Biotech Values

[microcapfun]

IFN use in HCV

>>Quote:
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Are there any expectations that the new small-molecule treatments for HCV will entirely replace interferon in the future?
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The question is when, not if. Virtually everyone in the field thinks this will happen in due course. <<


This reminds me of the adage that a trillion flies can't be wrong; eat shit.
;o)

I would break up this question into two bite-sized pieces.

1. Is there any small-molecule treatment known which is likely to NOT have its efficacy (i.e. SVR) increased by co-administration with IFN alpha?

Although I don't follow this field very closely, I suspect that the answer is 'no'.

2. If the answer to #1 is 'no', is there a dose of co-administered IFN which increases efficacy by more than it increases AEs?

This is obviously an ill-defined question, yet I think the idea is clear. The well-known side effects associated with IFN increase with dose. So #2 basically asks if there a dose of IFN which can be co-administered with small molecule HCV treatment such that the SVR is significantly increased by the IFN w/o incapacitating treated HCV patients for 4, 2 or 1 weekends a month?

I don't know the answer to #2, but if the answer is 'yes', perhaps everyone in the field will turn out to be wrong!

micro