Singapore: Indian drug major, Natco pharma has announced the launch of first ever generic copy of Sovaldi in Nepal. Natco had recently received regulatory approval from the government to manufacture the generic version of the $1,000-a-pill Hepatitis C drug of Gilead Sciences.

Natco was one of the ten companies to sign a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Gilead to manufacture this drug, the best available treatment for Hepatitis C at present. The company said that the drug will be sold at ₹19,900 for a bottle of 28 tablets.

"We hope to launch Hepacinat in India soon, subject to approval from the drugs controller general of India. Under the recently signed non-exclusive licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences to manufacture and sell generic versions of its chronic Hepatitis C medicine, we can sell the product in 91 developing countries," said Natco in a statement.