Biotech Values

[dewophile]

"Any drug that becomes ineffective due to resistance will be dropped from the cocktail. Why would such a drug automatically be replaced by interferon rather than another oral agent?"

because there will be cross-resistance to drugs of the same class, and interferon acts via a unique moa from the direct antivirals, so going back to interferon when say a protease-polymerase fails is logical rather than trying another protease-polymerase

"Why would every combination need to be approved in order to be tried in the second line? Interferon itself won’t be approved in the second line following failure on a non-ifn.."

there has so far been significant toxicity with the oral agents. you think doctors and patients are going to randomly mix and match various direct antivirals without knowing what kind of success or interaction these drugs have when a proven combination containing interferon exists if the initial direct antiviral cocktail fails?

"I do not get your point"

its simple really - interferon and ribavirin will represent novel MOA agents for second line if supplanted as first line