Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

MRK presents C-SURGE HCV results, although it’s hard to see how this 3-DAA regimen gets commercial uptake in the targeted population (patients who failed prior DAA regimens) given the long duration of treatment—16 weeks with ribavirin or 24 weeks without ribavirin:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/merck-announces-phase-2-data-110000147.html

Merck…today announced the first sustained virologic response1 (SVR) results 12 weeks after completion of therapy (SVR12, considered virologic cure) from C-SURGE, an ongoing, open label Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating MK-3682B [uprifosbuvir (MK-3682)/grazoprevir/rusazvir], the company’s investigational triple-combination therapy in treatment-experienced patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) 1 infection for whom treatment with approved direct-acting antiviral regimens had failed.

The study showed that 100 percent (43/43) of patients who completed 16 weeks of treatment plus ribavirin (RBV) achieved SVR12 and 100 percent (49/49) of patients who completed 24 weeks of treatment achieved SVR12 (abstract PS-159).

Note that the NS5A inhibitor in this trial is Rusazvir (a/k/a MK-8408) rather than Elbasvir (the NS5A constituent of Zepatier).