Gilead wins U.S. nod for drug for all types of hepatitis C

(Reuters) - U.S. health regulators on Tuesday approved a combination drug by Gilead Sciences Inc that is the first available treatment for all six major forms of hepatitis C, advancing the company's leadership in the field and sending its shares up almost 4 percent. Gilead has dominated the hepatitis C market over rivals AbbVie and Merck & Co with its high-priced and highly effective treatments Sovaldi and the combination drug Harvoni. Epclusa is approved for patients with and without cirrhosis, a form of scarring seen in patients with advanced disease that can lead to liver failure and need for a transplant.