Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

It looks like Tibotec/Medavir are also working on a nucleoside inhibitor…

We can’t tell from the PR you cited whether TMC649128 is a nucleoside or a nucleotide because the word, nucleoside can be used to refer to both kinds of compounds (#msg-36688204).

In the case of BCRX’s BCX5191, I was able to determine that the compound was not a nucleotide from the discussion of the phosphorylation, but I don’t have similar information regarding JNJ/Medivir’s TMC649128.

Whether there's some unforeseen merit to the [nucleoside rather than nucleotide] idea remains to be seen. Perhaps there's some IP licensing issues on HCV nucleotides which is moving the industry in this direction?

The answer to both questions, as far as I can tell, is no: there is no benefit to a nucleoside as compared to a nucleotide, and there are no IP issues the hamper development of a nucleotide.