California Viread lawsuits against HIV medication manufacturer Gilead Sciences have been consolidated into a San Francisco state court.

Before the lawsuits were consolidated, there were 26 separate Viread lawsuits pending across California. These complaints claimed that Gilead’s HIV medications cause serious injury including bone mineral density loss, bone death, kidney toxicity, kidney failure, and more.

Gilead developed several tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) drugs including Viread, Truvada, Stribild, Complera, and Atripla. These drugs are nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), meaning that the inhibit viruses’ ability to replicate. This can result in lower blood levels of dangerous viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B.

The problem with TDF is reportedly its low bioavailability. Because the drug is not absorbed well by the body, a large amount of the medication is required to be effective. This allegedly results in a build up of the medication in the blood, amplifying side effects like bone and kidney problems.

Complications caused by Viread and other TDF drugs allegedly include: bone mineral density loss, bone necrosis (death), bone fractures, osteopenia, osteoporosis, kidney toxicity, chronic kidney disease, kidney damage, kidney failure, and more. Gilead allegedly downplayed the risks and complications associated with Viread and their other TDF drugs, according to lawsuits against the company.

Patients Accuse Gilead of Withholding a Safer Drug

Despite the well known complications associated with Viread, Gilead allegedly suppressed the development of a safer, more effective drug known as tenofovir alafenamide (TAF). TAF reportedly works in same way as TDF but requires a much lower drug concentration level in the blood to be effective. This allegedly results in fewer complications.

The company allegedly discovered TAF before they even released TDF. However, Gilead reportedly shelved research into the drug in 2004 because they knew it would jeopardize the lucrative profits from their TDF patent. Ten years later, Gilead allegedly applied for FDA approval with their TAF drugs because the patent on their TDF patent – and the related profits – would soon be ending.

Plaintiffs in Viread lawsuits claim that the pharmaceutical company knowingly endangered consumers by releasing a dangerous drug when they had a safer option available. Instead of looking out for consumer wellbeing, Gilead allegedly prioritized their own greed, according to complaints against the company.

Now, many of these lawsuits in California have been consolidated in a single process. The coordinated litigation will streamline the legal process for patients who have allegedly been injured by Viread. Their claims will be litigated in front of one judge, allowing for more consistent rulings and a quicker process.

“This is an encouraging development for injured patients. Having cases coordinated before a single judge prevents inconsistent rulings, and plaintiffs’ claims are addressed in a unified manner,” a pharmaceutical and medical device attorney told PR Newswire following the consolidation.

“Coordinated proceedings will enable counsel to streamline discovery in the Gilead litigation, and we hope that JCCP coordination bring a swifter judicial remedy to injured users of TDF antiviral medications.”