Martin Shkreli: The 'most hated man in America' is raising the price of another form of drug
The news comes just after he raises the price of an effective HIV drug by more than 5000 per cent
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The man who increased the cost of an effective HIV drug by 5,500 per cent has now increased the price of another form of medicine.
Martin Shkreli has now increased the price of a medicine used to treat Chagas disease, a parasitic infection that can cause heart failure.
Mr Shkreli’s company, Turing Pharmacuticals, previously acquired the rights to the anti-HIV drug, Daraprim, before increasing the price from $13.50 to $700.
This time Mr Shkreli has bought a majority share in KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, allowing him to apply for exclusive selling rights to KaloBios’ benznidazole, a common drug used to treat Chigas in South America, where it is very prevelant.
It is reported by the New York Times that benznidazole currently costs between $50 to $100 for two months worth of treatment.
However the New York Times believe that the cost could soon be similar to that of a hepatitis C drug, which costs anywhere between $60,000 and $100,000 per course of treatment.
It is estimated 300,000 in the United States have Chagas disease.
Although the news does come as it is announced that America has suffered an outbreak of the kissing bug, which is one of the major ways Chagas disease is spread.
Many health centres currently offer the anti-Chagas drug for free, with the proposed pricing no longer making treatment available to a vast part of the US and South America’s population.
Mr Shkreli estimates that between 3,000 and 7,000 people will require treatment for the acute infection each year in the United States.
It has also been reported that Mr Shkreli is the owner of the single-copy Wu-Tang Clan album.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments