Gilead plows ahead in India with Mylan deal on hep C, but will it work?

SINGAPORE--Mylan ($MYL) has signed an agreement with Gilead Sciences ($GILD) for exclusive rights in India to distribute the best-selling Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) and Harvoni combination with ledipasvir for treating hepatitis C.

Whether Mylan and Gilead will be able to carry out the agreement remained up in the air until a dispute over Gilead's India patent was resolved. An India court rejected the patent earlier this year, but the Delhi High Court ordered reconsideration as other challengers joined the dispute.

The new agreement, whose financial arrangements were not disclosed, is the latest of partnerships between the two companies. Mylan also has nonexclusive rights to produce and distribute Harvoni and, if the drug is approved, a single-tablet version of Sovaldi in 91 developing countries.

Mylan said it plans to distribute Sovaldi in India in late summer, with its patent status permitting. In January, India was the first Asia country to approve the drug for market.

- read the Mylan release