Makes sense. Also, AEs and discontinuations were as expected. So overall the study did achieve its purpose and showed the majority of patients can get the shorter 24-week treatment.
The higher SVR rate in the 24-week arm on an ITT basis is explained by fewer dropouts compared to the 48-week arm.
No doubt this is a factor. But another possible explanation, should the data be real (i.e. not statistical noise ) is that it just takes a finite amount of time for hcv to break through. I don't put large credence on this argument but it would explain both the strange SVR AND strange relapse rates. In other words, SVR24 wouldn't be an adequate measure if treatment was only 6 months.