Natco, Hetero get drug regulator's nod for Gilead's Hep-C drug

Hetero to price the medicine at Rs 19,900 a bottle of 28 tablets, will launch drug this month in India

Natco Pharma Limited has received approval for the generic hepatitis C medicine sofosbuvir tablets of 400 mg from the Drugs Controller General-India (DCGI). The company would market the product through strategic partners in India, according to a press release. Natco had recently signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences to manufacture and sell generic versions of its chronic hepatitis C medicines in 91 developing countries.

Meanwhile, Hetero Drugs, another pharmaceutical company based out of Hyderabad, also announced that it had received approval for generic sofosbuvir tablets, 400 mg, from the DCGI. Hetero too has a non-exclusive agreement with Gilead Sciences to manufacture and sell its hepatitis medicines. The company said it would price its generic medicine at Rs 19,900 for a bottle of 28 tablets and would launch the medicine this month in India and other countries soon. It has tied up with various other licensee holders to distribute the medicine in India.