Schering-Plough Corp. 's best-selling drug—a combination of peginterferon alfa-2b (PEG-Intron) and ribavirin (Rebetol) for hepatitis C (HCV)—has enjoyed a growing market to itself, with more than $1 billion in sales. Now, though, Roche is about to challenge Schering-Plough's hegemony by launching its own combination of alfa-interferon plus ribavirin. In December, Roche received FDA approval for combination treatment Pegasys/Copegus, and earlier this month, it settled a patent dispute with ICN Pharmaceuticals Inc. , the first commercializer of ribavirin, putting in place the final piece of the puzzle. (Pegasys was approved as a monotherapy two months earlier, but the standard of care is to use alfa interferon and ribavirin together; neither drug on its own is highly effective.) Now the two players are preparing for battle in a market in which the stakes are high, and competitive alternatives are still several years away from market.
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.
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