Making the Most of Incremental Advantages in the Hepatitis C Market

Schering-Plough's largest drug--a combination of PEG-INTRON (peginterferon alfa-2b) and Rebetol (ribavirin) for hepatitis C--has enjoyed an enormous and growing market to itself. Now, though, Roche is about to challenge Schering-Ploughy's hegemony. Roche has fired the first volley in a battle that will be based as much on marketing as on clinical features and benefits; it has priced its ribavirin at 43% below that of SGP's version.