Gilead Sciences said it will start offering generic versions of its hepatitis C drugs Harvoni and Epclusa next year at a cost $24,000 for a full course of treatment.
Gilead introduced Harvoni in 2014 at a retail price of $1,000 a pill, or $94,500 for a full course of treatment, and Epclusa in 2016, with a price of $74,760. The next-generation drugs provide significant improvements in cure rates, but the sky-high prices and ensuing billion-dollar profits drew inquiries from lawmakers wanting to know why the U.S was spending so much on the drugs; Medicare and Medicaid spent more than $8 billion on the treatments in 2015 alone.
Gilead has lost market share in the last year to cheaper competitors, and the generic offering could help the company regain sales.
