Gilead Shifting Patients To Newly Approved Drug Descovy

Gilead Shifting Patients To Newly Approved Drug Descovy

Introduction

Gilead is working to shift its Truvada pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users to Descovy, the newer HIV drug approved by the FDA for PReP treatment.

Descovy, known as tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), is a newer generation of HIV drugs that can be taken in lower doses and still be effective. The users can avoid the risk of serious kidney problems and fractures,  which are otherwise caused while taking Truvada and other TDF-based drugs.

Truvada, which contains antiretroviral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), was approved in 2004 for the treatment of HIV. Several lawsuits were filed against Gilead, alleging that the manufacturer failed to warn about their tenofovir disoproxil fumarate HIV medications that led to kidney problems and bone loss. The lawsuit also alleges that the manufacturer slowed the development of TAF-based drugs and waited to expire the patent protection. Gilead now has patent protection for brand-name HIV treatments until at least 2032.

According to an analysis by Jefferies & Company analyst Michael Yee, around 10% of users are already converted to use the newer drug, and the manufacturer is on track to convert about 50% to 60% of all users.

TDF lawsuits are consolidated under MDL-2881, IN RE: Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Products Liability Litigation, filed on December 19, 2018, in the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.