Gilead Sciences will offer a cheaper version of its blockbuster hepatitis C drugs, Epclusa and Harvoni, which sparked controversy when they were initially introduced at a price of more than $1,000 per pill, according to Bloomberg.
The new generic versions of both hepatitis C drugs will cost $24,000 for a course of treatment. When Harvoni was introduced to the market in 2014, it was priced at $94,500 a treatment. Epclusa came to the market in 2016 with a list price of $74,760.
Gilead's generic versions of Epclusa and Harvoni will be launched in Januarythrough a newly created subsidiary, Asegua Therapeutics. The drugs are known as authorized generics, which are cheaper versions of brand-name drugs sold by the original manufacturer.
The brand-name hepatitis C drugs, which cures patients of the illness, remain two of the best-selling pharmaceutical products in history, and helped boost Gilead to a market valuation of nearly $100 billion. However, the hefty price of the drugs also made Gilead the subject of public criticism, with many accusing the pharma giant of greed.