India Gains Access to Gilead Hepatitis C Cure for Rs 300 Per Cour...

The Indian government concluded a voluntary licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences securing the right to manufacture and distribute pan-genotypic direct-acting antiviral hepatitis C treatment at a cost of Rs 300 per complete 12-week treatment course — a fraction of the Rs 75,000 commercial price. Three Indian generic manufacturers including Natco Pharma, Cipla, and Mylan India will begin manufacturing under the licence from July 2025. India has an estimated 7.5 million people living with chronic hepatitis C infection, the majority in rural areas who cannot afford commercial pricing. The National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme will integrate the generic treatment into its free medicine supply across all government health facilities. WHO has cited the deal as a model for how middle-income countries can negotiate access to curative medicines without compromising manufacturer intellectual property internationally.