Gilead Strikes Exclusive Hepatitis C Agreement With Anthem
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Anthem Inc., the biggest provider of health coverage to U.S. businesses, chose Gilead Sciences Inc.’s hepatitis C drug as the primary option for patients with the most common type of the disease, jilting AbbVie Inc.’s rival medication.
The deal for Anthem’s employer health plans is part of a move by the U.S.’s biggest insurers and drug-benefit managers to pit Gilead against AbbVie to exact price discounts for the treatments, which can cost $1,000 a day. The agreements have riled biotechnology investors who had bet on the industry’s ability to maintain high prices.