Replies to post #169352 on Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

…GILD is stretching its DAA regimens to shorten the treatment to 6 weeks.

Not likely, IMO. On GILD’s 3Q13 CC, Kevin Young, chief commercial officer, said (http://seekingalpha.com/article/1785222-gilead-sciences-ceo-discusses-q3-2013-results-earnings-call-transcript ):

Just to chip in with a commercial angle here: …if you move from three months to two months, that's clearly a step change and an advantage… going from eight weeks to six weeks doesn't really give you that much more… I don't think carving off an extra two weeks is that big a differentiator when it comes to the commercial profile of the products.

[oc631]

I think Ribavirin will be out. Furthermore, GILD is stretching it's DAA regimens to shorten the treatment to 6 weeks.

Are they testing Sofo/Ledi in GT1B patients for 6-weeks? I'm aware developers are trying to find a competitive, marketing edge. The edge should be superior results in the absence of Riba. GILD has demonstrated that longer dosing of Sofo/Riba boosts SVR rates for GT3 patients. Until GILD achieves 100% SVR rates in large studies, or they are able to identify which GT1A patient (example) needs only 8-weeks of dosing, they should stick with 12-weeks of treatment IMO. If a patient is treated for 12-weeks, and fails therapy, then there will be no regrets. The combos are safe and tolerable (more so without ribavirin).


The FDA should recognize that HCV companies will profit from every patient that fails therapy. It's important to get it right the first time for patients and the system. This has always been my issue with Sofo/Riba in GT3.



P.S...If GILD charges double for 24-weeks of Sofo/Riba do you think they will give a 50% discount for 6-weeks of Sofo/Ledi?