If you buy the active ingredient rather than tablets, the aciclovir price you care about is quoted per kilogram of API, and it has been rising. ChemAnalyst reports aciclovir (acyclovir) prices rose quarter on quarter in the USA, China and Germany in both Q1 and Q2 2026, driven by higher production and feedstock costs. This guide covers the drivers, supply sources and tariff status, with current figures on ChemAnalyst's aciclovir price trend page.
Aciclovir API Price vs Pharmacy Price
Most US searches for acyclovir price are from patients. Drugs.com lists the 400 mg oral tablet from $5.85 for 5 tablets. That figure reflects dispensing, packaging and insurance, not API cost.
For manufacturers, the relevant numbers are bulk API benchmarks:
- PharmaOffer reports an average of $63.41 per kg across aciclovir API transactions in the twelve months to 31 May 2026, up 4.2% over the last 90 days of that period.
- BusinessAnalytiq's index shows India at US$48.42/kg in September 2026, down 0.1% on the month.
- ChemAnalyst cites China aciclovir at USD 54,840/MT in Q4 2025.
Differences between these benchmarks reflect origin, grade (oral vs sterile) and basis. Use one consistent index when negotiating.
Aciclovir Price Trend: Four Quarters of Data
ChemAnalyst's commentary on the latest aciclovir prices shows a steady climb:
- Q3 2025: US prices rose; China fell as producer prices dropped; Germany was stable.
- Q4 2025: US prices rose; China was stable, supported by high guanine costs; Germany was stable to slightly lower.
- Q1 2026: prices rose in all three regions. New US tariffs in early 2026 disrupted imports and methanol and crude spiked. In China, demand for guanine and guanosine feedstocks surged and API inventories tightened.
- Q2 2026: prices rose again in all three regions on higher production costs. ChemAnalyst expects prices to stay high.
Raw Materials: Why Guanine Matters
Aciclovir is a guanine-based nucleoside analogue, so guanine and guanosine are the key cost inputs. ChemAnalyst links both the price floor in China in Q4 2025 and the Q1 2026 increase to guanine and guanosine demand. Solvents such as methanol also feed into conversion costs. Buyers who track guanine offers from Chinese suppliers get early warning of aciclovir price moves.
Where US Aciclovir Supply Comes From
The US market depends on Asian API. PharmaOffer data shows China accounts for 41.2% of aciclovir export transactions, while India accounts for 22.0% of import transactions. ChemAnalyst lists Fuxiang Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang Zhebei, Zhejiang Chetou and India's Mangalam Drugs & Organics among suppliers.
That concentration creates risk. The injectable form has been tight: Drugs.com lists a current shortage of acyclovir sodium injection 50 mg/mL, with Fresenius Kabi citing increased demand. Sterile API buyers should hold more safety stock than oral-grade buyers.
Tariffs: Generic APIs Excluded, For Now
On 2 April 2026 a Section 232 proclamation imposed tariffs on patented pharmaceutical imports from 31 July 2026. According to law firm Crowell & Moring, generic pharmaceuticals, biosimilars and their associated ingredients are expressly excluded at this time. Commerce must advise within one year on whether to extend tariffs to generics. Aciclovir API is generic, so it is currently exempt, but buyers should plan for the possibility of tariffs in 2027.
US Demand Outlook
Demand is steady and large. The CDC estimates about 1 in 3 people in the United States will get shingles in their lifetime, with about 1 million cases a year. Aciclovir remains a standard generic treatment for shingles and herpes simplex infections, alongside valacyclovir. Steady demand plus rising costs and possible tariffs means the aciclovir price chart is more likely to stay firm than fall sharply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the price of aciclovir API per kg?
Benchmarks vary by source and origin. PharmaOffer reports a $63.41/kg transaction average for the year to May 2026, and BusinessAnalytiq shows India at US$48.42/kg in September 2026. ChemAnalyst publishes quarterly trends and forecasts for the USA, China and Germany.
Why are acyclovir prices rising?
ChemAnalyst cites higher production costs, surging guanine and guanosine feedstock demand in China, tighter API inventories and tariff-related import disruption in early 2026. Prices rose quarter on quarter in all three tracked regions in Q1 and Q2 2026.
Is acyclovir cheap?
For patients, generic acyclovir tablets are inexpensive; Drugs.com lists 400 mg tablets from $5.85 for 5. For manufacturers, API costs have risen through 2026, which squeezes margins on low-priced generic finished doses.
Are there US tariffs on aciclovir?
Not under the April 2026 Section 232 pharmaceutical tariffs, which exclude generic drugs and their ingredients for now. Commerce must report within a year on whether generics should be covered, so the exemption could change.
What is the difference between acyclovir and valacyclovir cost?
Valacyclovir is a prodrug of aciclovir with better absorption and less frequent dosing. At the pharmacy it usually costs more per course. At API level each is priced separately, and aciclovir is a key intermediate cost for valacyclovir production.
Track Aciclovir Prices on ChemAnalyst
Monitor live aciclovir prices, quarterly forecasts and historical data on ChemAnalyst's aciclovir price page.
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