Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli has been found guilty of three counts of securities fraud.
A New York City jury cleared Martin Shkreli on five other counts after five days of deliberations.
Martin Shkreli, 34, was on trial in relation to a drug company he previously headed, Retrophin, and a hedge fund he managed.
He was branded “the most hated man in America” in 2015 when his company hiked the price of a medication used by AIDS patients.
Despite facing prison after being convicted of two counts of securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud, Martin Shkreli professed himself pleased with the outcome.
Standing outside the court in Brooklyn, he said: “This was a witch hunt of epic proportions.
“And maybe they found one or two broomsticks but at the end of the day we’ve been acquitted of the most important charges in this case and I’m delighted to report that.”
Martin Shkreli, who attracted the nickname “Pharma Bro” and accusations of price gouging, is on trial in the US this week.
However, his case has little to do with the actions that won him notoriety.
Prosecutors allege Martin Shkreli committed fraud. They say he lied to investors and misused money to cover losses at different companies.
However, the much-hated drug price rise Martin Shkreli enacted as chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals was legal – and looks likely to remain that way, despite a push in the US for sweeping healthcare changes.
Martin Shkreli became a symbol of pharmaceutical greed in 2015 when his company raised the price of Daraprim, a treatment for parasite infection that had been around for more than 60 years, from $13.50 a tablet to $750.
The move drew widespread criticism, including from President Donald Trump, who called Martin Shkreli “a spoiled brat” and said the industry was “getting away with murder”.
President Trump later told Congress that a goal guiding healthcare reform should be changes to bring down the “artificially high” cost of drugs.
Alarmed at the mounting pressure, several major drug companies earlier this year pledged to limit price increases to less than 10%.
However, healthcare shares rallied last week, as Senate and White House proposals for healthcare and prescription drugs came into focus without signs of a crackdown.
Those watching the political debates unfolding in Washington say they do not expect changes to address prescription drug costs this year.
“I don’t expect any dramatic action in the near term,” said John Rother, chief executive of the National Coalition on Health Care, which started a campaign against rising prescription drug prices two and a half years ago.
Turing’s pricing moves were extreme – but they were not isolated.
While overall generic drug prices declined between 2010 and 2015, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of prices paid through the US’s Medicare government program – the cost of over 300 established generic drugs saw prices rises of 100% or more.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), net spending on prescription drugs increased nearly 20% in the US between 2013 and 2015.
Elsewhere, in Britain, Australia, France and Germany, the government regulates prices.
However, in the US, where pharmaceutical companies are a powerful political force, companies set the cost, which subsequently gets renegotiated with insurers, suppliers and hospitals.
Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli refused to answer questions at a congressional hearing on the company’s drug pricing policy.
Martin Shkreli invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination, but sniggered through questions from representatives.
Congress is investigating Turing’s 5,000% price increase of Daraprim, a drug used by many AIDS patients.
Martin Shkreli asked Congress for immunity last month in return for his testimony.
The Federal Trade Commission is also investigating whether Turing violated anti-trust laws when it raised the price of Daraprim.
Turing purchased the patent to Daraprim for $50 million in July 2015, but the company and its former CEO rose to public attention in August when price of a single dose jumped from $13.50 to $750.
Politicians, including Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton criticized Turing for the increase. Hillary Clinton called Turing’s move “outrageous” and called it “price gouging”.
In response, Martin Shkreli said the media and politicians did not understand the pharmaceutical industry.
The industry’s main lobbying group, PhRMA, also spoke out against Turing’s actions. In a statement PhRMA said that Turing “does not represent the values of PhRMA member companies”.
Other members of the pharmaceutical industry, including the head of Valeant Pharmaceuticals, were also asked to testify.
Valeant increased the price of Isuprel, a drug used to treat slow heart rate by 500% and Nitropress used to treat hypertension by 200%.
After the hearing Martin Shkreli’s attorney told reporters that his client, a former hedge fund manager, was a “brilliant scientist who had saved many lives.”
Martin Shkreli who is active on social media had already tweeted he would not answer questions.
Before the hearing, Maryland Representative Elijah Cummings called Martin Shkreli’s decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination a “juvenile tactic”.
At the hearing, Representative Elijah Cummings said: “You can go down as the poster boy for greedy drug company executives, or you can change the system.”
After the hearing, Martin Shkreli returned to Twitter to call the members of Congress “imbeciles”.
Turing’s chief commercial officer Nancy Retzlaff did answer Congress’s questions.
Nancy Retzlaff told the House hearing that Turing acquired Daraprim because it was “priced far below its market value” and that the company planned to invest the profits from the price hike into research and development of new treatments.
Martin Shkreli stepped down as Turing CEO in December 2015 following his arrest on separate charges.
The Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission have charged Martin Sjkreli with defrauding investors at a company he previously ran and a hedge fund he managed.
Ex-Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli has asked for immunity in order to testify before a congressional hearing.
Martin Shkreli was subpoenaed to testify about a 5,000% price increase for a drug.
His lawyer asked for immunity because of an ongoing Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation into the price rise, Reuters reported.
Martin Shkreli stepped down as Turing’s head following his arrest for investor fraud at a different company.
In a letter seen by Reuters, Martin Shkreli’s lawyer said the former CEO would “gladly cooperate” and produce documents at the hearing on January 26 if he is given immunity.
