Natco signs agreement with Gilead for Hepatitis C drugs

The agreement allows Natco to expand access to the medicines in 91 developing countries

Hyderabad-based drug maker, Natco Pharma Limited, has signed a non-exclusive licencing agreement with US-headquartered, research-based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences to manufacture and sell generic versions of its chronic hepatitis-C medicines.

The medicines include sofosbuvir and ledipasvir and the investigational NS5A inhibitor GS-5816, which is being evaluated in Phase-III clinical studies as part of a single tablet regimen that combines the compound and sofosbuvir for the treatment of all six genotypes of hepatitis-C, Natco said in a filing to the BSE on Monday.

The agreement with Gilead Sciences 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 a royalty on sales to Gilead to support product registrations, medical education and training, safety monitoring and other essential business activities, it added.

Natco Pharma Limited's scrip is currently trading at Rs 1,406 on the BSE, up 2.73 per cent, over the previous close of Rs 1,368.70 a share.