Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (ENTA)

[willyw]

I was in the Gilead ION-1 trial for naives. I did Harvoni (wasn't called that then) and riba for 6 months. At 12 weeks I had my riba cut in half; I was taking 6 per day and requested it be dropped to 3 per day. It too was weight based. I was like 5 pounds over the 160 cut off so I did 6 instead of 5 riba (for those less than 160 pounds)
I probably did enough drugs to cure 3 naives with mild damage.

Riba is considered an antiviral, but it's action is one of a mutagen. HCV produces millions/trillions of copies per day and so the mutagen action makes many of these copies unviable. This is also a different action than interferon or DAA's and so it tends to not produce resistance via treatments.

My layman's understanding of ritonovir is that it slows the metabolism or through some action ends up extending the half life of the drug; either keeps it at higher trough levels or for longer durations (or both). It is not an antiviral in that sense; but it enhances the performance of the antiviral (I think only the PI ABT-450 being used in the 3-D regimen)

That's what I *think* I know. : )
I may be wrong on specifics, but generally I think it is close.
~W