Natco launches Hepatitis C drug in Nepal

Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma today said it has launched the first licensed generic version of Hepatitis C medicine under its brand name Hepcinat LP in Nepal.

Licensed from Gilead Sciences earlier this year, Hepcinat LP is a two-drug fixed dose combination product containing Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir in a single tablet.

The drug is used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 viral infection in adults. Natco has priced the product at Rs 25,000 for a bottle of 28 tablets in Nepal.

In India, several generic drug companies had signed a similar non-exclusive licensing agreements with the US-based Gilead Sciences, Inc. to sell the drug in India and other developing countries.