Eight years after two drugs to treat the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) became available for sale in the U.S., generic versions of these medications will hit the American market.

The HIV drug Atripla contains three medications in one pill — 600 mg efavirenz, 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and 200 mg emtricitabine. The first ingredient is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). The second and third ingredients are nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI).

Atripla is not a preventative drug regimen, but is used in the treatment of individuals who have already contracted the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

In September, both Atripla and its close medication cousin Truvada—also an HIV drug— will be released generically. Healio.com reported earlier this year that Gilead Sciences had worked out a deal with Teva Pharmaceuticals to make and distribute the first generic versions of Atripla and Truvada, signaling the latter’s early release from patent by one year.

What is the Difference Between Atripla and Truvada?

Truvada and its soon-to-be-released generic contain two of the three ingredients of Atripla—emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).

Unlike Atripla, the generic version has been approved for use as preventative treatment against HIV or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in high-risk populations for seven years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Teva’s generic version two years ago.

Can the Widespread Availability of PreP Actually Help Prevent the Spread of HIV?

As indicated by the Centers for Disease Control, PrEP is very effective at preventing the HIV virus from establishing a hold in the body of a high-risk person if he or she is exposed. That said, the medication regimen must be taken very seriously. When daily adherence to a program of PrEP is committed to, a risk reduction of 99% for contraction from sexual activity has been noted. In terms of risk reduction for an intravenous (IV) drug user, a 74% risk reduction in contraction has been noted.

How Will PrEP Drug Costs Be Affected by a Generic Version of Atripla?

At this time it remains to be seen how much Teva Pharmaceuticals will charge for the generic versions of Atripla and Truvada. Gilead Sciences currently charges between $1,000 and $2,000 per month for Truvada. This prohibitive cost is likely a large reason that widespread PrEP treatment hasn’t been adopted on a large scale by those at risk or by the physicians who treat them.

Teva Pharmaceutical’s generic will likely offer only modest savings from the brand name version, according Poz.com,an informational site devoted to people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Teva will have exclusive rights for the generic for about a year, meaning the drug maker will have no competition in the marketplace.

“When there’s only one generic manufacturer in the field, the price difference is a miniscule 10% to 15%,” Tim Horn, director of medication access and pricing at the National Alliance of State & Territorial Directors, told Poz.com. “The real savings for all purchasers and payers won’t begin until there’s robust generic competition.”