bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Hi folks:
Just thought I would spread the good news. Malarone has gone GENERIC!
I just logged into my Rx Insurance website to check the drug cost of Malarone. I usually get 180 pills / month for $50 because it is only a brand-name drug.
Well today, when I logged in, I saw there was a generic option for the first time "Atovaquone-Proguanil" and now costs me $5!
Woo Hoo! I think Mepron is next as their patent has expired.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
News article...this was on The Economic Times yesterday.
My Pharmacy says they will have it available next week.
"MUMBAI: Drugmaker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has launched malaria treatment drug atovaquone and proguanil hydrochloride in the US, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.
Atovaquone and proguanil hydrochloride tablets are generic equivalent of GlaxoSmithKline's brand Malarone.
The Indian drugmaker had settled a patent litigation with GlaxoSmithKline in April 2010, which allows Glenmark to launch the generic tablets in the US on royalty-bearing licence in the third quarter of calendar year 2011.
Malarone had sales of $56 million in 2009 in the US "
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
bcb1200, this is excellent news!
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Wow, that's great!
It would be even better if my insurance covered prescriptions.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Mepron's patent expired at the end of 2010, so I assume someone is working on a generic, but I can't find out who.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
My doctor calls it liquid gold.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
That is good news EXCEPT I am developing a sensitivity to it. It makes me dizzy every time I take it. Just my luck to pay so much for this stuff and when it finally becomes affordable I can't tolerate it any more!!
Good for everyone else though.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
Thanks for this news!!! My new insurance won't pay for Malarone so it's been out of pocket for me! This will save big time!
-------------------- Lyme, Babs, Fry Bug..... Whatever it is, may a treatment be discovered to make us all whole again! Posts: 941 | From AZ-MT | Registered: Oct 2004
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Just picked up my generic Malarone. Pill is marked with "404" on the front and "G" on the back.
Wohoo!
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
beths
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18864
posted
I ordered it thru Target -not to much cheaper. 120 pills were still $500.
Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
I checked at my local Walmart. They said they wouldn't have it for a month or so, and that right away, it wouldn't be much cheaper. Said in a few months, then it would go down in price.
Will keep an eye on this for sure!
-------------------- Lyme, Babs, Fry Bug..... Whatever it is, may a treatment be discovered to make us all whole again! Posts: 941 | From AZ-MT | Registered: Oct 2004
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Wow...mine was $5 for 180 / month with my insurance.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
beths, $500 is far less than the out of pocket cost for brand name malarone. In my area, brand cost is closer to $1,000 per month for 120 tablets.
bcb, where did you get your RX filled for the generic? My local CVS says they aren't able to order it yet.
I'm needing to get a refill within the next 10 days so I'd love to be able to get generic. My insurance doesn't cover brand name meds, I've been stuck paying out of pocket for the Malarone.
Anyone else have luck finding the generic at their pharmacy? If so, please tell!
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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t9im
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25489
posted
B:
This is great news. Our Mepron jumped in July from $830 to $870 / month.
Hopefully we are off of it in November but for everyone else this is good.
I still remember when we dropped a bottle (it was my wife's mistake she had me hold the bottle ) and lost over half of it. A quick $400 down the drain.
-------------------- Tim Posts: 1111 | From Glastonbury, CT | Registered: Apr 2010
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Yay! After much calling around I found a Walgreens that will order it for me Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
FYRECRACKER...yes, you have the brand name Malarone which is made from Glaxo Smith Kline.
The generic is make from Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and has 404 on one side and G on the other.
It is only available in 250/100mg. It is called only Atovaquone / Proguanil.
Tim....I think Mepron is still only available in brand name.
Yes..my insurance is decent, fortunately. We pay only a very small amount for my family for a year, but have high deductibles. Still..the prescription coverage is great.
I used to get 180 brand name for $50 / month...now I get the same in generic for $5.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
BTW...here is some details on the generic version including the manufacture, label, NDC#, etc.
posted
On the other side of that, these companies are spending billions to develop these drugs. They have to make back the money or they will go out of business, then who's going to develop new medications?
We could depend on our government to do it, but I'll take my chances with eating pine cones and random mushrooms.
Good news is, at least if memory serves, FDA limited the drug patent time now. The downside of the patent limit means the company has to make back their investment in a shorter period of time, so prices skyrocket in the beginning. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
-------------------- Ticks suck. Posts: 140 | From Alabama | Registered: Aug 2009
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James1979
Unregistered
posted
0ldman - I'm sorry for disagreeing with you, but there is currently no foreseeable danger in the drug companies ever going out of business. They are the wealthiest companies in the world. We DON'T want them to be making any more money.
They spend twice as much on advertising (i.e. "brainwashing") as they do on R&D.
Most of their stuff is quackery that does nothing but kill people and cause severe side effects. That's why they have to do so much brainwashing.
The 10 drug companies on the Fortune 500 list make more than all of the other 490 companies COMBINED!!!
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