New Hepatitis C medicine to enter Georgian market in April

Hepatitis C could soon be "completely eliminated” in Georgia, says the country’s Health Minister.

Georgia is preparing to sign a trilateral agreement that will allow a new medicine to be introduced to the market, which aimed to completely eradicate the infectious disease in Georgia.

Today Georgia’s Minister of Health David Sergeenko held a press conference and said the contract about the new Hepatitis C medication would be signed in April between the Government of Georgia, the United States Disease Control Centre and American biotechnology company Gilead Sciences.

According to the agreement, Harvoni - a new generation combined medicine - will enter the Georgian market. Harvoni was created by the combination of two existing Hepatitis C medicines - Sofosbuvir and Ledipasvir.

Sergeenko said Sofosbuvir would be the first to be brought to Georgia, which would later be followed by the other medicines.

"The memorandum will be signed in April and several days after this the first batch of the medicine will be brought to Georgia,” the Minister said.

He added the medication would be affordable for everyone, even those who were socially vulnerable.