View Full Version : Generic Ribavirin Soon to be Available--Will Lower Cost of Hep C Medication


egs
02-12-2003, 08:47 AM
I just received the following post from the HCV Advocate Listserve:

Update from Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals -
I am happy to update you with some good news from Three Rivers! We have settled our litigation issues with Schering-Plough and we are getting very close to marketing our generic ribavirin.

We are in the final review phase at FDA and hope to launch our product this Spring. Our ribavirin drug product will be marketed as Ribasphere (Ribavirin, USP) 200 mg. Capsules, and we will surely provide the lowest-cost for ribavirin in the market.

Hopefully, this will provide additional assistance with your cause and increase the treatment options for incarcerated individuals. We will surely provide the lowest price to all prisons. Please pass this information along to any of your contacts who may be interested. We are setting up customer
information so that we can begin processing orders as soon as possible.

Christine Sheehy
Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals
312 Commerce Park Drive
Cranberry Township, PA 16066
ph 724-778-6100
fx 724-778-6101
csheehy@3riverspharma.com
__________________________________________________ ____
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals,

LLC today announced that it had reached final settlement with Schering Corporation in the patent litigation case involving the drug ribavirin (REBETOL(R)). Three Rivers is currently seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and commercially market a generic form of the drug ribavirin.

Under the terms of the settlement Schering has provided a non-exclusive license to Three Rivers for all its U.S. patents related to this drug product. In return for this license, Three Rivers will pay Schering a reasonable royalty based upon net sales of its generic version of the product. The parties have been in litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The Agreement is subject to the
Court's dismissal of the relevant lawsuits.

Three Rivers is also currently in litigation with Ribapharm, Inc., regarding certain patents that Ribapharm asserts relate to ribavirin. A trial date in that litigation is scheduled for May 2003. Three Rivers does not have tentative approval from the FDA at this time, although the company anticipates an approval within a reasonable period of time. The product will
not be launched until the Ribapharm litigation is satisfactorily resolved and FDA approval obtained.

"We are very pleased with the terms of the settlement. It places Three Rivers one step closer to providing an affordable version of ribavirin to persons afflicted with hepatitis C," said Donald Kerrish, President of Three
Rivers.

REBETOL(R) is indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C and had branded sales of approximately $800 million in the past year.

Three Rivers Pharmaceuticals, LLC, is a privately owned generic drug manufacturing company located in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh.

Menally-Ill
02-13-2003, 11:51 AM
Thank You, dear EGS. I got this same email, and was going to post this myself.

For those of you who don't understand the significence of this, let me tell you that Schering had the virtual monopoly on ALL drugs to treat Hep C for many years. They charged ME $27,000 PER YEAR to obtain the ONLY drugs that could have given us hope! This attempt to break up the monopoly has been hard fought for about 8 to 10 years now! And those who fought it, were little pharmacists and generic drug companies.

This truly is a"David and Goliath" battle, that has been won! Three Rivers has a deep belief in treating INMATES for their Hep! They DESERVE our support and admiration!

I will be watching closely the trial in May against Ribapharm!

The battles ARE being won!!! I shall continue to fight, and cheer on our fellow warriors! My REASONS don't matter. Only my RESOLVE!!!

Megwi'itch...
Menolly

lulu
02-13-2003, 11:54 AM
That is wonderful news.

Daddy's Girl
02-14-2003, 07:36 AM
That is great news!!!!!!! Now lets see if the B.O.P. will start treatting more inmates with Hep. C or will they just continue on as usual and make us fight for our rights to medical care. I truely hope this news will be able to benefit more inmates as they can treat more for less. Thank you so much for this information.

Stay Strong......... Chnadra

Menally-Ill
02-14-2003, 09:26 AM
Chandra;

Three Rivers' website is:

<http://www.3riverspharma.com/>

Menolly

Daddy's Girl
02-15-2003, 07:12 AM
Menolly, thanks for that link. I am alittle angry to find out the BOP could have treated my daddy sooner in the earlier stages and even probally saved themselves both time and money as well as saved our family the pain and suffering along with the metal anguish caused by the BOP trying to say it's either too early or too late ( No medical cause) which i had been told in the past to recieve the medacitions. I am really fired up even though my daddy is now recieving treatment there are thousands who are not. Times are changing and we really must take a stand for what we feel is right!!!!!!

Stay Strong..... Chandra

Menally-Ill
02-15-2003, 07:19 AM
Chandra,

You come stand right beside me, girl! I'm gonna need your help.

When I say, as I have been in these last few weeks, that I am ready to wage this war, hooo boy, people just DON'T KNOW how ready i am to fight!

All My Love,
Menolly