Turing Reduces Cost of Daraprim® (pyrimethamine)

Price cuts of up to 50 Percent for Hospitals, Improving Access & Affordability

"We pledge that no patient needing Daraprim will ever be denied access."

Zug, Switzerland — November 24, 2015 — Turing Pharmaceuticals AG, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative treatments for serious diseases and conditions, today unveiled significant price cuts for hospitals on Daraprim.

"Combined with our robust patient access programs, this is an important step in our commitment to ensure ready access to Daraprim at the lowest possible out-of-pocket cost for both hospitals and patients." said Nancy Retzlaff Turing's Chief Commercial Officer. "We pledge that no patient needing Daraprim will ever be denied access."

Turing will provide:

Reductions of up to 50 percent of list price for hospitals, which are the first to treat about 80 percent of patients with toxoplasmosis encephalitis — the most common form of toxoplasmosis in the United States.
New, smaller bottles of 30 tablets for hospitals to make it easier to stock Daraprim as well as lower their carrying costs. We plan to make these available in early 2016.
Sample starter packages at zero cost to ensure physicians treating patients in the community have free and immediate access to start therapy in emergency situations. We plan to make these available in early 2016.
Additionally for the outpatient setting, Turing will continue to:

Expand distribution partnerships to ensure optimal patient access.
Participate in federal and state programs such as Medicaid and the Section 340B discount program having costs as low as $1 per 100-pill bottle, which currently account for approximately two-thirds of Daraprim sales.
Commit to patients with Commercial insurance that their out-of-pocket obligation will be no more than $10 per prescription when Turing's co-pay program is used.
Contribute to Patient Services, Inc. (PSI), a longstanding independent charity that provides financial assistance for Medicare patients' cost-sharing requirements on toxoplasmosis therapies, consistent with PSI's advisory opinion from the HHS Office of Inspector General.
Provide Daraprim free-of-charge to uninsured, qualified patients with demonstrated income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level through our Patient Assistance Program.
Turing Pharmaceuticals is committed to helping physicians provide prompt and affordable treatment for toxoplasmosis to HIV-positive, ocular, congenital and all immunocompromised individuals.

Ms. Retzlaff said, "Drug pricing is one of the most complex parts of the healthcare industry. A drug's list price is not the primary factor in determining patient affordability and access. A reduction in Daraprim's list price would not translate into a benefit for patients. Physicians, patients, hospitals, and patient advocacy groups have told us time and time again that we need to keep patients' out-of-pocket costs low, have patient assistance programs in place and ensure hospitals can afford to stock Daraprim for treatment of the most vulnerable patients. By providing affordable access for hospitals and reaffirming our commitment that nearly all patients will receive Daraprim for $10 or less out-of-pocket per prescription, that's what we have done. "

Retzlaff added, "Turing's commitment to patient access continues to be recognized across the country, most recently by the Texas AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Advisory Committee which unanimously decided to add Daraprim to its formulary last week."

Any patient or physician who needs access to Daraprim should go to www.daraprimdirect.com or contact our patient access hotline at 1-800-222-4991.

About Daraprim

INDICATION
Daraprim is a prescription medication that contains pyrimethamine for the treatment of:

Toxoplasmosis or acute malaria when used with a sulfonamide (e.g., sulfadoxine)
Daraprim is not for use by itself to treat acute malaria and only for patients infected in areas where susceptible plasmodia (the parasite that causes malaria) exist. Other medicines such as chloroquine or quinine are preferred for the treatment of acute malaria.
For prevention of malaria when the plasmodia is susceptible. ;It is not suitable as a prophylactic agent for travelers to most areas since resistance to pyrimethamine is prevalent worldwide.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not use Daraprim if you:

are allergic to pyrimethamine or any component of Daraprim
have megaloblastic anemia due to folate deficiency
Taking Daraprim may result in allergic reactions that can be severe (such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, and anaphylaxis). Symptoms of an allergic reaction or the severe reactions may include: fever, body aches, facial or tongue swelling, skin pain, peeling of skin, blisters on your skin and mucous membranes, itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. At the first appearance of a skin rash or any of the above symptoms, stop the mediation and immediately seek medical attention. Other signs and symptoms of serious disorders may include sore throat, paleness, tongue changes, and purple skin color.

Make sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have any heart conditions, especially if you experience irregular heartbeat.

The most common side effects that may occur with Daraprim include allergic reactions (see above), blood disorders, tongue changes, blood in the urine, heart rhythm disorders, anorexia, and vomiting.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects while taking Daraprim.

Notify your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or intend to become pregnant during therapy or if you intend to breast-feed or are breast-feeding an infant.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have problems with your kidney or liver, decreased intestinal absorption problems, alcoholism, or any other medical conditions.

Make sure you tell your healthcare provider about all of the prescription and non-prescription medications you take, including supplements, and especially sulfonamides or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole combination, proguani (another antimalarial medicine), zidovudine (a medicine to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV), or cytostatic agents (medicines that block cell division e.g., methotrexate, a medicine used for cancer or rheumatoid arthritis), phenytoin (a medicine to treat seizures), or lorazepam.

Be sure to take your medicine as instructed. Do not exceed the recommended dosage. You may take Daraprim with or without food. However, taking Daraprim with food may minimize associated anorexia and vomiting.

Keep out of the reach of infants and children: Deaths in pediatric patients have been reported after accidental ingestion.

Note: The above information for patients being treated with Daraprim is intended to aid in the safe and effective use of this medication. It is not a disclosure of all possible adverse or intended effects. Please read the Accompanying Full Prescribing Information and talk to your healthcare provider for more information concerning your treatment if you have questions, or go to turingpharma.com.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS contact Turing Pharmaceuticals AG at 1-877-258-2033.

Please See Full Prescribing Information

About Turing

Turing Pharmaceuticals AG is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company with offices in Zug, Switzerland, and New York, New York. Turing focuses on developing and commercializing innovative treatments for serious diseases and conditions across a broad range of therapeutic areas, for which there are currently limited or no treatment options. Products being developed include intranasal ketamine for a variety of mood disorders and Syntocinon® (oxytocin nasal solution) for multiple indications. Daraprim (pyrimethamine) for the treatment of Toxoplasmosis in combination with sulfonamide and Vecamyl® (mecamylamine HCl tablets) for hypertension are Turing's first commercial products.

 

For more information, visit www.turingpharma.com.

Turing Pharmaceuticals AG
Edward Painter
Head of Communications and Investor Relations
[email protected]
646.356.5617


Safe Harbor

In addition to historical facts or statements of current condition, this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of "Safe Harbor" provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the initiation of product development activities, including but not necessarily limited to clinical trials. Forward-looking statements provide Turing Pharmaceuticals' current expectations and forecasts of future events. Turing Pharmaceuticals' performance and financial results could differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements due to general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions affecting the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Given these risks and uncertainties, any or all of these forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore, you should not rely on any such factors or forward-looking statements. Turing Pharmaceuticals undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements.

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