'Most hated drug exec' claps back at Sydney Grammar students who 'recreated' his drug

"These kids who 'made Daraprim' reminds me of Ahmed who 'made the clock'. Dumb journalists want a feel good story." - Martin Shkreli, CEO and manufacturer of AIDS drug Daraprim.

Manufacturer of Daraprim, Martin Shkreli. Source: AAP, Twitter

Best known as the pharmaceutical executive who jacked up the prices of AIDS drug Daraprim, Martin Shkreli has responded to the Sydney Grammar School students who have "recreated" his drug at a fraction of the cost.

Earlier this morning, Shkreli released a video statement on his YouTube channel, addressing the high school students’ recent work. However, in the hours preceding this video, Shkreli's responses on Twitter were not near as measured. 

Making a drug is "pretty ez" he said.

He then defended his work as an "innovator" in this impassioned thread with Guardian Australia journalist Melissa Davey.

Shkreli then compared the Sydney Grammar students to 14-year-old Texan boy, Ahmed Mohamed who was arrested after authorities had mistaken his "handmade clock" for a "hoax bomb".

All in all, Shkreli defended his string of tweets by referring them as a teaching moment for the high schoolers.

Shkreli, a former hedge fund manager entered the pharmaceutical business in 2011. 

His company, Turing Pharmaceutical, purchased the drug Daraprim in 2015. At the time, the drug's original patent had lapsed and no generic drug had been manufactured. Turing, under Shkreli's leadership, raising each pill's individual price from $13.50 to $750 each. Shkreli has said the price-hike impacts big corporation and insurance companies, not everyday individuals. 

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