Natco Pharma ties up with Gilead Sciences for Hepatitis C drug

MUMBAI: Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma said on Monday that it has received voluntary licence to manufacture the generic versions of US drug maker Gilead Sciences' hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, a move that leaves the company with one less hurdle to launch the drug in India. Natco was the only Indian generic drug maker that had filed a pre-grant patent opposition for the drug with the patent office.

"This agreement allows Natco to expand access to these chronic hepatitis C medicines in 91 developing countries. Under the licence, Natco can set its own price for the generic products it produces, paying royalty on sales to Gilead to support product registrations, medical education and training, safety monitoring and other essential business activities," Natco’s company secretary M Adinarayan said in a filing to stock exchanges.