Pfizer`s Selzentry Poised To Be Most Expensive First-Line AIDS Drug

In Light of Today`s FDA Advisory Committee Approval-and Likely Market Expansion
for Selzentry-AHF Urges Drug Giant to Lower Price Immediately

Current Selzentry Cost: Average Wholesale Price of $13,767 per-patient per-year
LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--
Responding to today`s news that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Antiviral
Advisory Committee has approved Pfizer Inc.'s AIDS therapy, Selzentry
(maraviroc), for use in therapy-naïve patients, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
strongly criticized Pfizer for its current pricing of the drug at an Average
Wholesale Price (AWP) of $13,767 per-patient per-year-which, if this price
remains when use is expanded, would make it the most expensive first-line AIDS
drug on the market.

Selzentry was originally approved by the FDA in August 2007 as a salvage
drug-utilized in patients who do not respond favorably, or have developed
resistance, to other AIDS drugs-and priced at $12,528 per-patient per-year. In
just two years, the price for Selzentry-which must be taken with at least two
other AIDS drugs-has increased by nearly 10%. Pfizer reported $46 million in
sales for Selzentry in 2008, according to the Associated Press.

"In this time of growing national concern over ballooning healthcare costs, it
is simply criminal for Pfizer to continue to price Selzentry at the salvage
therapy rate, especially now that the market for the drug will be vastly
expanded by the FDA`s likely upcoming approval of the drug for first-line use,"
said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Government
programs such as AIDS Drug Assistance Programs and Medicaid are likely to be the
largest purchaser of Selzentry. Where exactly does the burden of Pfizer`s
price-gouging fall? On the taxpayers. And for what reason? So that the largest
pharmaceutical company in the world, Pfizer, can make just a little more
profit-while bankrupting government programs already hurting for funds as they
work to ensure that Americans living with HIV/AIDS receive the lifesaving
treatment they need."

"While any new HIV/AIDS drug on the market is welcome, we urge Pfizer to use
restraint and to lower the price of Selzentry immediately upon FDA approval for
this expanded use," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare
Foundation.

An estimated 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV/AIDS. As a
result of antiretroviral treatment, many more people are living longer with
HIV/AIDS, and a greater burden has been put on the health care system, including
several of the federally funded, state-run AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP)
nationwide. State ADAPs are funded by the federal Ryan White CARE Act and are
the primary source of HIV/AIDS medications for uninsured and underinsured
Americans. Funding for AIDS care has been largely flat-funded or saw only minor
funding in recent years-increases which are not proportional to the need, nor
able to support inflated pharmaceutical prices.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the US` largest non-profit HIV/AIDS
healthcare provider. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more
than 100,000 individuals in 21 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin
America/Caribbean and the Asia Pacific Region. www.aidshealth.org

AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Lori Yeghiayan, Associate Director of Communications
323-860-5227
Mobile: 323-377-4312
loriy@aidshealth.org
or
Ged Kenslea, Communications Director
323-860-5225
Mobile: 323-791-5526
gedk@aidshealth.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009