Contact: Joelle Dountio Ofimboudem, jdountio@treatmentactiongroup.org
MAY 22, 2026 — Treatment Action Group and the Long-Acting Therapies Community Advisory Board celebrate the Indian Patent Office’s decision to NOT grant a patent on the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment combination treatment glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P), aka Mavyret® or Maviret® manufactured by AbbVie.
Globally, about 47 million people are estimated to be living with HCV, and India is top among the 10 countries accounting for 58% of this global burden. In 2024 alone, about 0.9 million people were newly infected with HCV leading to 240,000 deaths. Yet, G/P is almost exclusively registered in high-income countries.
In 2018 the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) signed a royalty-free license agreement with AbbVie to enable 4 quality-assured manufacturers namely Arene Lifesciences Ltd, Viatris, Remington, and USV, to develop and sell generic G/P in 96 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) at affordable prices. One striking and unprecedented key factor of this MPP/AbbVie license is that while 3 of these 4 generic manufacturers are Indian-based, India is not included in the 96 eligible countries of the license, meaning these manufacturers were precluded by the license from selling generic G/P in India, which together with China – which was also excluded from the license – account for ⅓ of the global HCV infections.
“Today’s decision of the Indian Patent Office to NOT grant a patent on the G/P combination could potentially provide a pathway for shortening the duration of other existing patents on G/P; address some of the barriers faced by the above generic manufacturers to manufacture and sell generic G/P, potentially paving the way for an additional shorter duration generic option for HCV treatment in the near future, thereby lowering prices in the above low- and middle-income countries and boosting competition.” said Joelle Dountio Ofimboudem, Acting HCV program director at TAG.
“This decision could potentially also accelerate the market entry of the long-acting G/P formulation currently being developed by the Longevity Consortium by reducing intellectual property barriers that can delay research, manufacturing, collaborative development and market entry,” said Dorothy O. Onyango, a LAT CAB Member from Kenya.
By prioritizing public health and access, the Indian Patent Office reinforces the critical role that patent scrutiny plays in enabling both pharmaceutical innovation and equitable global access to lifesaving medicines.
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About TAG: Treatment Action Group (TAG) is an independent, activist and community-based research and policy think tank fighting for better treatment, prevention, a vaccine, and a cure for HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis C virus. TAG works to ensure that all people with HIV, TB, and HCV receive life-saving treatment, care, and information. We are science-based treatment activists working to expand and accelerate vital research and effective community engagement with research and policy institutions.