On January 21, Martin Shkreli said he would remain silent if forced to appear at the congressional hearing.
The FTC is allegedly investigating anti-trust violation by Turing Pharmaceuticals when it raised the price of Daraprim.
The drug is used to treat toxoplasmosis, an infection common in people with AIDS.
Daraprim was invented in the 1950s and acquired by Turing for $50 million in 2015. In August, Turing increased Daraprim’s price from $13.50 to $750 per dose.
In December, Martin Shkreli was arrested in New York on charges he defrauded investors as the head of drug company Retrophin and as a fund manager at the hedge fund MSMB Capital Management.
He has denied the charges and was released on bail pending the trial.
Members of the House of Representatives Oversight Committee have argued Martin Shkreli cannot invoke his right against self-incrimination because his arrest is separate from the congressional investigations.
They have responded angrily to Martin Shkreli’s attempts to avoid testifying.
On January 21, Congressman Elijah Cummings, a committee member, said: “If he plans on trying to use his own intentional inaction as some kind of bogus excuse for not showing up at Tuesday’s hearing, people will see right through such a juvenile tactic.”
Martin Shkreli has mocked the subpoena on social media by tweeting a picture of the letter sent by the Oversight Committee with the comment: “Found this letter. Looks important.”
Turing Pharmaceuticals, the company that sparked an outcry by raising the price of HIV drug Daraprim by 5,000%, says it will cut its price for some users.
Martin Shkreli’s drug company bought the rights to 62-year old drug Daraprim and increased the price per pill from $13.50 to $750.
Turing said it will cut the price by 50% for hospitals and offer financial assistance to individuals.
However, the company will keep its list price at the new higher level.
In September Turing promised to reduce the price.
Daraprim costs around $1 for patients in Europe.
In statement Turing’s chief commercial officer Nancy Retzlaff defended the company’s move. She said that reducing the listing price would not have translated into saving for patients.
“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,” Nancy Retzlaff said.
Doctors though worry keeping the price so high will make it impossible for hospitals to stock the drug for the few patients who need it.
The original increase sparked outrage on social media and among politicians.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called the increase “price gouging”.
Turing’s chief executive Martin Shkreli- who had been labeled the most hated man in America-fought back saying politicians did not understand Pharmaceutical pricing.
He later backed down and promised to lower the price of the drug, though never said by how much.
Martin Shkreli told ABC news in September: “We’ve agreed to lower the price of Daraprim to a point that is more affordable and is able to allow the company to make a profit, but a very small profit.”
Turing Pharmaceuticals has announced it will lower the price of Daraprim after faced a backlash following raising the price of the drug used by AIDS patients by over 5,000%.
Turing CEO Martin Shkreli told reporters he would drop the price following the outcry, but did not say by how much.
Turing Pharmaceuticals acquired the rights to Daraprim in August 2015.
The company then raised the cost of the drug, which treats a parasitic infection, from $13.50 to $750.
Amid criticism from medical groups – one called the cost “unjustifiable” – Martin Shkreli on September 21 defended the increase, saying the profits would help research new treatments.
Martin Shkreli accused critics of not understanding the pharmaceutical industry.
He has now told ABC News: “We’ve agreed to lower the price on Daraprim to a point that is more affordable and is able to allow the company to make a profit, but a very small profit.”
Earlier in the day, PhRMA, the pharmaceutical industry’s main lobbying group, tweeted that Turing “does not represent the values of PhRMA member companies”.
Agreeing a price for any drug is a tricky business.
In the US, the buyers are private insurance companies as well as the government through the Medicare and Medicaid system. It’s a market and prices can go up and down, depending on what people are willing to pay.
In recent years, pharmaceutical research and development has slowed and companies have to think carefully about what they invest in. Blockbusters such as Viagra pull in money, but orphan drugs for rare diseases can be less attractive. Not many patients use them, and so turning a profit may be difficult.
Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli has defended his company’s decision to raise the price of 62-year-old medication used by AIDS patients, Daraprim, by over 5,000%.
The company acquired the rights to Daraprim in August.
Martin Shkreli has said that Turing will use the money it makes from sales to research new treatments.
Daraprim is used treat toxoplasmosis, a parasitic affliction that affects people with compromised immune systems.
After Turing’s acquisition, a dose of Daraprim in the US increased from $13.50 to $750.
The pill costs about $1 to produce, but Martin Shkreli, a former hedge fund manager, said that does not include other costs like marketing and distribution.
“We needed to turn a profit on this drug,” Martin Shkreli told Bloomberg TV.
“The companies before us were just giving it away almost.”
On Twitter, Martin Shkreli mocked several users who questioned the company’s decision, calling one reporter “a moron”.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America, the HIV Medicine Association and other health care providers wrote an open letter to Turning, urging the company to reconsider.
“This cost is unjustifiable for the medically vulnerable patient population in need of this medication and unsustainable for the health care system,” the groups wrote.
Dr. Wendy Armstrong of HIV Medicine Association also disputed the need to develop new treatments for toxoplasmosis.
“This is not an infection where we have been looking for more effective drugs,” she told Infectious Disease News.
On Wall Street, Turing shares fell sharply on September 21 after Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pledged to take action against firms hiking prices for specialty drugs.
“Price gouging like this in the specialty drug market is outrageous,” Hillary Clinton said, citing Daraprim.
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