Cipla to launch generic Sovaldi in India

Cipla is launching low-cost version of Gilead Sciences’ Sovaldi in India. With a launch planned this week, Cipla will become the latest company to field a Sovaldi copycat under Gilead’s deal with generic drugmakers. The Indian pharma will market the drug under the name “Hepcvir,” bringing the Sovaldi copycat to an estimated 12 million to 18 million hepatitis C patients in the country.

Cipla has always brought accessible and affordable medicines to fight against disease like AIDS and Hepatitis B. Hence, Cipla has made it a priority to bring Hepcvir to patients in India as well as the other developing nations. – CEO Subhanu Saxena

Gilead reached an agreement with generics makers such as Cipla, Hetero Labs and Natco Pharma to bring low-cost versions of its $84,000 drug to 91 poor countries, covering around 54% of the world’s HCV patients. Hetero Labs was recently cleared to market its generic Sovaldi and said it would launch the drug by the end of March.