Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Committee Member Jackie Speier sent a letter to Jaguar Health seeking information about the company’s recent decision to increase the price of Mytesi while seeking approval to use the drug for coronavirus patients.
“We are concerned that the nearly three-fold price increase your company imposed earlier this month may prevent Americans from accessing Mytesi if it is approved for use during the current coronavirus outbreak," the Members wrote. “The timing of Jaguar’s price increase raises questions about whether this decision was connected with the company’s expectation that it eventually could market Mytesi to treat coronavirus patients."
Numerous antiretroviral drugs-including more than 15 drugs currently approved to treat HIV and AIDS-are being evaluated as potential treatments for patients suffering from coronavirus. If these treatments prove effective, medications like Mytesi that are used to treat the side effects of these drugs also may be used to treat coronavirus patients.
On April 2, 2020, Chairwoman Maloney wrote to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) urging its member companies to commit to setting affordable prices for any medications that are or may be used to prevent or treat coronavirus. As she wrote in that letter, “no drug company should be allowed to profiteer, especially during this public health emergency."
Today’s letter seeks communications regarding the decision to increase the price of Mytesi by May 18, 2020.
