Gilead wins reversal of $2.54 bln hepatitis C drug patent verdict

A federal judge in Delaware has overturned a jury's verdict requiring Gilead Sciences Inc to pay a record $2.54 billion because its hepatitis C drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni infringed a patent held by rival Merck & Co Inc. The verdict had been the largest ever in a U.S. patent case but U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark in Wilmington, Delaware, on Friday ruled Merck's patent was invalid. Gilead in a statement on Saturday said it always believed the patent was invalid and was pleased the judge confirmed that opinion.