Earlier this week, a Brazilian federal court issued an injunction which stripped U.S. pharmaceutical producer Gilead Sciences of its patent over Sofosbuvir, a medication used for the treatment of hepatitis C and sold under the brand name Sovaldi. Higher courts are still to uphold the decision, but it already paves the way for cheaper generic drugs.
Last week, Brazil’s National Intellectual Property Institute (INPI) granted the American company the patent, establishing that only Gilead would be allowed to produce the drug in Brazil. Sovaldi has proven to be effective against serious liver diseases, but Gilead was criticized for marketing a...