(Reuters) - U.S.-based Gilead Sciences Inc
will appeal the Indian patent office's rejection of its
application for hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, a move that could
allow local drugmakers to launch cheaper generic versions of the
$1,000-a-pill medicine.
The rejection relates to the patent application covering the
metabolites, or small molecules, of sofosbuvir, the chemical
name of Sovaldi.
Indian drugmaker Natco Pharma and the Initiative
for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK) had opposed Gilead's
application on the grounds that the drug is not inventive enough
compared with a previous formulation.
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Labels: Gilead, India, patent, Sovaldi