Replies to post #128969 on Biotech Values

[oc631]

I would also like to know more about it's resistance profile compared to PSI-7977 in all-oral.

[DewDiligence]

VRTX starts HCV trial to test a 12-week duration for all therapy in genotype-1 patients with ‘CC’ variant of IL28B biomarker:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Vertex-Starts-Global-Phase-3b-bw-3041214939.html?x=0&.v=1

CONCISE (ChrONiC HepatitIS C and IL28B CC GenotypE) is a randomized, placebo-controlled, global, multi-center Phase 3b study designed to evaluate the efficacy of a 12-week regimen of INCIVEK™ (telaprevir) tablets in combination with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin in approximately 350 people with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C who have the CC variation at the IL28B gene… All patients will receive INCIVEK in combination with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin for the first 12 weeks of treatment. After the first 12 weeks, patients who achieve a rapid viral response to treatment (measured as undetectable HCV RNA at week 4) will be randomized 2:1 to receive no further treatment or an additional 12 weeks of pegylated-interferon and ribavirin alone. Patients who do not achieve a rapid viral response will receive an additional 36 weeks of treatment with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin alone.

This trial will include both treatment-naïve and prior-relapse patients (but not prior non-responders). Incivek will be dosed BID (rather than TID), which will soon be the de facto standard for all patients who take Incivek.

[DewDiligence]

Were you perhaps unduly skeptical of ABT’s HCV claims back in October? ABT does not have a habit of boasting unduly and we’re not talking about a small biotech company who needs to generate hype in order to raise capital on favorable terms. Regards, Dew

p.s. ABT is trading at an all-time today.