John C. Martin (businessman)

Martin worked at Syntex Corporation from 1978 to 1984.[7]

Martin was director of antiviral chemistry at Bristol-Myers Squibb from 1984 to 1990.[1]

External audio
“Pandemic Perspectives with John C. Martin”, interview, Science History Institute, May 5, 2020.

Martin joined the American biotechnology company Gilead Sciences in 1990 as its vice president for research and development.[7] He was Gilead's CEO from 1996 to 2016.[6][3] He became chairman in May 2008, and executive chairman in 2016.[3][7]

At Gilead, Martin helped to develop Atripla, a single pill combining Gilead's drug Truvada (a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine) with Bristol-Myers Squibb's Sustiva (efavirenz). Truvada and Sustiva were already "the most widely prescribed antiretroviral treatment regimen in the U.S."[8] for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.[9] One of the benefits of a combined pill was that patients would be more likely to consistently comply with treatment by taking a full dose of the prescribed drugs, which in turn would lessen the chance that drug-resistant HIV strains would develop.[8] The two companies announced that they would collaborate on the drug in 2004. An initial formulation of once-a-day single-dose Atripla was approved by the FDA on July 12, 2006.[10] Purchase of Atripla was included in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program.[11]

In 2014, Martin led the commercialization of Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) — "a treatment for the liver virus hepatitis C that can cure 90% of patients and generated $12 billion in revenue in its first year on the market."[1] Martin is credited with taking Sovaldi from "zero-to-blockbuster in a couple of months" with profits topping $10 billion for 2014.[12] However, in April 2014, U.S. House Democrats Henry Waxman, Frank Pallone Jr., and Diana DeGette wrote Martin questioning the $84,000 price for Sovaldi. They specifically asked Martin to "explain how the drug was priced, what discounts are being made available to low-income patients and government health programs, and the potential impact to public health by insurers blocking or delaying access to the medicine because of its cost."[13]

Sofosbuvir is cited as an example of how specialty drugs present both benefits and challenges.[14][13][15]

Sofosbuvir also is an excellent example of both the benefit and the challenge of specialty medications. On one hand, this agent offers up to a 95% response rate as part of an interferon-free treatment regimen for hepatitis C.⁶ Generally speaking, it is more effective and better tolerated than alternative treatments.⁶ Unfortunately, the current per pill cost—$1,000—results in an $84,000 treatment course, creating barriers to therapy for many.⁶ Patients, providers, and payors alike have expressed outrage, and the debate has even drawn the attention of the US Congress.⁷ Despite these concerns, sofosbuvir rapidly has become a top seller in the United States. ...[14]