[8] One of the benefits of a combined pill was that patients would be more likely to consistently comply with treatment by taking a full dose of the prescribed drugs, which in turn would lessen the chance that drug-resistant HIV strains would develop.

[11] In 2014, Martin led the commercialization of Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) — "a treatment for the liver virus hepatitis C that can cure 90% of patients and generated $12 billion in revenue in its first year on the market.

[12] However, in April 2014, U.S. House Democrats Henry Waxman, Frank Pallone Jr., and Diana DeGette wrote Martin questioning the $84,000 price for Sovaldi.

On one hand, this agent offers up to a 95% response rate as part of an interferon-free treatment regimen for hepatitis C.6 Generally speaking, it is more effective and better tolerated than alternative treatments.6 Unfortunately, the current per pill cost—$1,000—results in an $84,000 treatment course, creating barriers to therapy for many.6 Patients, providers, and payors alike have expressed outrage, and the debate has even drawn the attention of the US Congress.7 Despite these concerns, sofosbuvir rapidly has become a top seller in the United States.

...[14]John Martin contributed to expanding global access to HIV and hepatitis treatments by overseeing the development of voluntary licensing agreements that allowed for lower-cost generic production.

[17] He also worked to expand access to hepatitis C treatments through licensing agreements that made them more affordable in developing regions including in highly prevalent countries like Egypt and Republic of Georgia.

[20] In 1990,[21] Martin received the American Chemical Society's Isbell Award, "for his applications of carbohydrate chemistry to the design of medicinally active nucleosides and nucleotides.

"[24] The 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service was presented to John Martin by the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, for his work on the development of anti-HIV medications and on AIDS prevention through Pre-exposure prophylaxis.

[2] In 2019 Martin received the NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society for his tireless contributions to human health, including treatments for HIV/AIDS.