Biotech Values

[iwfal]

GILD and all DAA for HCV -

Please see the second paragraph of #msg-55725066. --Although there are no specific plans to announce yet, GILD’s CSO Norbert Bischofberger strongly believes that an all-oral 3- or 4-drug cocktail will be able to cure HCV in most patients.

Is your intent an argument from authority (Bischoberger) to counter some assertion of dewo's (e.g. that it is likely that the difference between NS5A/PI vs combo with SOC is likely to get worse for NS5A/PI after end of treatment)?

If so I would just point out that:

a) There is data that removing SOC (or some part of it) does increase relapse rate meaningfully (see PROVE3)

b) As you yourself point out - they (GILD) appear to be making decisions that are very suspect.

c) Since when did talking ones book (as Bischofberger is doing) on something without substantive data become a legit argument on this board -g-.

Again, to restate (to prevent people from ascribing to me an opinion I don't hold) - my position is NOT that a triple DAA cannot work. Only that the data for it is weak (e.g. no legit animal models) and it seems odd to assign high odds of success to the finding the first ever cure of a chronic viral disease with a non-chronic all-DAA treatment.