Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Is Roche’s ‘INFORM-3’ HCV study dead after all? I think so—in VRUS’ quarterly press release issued yesterday (#msg-57047768), there is no mention whatsoever of INFORM-3 in the section of the PR on Calendar Year 2011 Anticipated Milestones.

INFORM-3 was originally supposed to start in 2010, but it got bumped to 2011 last summer for no particular reason. Now, the trial is evidently not slated for a 2011 start, which more than likely means it isn’t going to start ever.

This is hardly a surprise—mcbio and I have been predicting the demise of the INFORM program on this board for some time (e.g. #msg-46797334, #msg-52702788). Inasmuch as ITMN-191 (a/k/a Danoprevir, RG7227) is a fatally flawed drug, it makes little sense for Roche to test it in combination with VRUS’ RG7128 or with any other HCV drug Roche may have at its disposal.