Docket No. TPH-2015-D750 Subject Turing Pharmaceuticals LLC / Daraprim (pyrimethamine) Status Closed · Vyera Chapter 11, May 2023
Vol. I · A Public-Record Archive

The Daraprim Record

Turing Pharmaceuticals · 2015–2023

14 Source Pages 2015–2023 Period of Record $13.50 → $750 Price Per Pill 5,455% Increase

Filing 01 · Case Summary

A 62‑year‑old drug. A new owner. A 5,455% price increase overnight.

In August 2015, Turing Pharmaceuticals LLC acquired the U.S. marketing rights to Daraprim, the only FDA-approved treatment for toxoplasmosis. Within weeks, the per-tablet price rose from $13.50 to $750. A standard course went from $1,350 to $75,000. Pills sold fell 98% in four months. Congressional hearings, criminal conviction, and an FTC antitrust settlement followed.

Reference Archive · Maintained from public filings, hearing transcripts & court records · Last revised

II. The Record — Principal Files 13 entries

File 01 · The Drug

What Is Daraprim (Pyrimethamine)?

FDA-approved in 1953. Developed by Nobel Prize winners Gertrude Elion and George Hitchings. Remains the standard treatment for toxoplasmosis with no substitute for severe cases.

Approved 1953FDA

File 02 · The Acquisition

About Turing Pharmaceuticals

Incorporated February 2015. Acquired U.S. rights to Daraprim from Impax Laboratories on August 10, 2015 for $55 million. Rebranded as Vyera Pharmaceuticals in September 2017.

Founded Feb 2015Acquired Aug 10, 2015

File 03 · The Increase

The Price Hike: $13.50 to $750

A 5,455% increase in September 2015. Annual maintenance therapy: $336,000 to $634,000 per patient. Sales fell from 25,500 pills in August 2015 to 600 in December 2015.

Sept 201598% sales drop

File 04 · The Founder

Martin Shkreli

Founder and CEO of Turing. Arrested December 17, 2015 for unrelated securities fraud at MSMB Capital and Retrophin. Convicted August 4, 2017. Sentenced to seven years. Lifetime pharma ban.

Convicted Aug 2017Released c. Sept 2022

File 05 · Hearings

The 2016 Congressional Hearings

House Oversight, February 4, 2016: Shkreli invokes the Fifth Amendment. Senate Aging, March 17, 2016: 400,000 pages of subpoenaed documents. Insider testimony: no R&D justification.

Feb 4, 2016Mar 17, 2016

File 06 · Patients

The Human Cost

The Weston family testified to paying $28,000 per month for an infant's treatment. Hospital costs at one public facility rose from $50,310 to $1,026,006 across comparable admissions.

$28,000/mo20× hospital cost

File 07 · Antitrust

FTC v. Vyera Pharmaceuticals

FTC and seven state attorneys general filed January 27, 2020. Settlement December 2021: $1/tablet provision to certain buyers, up to $40M over 10 years. Shkreli personally owed $64.6M.

Filed Jan 2020Settled Dec 2021

File 08 · Generic

Generic Pyrimethamine

FDA approved Cerovene's generic on February 26, 2020. Multiple manufacturers now produce the drug. FTC documented a five-year delay caused by anticompetitive strategy.

Approved Feb 20205-yr delay

File 09 · Rebrand

From Turing to Vyera

Renamed September 2017. The pricing and distribution restrictions stayed in place. Vyera filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2023.

Renamed Sept 2017Bankruptcy May 2023

File 10 · Disease

Toxoplasmosis

A parasitic infection that can be fatal for HIV/AIDS patients and the immunocompromised. Why pyrimethamine remains the standard treatment after 70 years.

ParasiticStandard care

File 11 · Leadership

Turing Leadership Team

Profiles of Martin Shkreli, Ron Tilles, Kevin Mulleady, Nancy Retzlaff, and Howard Dorfman. Roles, actions, and post-controversy outcomes.

5 executivesRoles & outcomes

File 12 · Coverage

Daraprim News Coverage

Chronological record of major coverage from September 2015 through 2024: the NYT report, congressional hearings, conviction, and FTC settlement.

2015–2024Press timeline

III. Chronology of Record 14 events

  1. February 2015

    Martin Shkreli incorporates Turing Pharmaceuticals LLC

    First-round financing of $90 million from Shkreli and other investors.

  2. August 10, 2015

    Turing acquires U.S. rights to Daraprim from Impax for $55 million

    Daraprim becomes Turing’s first commercial asset. Price at acquisition: $13.50 per tablet.

  3. September 2015

    Price raised from $13.50 to $750 per tablet

    A 5,455% increase. Standard 100-pill course rises from $1,350 to $75,000. New York Times reports the story.

  4. November 24, 2015

    Turing announces a hospital discount programme

    Up to 50% off list price for hospitals. The $750 list price did not change.

  5. December 17, 2015

    Shkreli arrested on securities fraud charges

    Charges relate to MSMB Capital and Retrophin, not Daraprim pricing.

  6. February 4, 2016

    House Oversight Committee hearing

    Shkreli invokes the Fifth Amendment in response to every substantive question. Smirks at committee members.

  7. March 17, 2016

    Senate Aging Committee hearing

    400,000 pages of subpoenaed documents. Weston family testifies. Dorfman testifies: no R&D justification.

  8. August 4, 2017

    Shkreli convicted on three of eight counts

    Securities fraud and conspiracy. Sentenced to seven years federal prison.

  9. September 2017

    Turing rebrands as Vyera Pharmaceuticals

    Pricing and distribution restrictions remain in place. New leadership.

  10. January 27, 2020

    FTC and seven state AGs file antitrust complaint

    Three strategies alleged: closed distribution, exclusive supply contracts, sales-data restrictions.

  11. February 26, 2020

    First generic pyrimethamine approved

    FDA approves Cerovene’s version. FTC later documents a five-year delay caused by anticompetitive practices.

  12. December 2021

    FTC settlement reached

    $1/tablet provision to certain buyers, up to $40M over 10 years. Shkreli owes $64.6M and receives a lifetime pharmaceutical ban.

  13. September 2022

    Shkreli released from federal prison

    After serving approximately five of seven years.

  14. May 2023

    Vyera files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

    The company that began as Turing Pharmaceuticals ceases ordinary operations.

IV. Key Facts — Reference Table 13 items
FoundedFebruary 2015 by Martin Shkreli
Daraprim acquiredAugust 10, 2015 from Impax Laboratories for $55 million
Price before$13.50 per tablet
Price after$750 per tablet (5,455% increase)
Shkreli arrestedDecember 17, 2015 (securities fraud, not pricing)
Shkreli convictedAugust 4, 2017, three of eight counts
Shkreli sentenced7 years federal prison; served approximately 5
Company rebrandedSeptember 2017 as Vyera Pharmaceuticals
FTC complaint filedJanuary 27, 2020
FTC settlementDecember 2021: $1/tablet provision, $40M over 10 years
Shkreli personal penalty$64.6M disgorgement; lifetime pharmaceutical industry ban
First generic approvedFebruary 26, 2020 (Cerovene)
Vyera bankruptcyMay 2023