Natco inks licensing pact for Hepatitis C drug

Signs agreement with Medicines Patent Pool and Bristol-Myers Squibb Natco Pharma Ltd has signed an agreement to manufacture and sell generic version of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s chronic hepatitis C medicine Daclatasvir Dihydrochloride. Announcing on Thursday the signing of a “non-exclusive, royalty free licensing agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool and Bristol-Myers Squibb,” the company said it will market generic Daclatasvir under its NATDAC brand and through strategic partners in India. The agreement allows Natco to provide access to these chronic hepatitis C medicines in 112 developing countries. Under the licence, the company can set its own price for the generic products it produces. Daclatasvir, discovered and developed by Bristol-Myer Squibb, is the first-in-class NS5A inhibitor used in combination with Sofosbuvir for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 infection, according to a release.. . .