Leveraging Old Hepatitis C Therapies

This article examines the U.S. hepatitis C elimination initiative, which faces challenges related to the high cost and limited availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The authors propose three key strategies to make these therapies more accessible: 1) Partnering with or licensing older, less-marketed DAAs for generic production; 2) Acquiring patents for underused therapies and producing them through nonprofit channels; and 3) Planning for future generic production post-patent expiration. Drawing comparisons with Egypt’s success in scaling treatment via local generics, the piece advocates for a pragmatic, market-driven approach to reduce DAA costs and ensure widespread treatment access for underserved populations in the United States.

This article examines the U.S. hepatitis C elimination initiative, which faces challenges related to the high cost and limited availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The authors propose three key strategies to make these therapies more accessible: 1) Partnering with or licensing older, less-marketed DAAs for generic production; 2) Acquiring patents for underused therapies and producing them through nonprofit channels; and 3) Planning for future generic production post-patent expiration. Drawing comparisons with Egypt’s success in scaling treatment via local generics, the piece advocates for a pragmatic, market-driven approach to reduce DAA costs and ensure widespread treatment access for underserved populations in the United States.