Idenix Pharmaceuticals (IDIX)

[gofishmarko]

>>> PEG and NM283 @ 48 weeks was already shown to have a significantly higher SVR than SoC <<<

Not SVR , but HCV-negativity @ 48 wks. was superior. The PJ report suggests that once off-treatment , NM283/pegifn patients relapse at a higher rate (maybe much higher ? ) than SOC patients.

This doesn't surprise me that much , given that the value of riba in SOC is not because of the incremental benefit it adds in direct antiviral activity , but rather the reduced relapse rates it yields ( i.e higher SVR) , probably due to immunomodulating effects ( Th1-biasing ).

IDIX was no doubt tripped up by the early replicon data showing no benefit of riba addition. It was still a blunder , IMO , not to plan for riba tests in humans from the start , just to cover all the bases. Now they'll be flying blind , or nearly so , into P3s with a meager database to base them on.

The ultimate outcome could still be good -- maybe spectacular. No one knows what the triple therapy will show , and if they get more rapid viral load reductions ( vs. SOC ) with riba adddition it will translate to higher SVR rates , IMO.