Replies to post #164685 on Biotech Values

[jbog]

gensi,

I'm gathering that Vertex wants to change the goalposts with any new HVC product. I'm pretty sure we'll hear that treatment duration of 6 to 8 weeks being the goal they're looking for. I believe they'll need that edge to get back into the game.

[mcbio]

VRTX

But if you look at RVR data of the two drugs then for VX-135 in combination with ribavirin "All patients achieved undetectable HCV RNA during the 12-week dosing period, and 70 percent and 80 percent of patients in the 100 mg and 200 mg dosing arms, respectively, had undetectable HCV RNA within four weeks of initiating treatment", while sofosbuvir in a similar combo has produced 100% RVR in all GT1 (null and naive) patients in ELECTRON study.

Assuming this is an apples-to-apples comparison you're making here (is GILD 100% RVR also based on "within four weeks of initiating treatment" or are we comparing different points of time here), VX-135 would seem to be a weaker nuke than sofosbuvir. But, as one component of an all-oral DAA HCV combo, it could still well be potent enough to suffice.