Vemlidy vs. Viread: How Do the Costs of These Hepatitis B Medications Compare?
Key takeaways:
Chronic hepatitis B infection is a serious liver condition that affects up to 2.4 million Americans.
Vemlidy (tenofovir alafenamide) is a brand-name medication whose manufacturer offers several cost-savings programs. Viread (tenofovir) may be a more affordable alternative.
Viread is FDA approved to treat hepatitis B and HIV. It has a generic equivalent.
As the body’s largest solid internal organ, the liver is a metabolic workhorse. It recycles old blood cells, aids in digestion, and breaks down toxins, among other duties. But a number of viruses can cause serious liver inflammation, called hepatitis.
There are several different strains of viral hepatitis. As many as 2.4 million Americans have chronic hepatitis B infection. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) may be at higher risk of hepatitis B than other groups. People diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B may need antiviral medication to keep the virus from further harming their liver.
Two medications — Viread (tenofovir) and Vemlidy (tenofovir alafenamide) — can be used to treat hepatitis B, but there are a few differences. Cost is one of the biggest.
Below, we examine the cost differences and show you how to save money on these medications.
What is the difference between Vemlidy and Viread?
So far, Vemlidy, a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), is only FDA approved to treat hepatitis B. It is considered a first-choice option to treat chronic hepatitis B. Vemlidy is also sometimes used off-label to prevent or treat HIV. It typically comes as a 25 mg tablet that you take once daily with food.
Vemlidy may cause side effects such as:
Headache
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Cough
Viread is also an NRTI that works similarly to Vemlidy. It’s FDA approved to treat hepatitis B and HIV. It’s also a first-choice medication for treating chronic hepatitis B. The typical dose is 300 mg once a day for adults and children weighing at least 35 kg (77 lbs). It comes in tablet form in four different dosages.
Viread may cause side effects such as:
Rash
Headache
Muscle and joint pain
Diarrhea
Depression
Weakness
Nausea
One of the biggest cautions for both Vemlidy and Viread is the potential for hepatitis B to worsen if you suddenly stop taking the medication. That’s why it’s important to keep taking these medications as prescribed unless your healthcare provider tells you to stop.
Are there generic alternatives for Vemlidy or Viread?
Vemlidy is only available as a brand-name medication with no generic alternative. Viread has a generic version available.
Vemlidy vs. Viread costs
Vemlidy is more expensive than Viread when looking at cash prices.
The average cash price for a 30-day supply of 25 mg Vemlidy is more than $1,794. With a GoodRx coupon, the price goes down to around $1,296 — a savings of about $500. If you pay with insurance, the average copay for Vemlidy is about $89, according to GoodRx Research.
On the other hand, the average cash price for 300 mg of Viread is $1,617. The lowest GoodRx price is $1,252 for a 30-day supply. Using your insurance, the average copay is $52.
Switching to the generic option may save you a lot of money. The average cash price for 30 tablets of 300 mg tenofovir (generic Viread) is about $962. But if you use a GoodRx coupon, the price drops to as low as $21. Or, you can buy the same quantity and dosage of tenofovir online with free shipping for $55.20 if you choose home delivery with GoodRx.
| Drug name | Dosage | Average cash price (30-day supply) | Lowest GoodRx price (30-day supply) | Average commercial insurance copay (30-day supply) |
| Vemlidy | 25 mg | $1,794 | $1,296 | $89 |
| Viread | 300 mg | $1,617 | $1,252 | $52 |
| Tenofovir (generic Viread) | 300 mg | $962 | $21 | N/A |
| Baraclude | 0.5 mg | $1,885 | $1,370 | N/A |
| Entacavir (generic Baraclude) | 0.5 mg | $1,318 | $30 | N/A |
For people who take Vemlidy, Gilead (the manufacturer) offers several programs to help them afford their medication costs.
Copay cards, coupons, and patient assistance
Vemlidy
Vemlidy’s manufacturer, Gilead, has a copay coupon program and a patient assistance program to help people lower their out-of-pocket costs. Gilead offers the services of navigators to help people connect with a program that can help them.
| Program websites | Vemlidy Co-pay Coupon Program Vemlidy Support Path and Patient Assistance Program |
| Phone number | 1-855-769-7284 |
| Manufacturer | Gilead Sciences |
| How much can I save? | Copay coupon program: Your copay may be reduced to as little as $0 per month, with maximum savings of $5,000 per year with no monthly limit. Patient assistance program: Once you submit documentation of income and you’re found eligible, you can receive Vemlidy from a pharmacy by mail for free. |
| How do I get the discount? | For the copay coupon program, fill out the online form to confirm your eligibility. You’ll need your prescriber’s help to fill out the patient assistance program enrollment form. Call the phone number above with questions about the programs. |
| Are there any restrictions? | Copay discounts are only available to commercially insured people. You must be at least 18 years old and live in the 50 United States, Puerto Rico, or U.S. territories. People covered by public programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, DoD, TRICARE or VA benefits aren’t eligible. |
More ways to save
Try a 90-day supply: Another way to save money on your medication is to fill a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day supply. This may require you to get a new prescription from your healthcare provider. It has the added bonus of reducing car trips to the pharmacy, saving you money on sky-high gas prices.
Talk to your healthcare provider: Ask your healthcare provider about options or potentially switching medications if the one you’re taking is too expensive for you. There are other first-choice treatment options for treating chronic hepatitis B. For example, Baraclude (entecavir) is also considered a preferred medication. The cash price for a 30-day supply of 0.5 mg of brand-name Baraclude is $1,885, compared with $1,318 for generic Baraclude (entacavir). With a GoodRx coupon, the generic may cost around $32 for a month’s supply.
The bottom line
Hepatitis B can lead to serious complications if left untreated. People who take Vemlidy for chronic hepatitis B can check out several savings programs options from the manufacturer if switching to Viread or generic tenofovir isn’t an option. Those who take Viread may want to consider switching to generic tenofovir to save money on their medication costs.
Filling a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day supply also may help you save money on your hepatitis B maintenance medication. Your healthcare provider may have more cost-saving ideas. So be sure to ask before you stop taking the medication abruptly, because doing so may make your condition suddenly worse.
Why trust our experts?
Co-contributors: Diane Li, Trinidad Cisneros, PhD, Tori Marsh, MPH
This GoodRx cash-price analysis is based on a representative sample of U.S. prescription fills (not GoodRx fills) and comes from several sources, including pharmacies and insurers.
Reported cash prices are based on average retail prices, the so-called "usual and customary" prices or retail prices at the pharmacy (not including insurance copays or coinsurance). All cash prices listed in this article are based on data from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.
The listed copays are from a representative sample of commercial insurance copay charges.
References
Aurobindo Pharma Limited. (2021). Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate [package insert].
ClinicaInfo.HIV.gov. (2021). Drug database: Tenofovir alafenamide.
Gilead. (n.d.). U.S. patient access.
Gilead Sciences. (2020). Vemlidy [package insert].
Gilead Sciences. (2021). Support path.
Gilead Sciences. (2021). Support path patient enrollment form.
Hepatitis B Foundation. (n.d.). Hepatitis B facts and figures.
Terrault, N. A., et al. (2018). Update on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic hepatitis B: AASLD 2018 hepatitis B guidance. Hepatology.
Vemlidy. (2022). Vemlidy co-pay coupon program.
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