ACTF) and the National Alliance of State and Territorial
AIDS Directors (NASTAD)
The ADAP Crisis Task Force (ACTF) was formed in December 2002 by
a group of state AIDS/ADAP directors concerned about the nationwide
fiscal crisis facing ADAPs. The ACTF works with pharmaceutical
manufacturers of antiretroviral medications to reduce drug costs
and improve access to medications for clients in the nation’s
ADAPs. NASTAD provides logistical support for the ACTF. Founded in
1992, NASTAD is a nonprofit national association of state and
territorial health department HIV/AIDS program directors who have
programmatic responsibility for administering HIV/AIDS and viral
hepatitis health care, prevention, education, and supportive
services programs funded by state and federal governments. For more
information, visit www.NASTAD.org.
About Gilead
Sciences
Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD) is a biopharmaceutical company
that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics
in areas of unmet medical need. The company’s mission is to advance
the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases
worldwide. Headquartered in Foster City, California, Gilead has
operations in North America, Europe and Australia.
Forward-Looking
Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements, within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors,
including the risk that Gilead may modify aspects of its
ADAP-related drug pricing prior to December 31, 2013 or change the
arrangements under its patient assistance or co-pay assistance
programs in the future. These risks, uncertainties and other
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
referred to in the forward-looking statements. The reader is
cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These
and other risks are described in detail in Gilead’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2010, as filed with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Gilead claims the
protection of the Safe Harbor contained in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for forward-looking statements. All
forward-looking statements are based on information currently
available to Gilead, and Gilead assumes no obligation to update any
such forward-looking statements.
Full U.S. prescribing information for
Truvada is available at www.truvada.com.Full U.S. prescribing
information for Viread is available at www.viread.com.Full U.S.
prescribing information for Emtriva is available at
www.gileadhiv.com.
Truvada, Viread and Emtriva are
registered trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2024 to Oct 2024
Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD)
Historical Stock Chart
From Oct 2023 to Oct 2024