Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Question on viral breakthroughs: Are they "instantaneous" (i.e., a single unlucky mutation does you in), or "gradual" (there are some low level of mutations that slowly overwhelm)?

A single mutation can cause resistance and viral breakthrough if one or more drugs in an antiviral cocktail are vulnerable to the given mutation.

This is one reason IDIX’s IDX899, which requires multiple mutations to lose effectiveness in the HCV replicon, may turn out to be superior to Sustiva, which can be undone by a single mutation. Of course, GSK (IDIX’s new partner) will have to prove this in vivo.