Replies to post #106396 on Biotech Values

[ghmm]

Roche doesn’t need to ink a deal to push Pegasys instead of Pegintron because everyone (except, of course, MRK) has abandoned Pegintron already.

Presuming both Merck and Vertex get their PI's approved I was just speculating Merck may somehow market boceprevir in a package with PEG-Intron and try to compete on price (even with the longer treatment duration).

Other than saving face, what possible reason could Roche have to move forward with a product that’s clearly inferior to other HCV PI’s in development?

Granted some may not agree but if INFORM-3 is still on-track for initiating in 1H '11 I would think that would put the oral combo still substantially (1-2 years+) ahead of any alternative PI they could license and get to the same stage of development. There will always be better drugs at earlier stages but I figure Roche has the bucks to spend to take what they have and know well forward and see if there is still a tox signal or not (at the lower dose boosted with ritonavir). Didn't they run an additional trial with their internal Polymerase compound even after an earlier tox signal?