Natco Pharma Limited, a Rs. 700 crore plus pharma major from Hyderabad, has launched the first generic version of sofosbuvir in Nepal.

Sofosbuvir is a medicine used for chronic hepatitis C infection and sold globally by Gilead Sciences, Inc., under its brand Sovaldi. Natco priced its generic medicine at an maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs. 19,900 for a bottle of 28 tablets in Nepal.

Natco markets generic sofosbuvir under its brand Hepcinat. Natco hopes to launch Hepcinat in India soon, subject to approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). Natco had recently signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences, to manufacture and sell generic versions of its chronic hepatitis C medicines in 91 developing countries.