December 14, 2015, Phoenix, AZ— Avella Specialty Pharmacy announced today that it will begin compounding a less expensive alternative to Daraprim® (pyrimethamine), a drug used to treat or prophylaxis against toxoplasmosis and pneumocystis pneumonia. Avella will make the therapy available to patients at just $1 per capsule.
Earlier this year, Turing Pharmaceuticals announced that the company would raise the price of Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per tablet, an increase of approximately 5,000 percent. At the time of this cost increase, Turing was the sole source of this important therapy, meaning that there was no generic alternative available. With the introduction of this new option from Avella, providers can simply write a prescription for the compounded formulation, ensuring that their patients have access to treatment at a more reasonable price.
This new therapy will contain the same active ingredient in Daraprim along with a type of folic acid that is also commonly prescribed to treat toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is a serious infection caused by a parasite that can be life-threatening if left untreated. According to the CDC, this condition is considered to be the leading cause of death attributed to foodborne illness in the nation. It is most commonly found in people with HIV or weakened immune systems as well as pregnant women.
“Avella has long been committed to ensuring that all of our customers have access to high quality, affordable medications,” said Rebecca M. Shanahan, CEO for Avella Specialty Pharmacy. “Now, with the introduction of this new compounded therapy, we have taken another significant step forward to advocate on behalf of our patients.”
Avella has also taken a variety of measures to ensure that its patients receive the highest quality, safest compounded therapies. These include voluntarily registering with the FDA as a designated Outsourcing Facility for compounding. Outsourcing Facilities must maintain Current Good Manufacturing Processes, standards for quality and safety set by the FDA in order to protect patients. In addition, Avella has sought accreditation through many leading industry organizations, meaning that the company has complied with high standards for safety, sterility, purity and quality. Avella is currently accredited with the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) and the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC).
About Avella Specialty Pharmacy
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Avella Specialty Pharmacy is a National Accredited Specialty Pharmacy, providing individualized care and support to patients since 1996. Avella's clinical pharmacists and staff members are experts in managing complex disease states and providing compassionate care. The company offers a nationwide distribution service to complement its retail locations. Avella reached 2,605th on Inc. Magazine's 2015 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the country. In addition, the Arizona Corporate Excellence Awards has named Avella Specialty Pharmacy as the second fastest-growing private company based in the state. For more information, please visit www.avella.com.
