Biotech Values

[dewophile]

re HCV txs
In general I agree with you that combinations of direct antivirals will hopefully be used to minimize need for more toxic agents. Right now I think all agents in development are going to be evaluated (and valued) based on how they may complement vx-950 - at least in the eyes of wall street. resistant variants seem to be susceptible to interferon and ribavirin, and if svrs are in the 80+% range with vx-950 added to soc wall street doesn't think there's going to be much room for other direct antivirals, at least in the gen-1 naive setting. But I think they are discounting the side effect profile adn dropout rates on rib-interferon, and if combination direct antivirals can prove non-inferior with shorter courses of peg-interferon (or perhaps eliminate one or both), then that combination will become the new soc. Now most experts feel some immune booster will likely be included in foreseeable future, likely because t-cell-mediated immunity is so critical to clearing residual virus and keeping it in check long-term, so i doubt we're going to see both riba and interferon eliminated anytime soon, but shortening the course of what is now soc will be key to decreasing toxicity in near-term. which is why the forthcoming prove-1 trial is so critical..if vrtx can show tremendous svrs with 10 weeks of combination therapy, then I really see polymerase inhibitors relegated to combination therapies in difficult to treat patients and non genotype 1 patients. however even if vx-950 achieves solid (i.e. 60% range) svrs with short course treatment and 80+% with long-course treatment, then the door is wide open for combinations involving any antiviral that complements protease inhibitors + vx-950-interferon (+/- rib) in naive setting to decrease toxicity while maximizing svr
curious what other posters who follow hcv think - gofish you usually find some chink in my line of thinking so curious what you think