Bangladesh company offering cheap copy of Gilead's blockbuster hep C drug

Mumbai

A US$10 version of Sovaldi, the Gilead Sciences Inc hepatitis C treatment that sells for US$1,000 a pill in the US, is now available in Bangladesh and could make its way to other parts of the world where the US company doesn't have patents.

Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd doesn't have a licence from Gilead and its version was launched last month, said managing director Abdul Muktadir. The company also aims to sell the drug overseas, including to parts of South-east Asia and Africa.

The generic drugmaker has beaten to the market a number of larger Indian competitors that were licensed by Gilead to produce low-cost versions of S…