Another bad news day for Gilead's HCV patent estate

Adding to a busy news week for Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD), a court in Brazil has announced it will strip the Californian firm of its exclusivity patent for Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), at the request of presidential candidate Rolando Valcir Spanholo.

Gilead has faced mounting criticism from patient access groups over the pricing of its highly effective hepatitis C therapies in developing countries such as India and China.

In China, USA-based non-profit campaigner I-MAK won a patent challenge recently, forcing Gilead to give up patent protection for Sovaldi in the country, while Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has fought similar battles in other countries to promote access to cheaper generic alternatives.