1. Scrip
  2. >>Business

Gilead's Epclusa And Merck's Zepatier Hep C Combos Get EMA backing

 
• By Sten Stovall

Gilead's sofosbuvir/velpatasvir combination Epclusa and Merck's grazoprevir and elbasvir combo Zepatier are on course for approval in Europe for treating hepatitis C, but analysts say Gilead's two-drug therapy has the better commercial prospects of the two.

Hepatitis C virus

The European Medicines Agency is recommending EU marketing approval for Gilead Sciences Inc.'s Epclusa (sofosbuvir/velpatasvir) and Merck & Co. Inc.'sZepatier (grazoprevir/elbasvir) after the two doublet therapies were backed by EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). Europe's top drug regulator on May 27 said the two regimes allow cure of patients with long-term hepatitis C virus infection without the need for interferons, which are associated with poor tolerability and potentially serious side effects.

Epclusa and Zepatier belong to a new generation of medicines for chronic HCV infection, direct-acting antivirals, that give high rates...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Business

Asia Deal Watch: SunRock, Escugen Collaborate On CCR9-Targeted ADC

 
• By Joseph Haas, Lisa Takagi, Sushmita Panda, and Xu Hu

Axcelead/Lotte Biologics/Kanaph and NextCure/Simcere also unveil ADC-focused pacts, plus deals involving Avata/Oceanus, GSK/Bharat Biotech, Cullinan/Genrix and more.

Defying Gravity: Five Drugs That Surpassed Their Sales Forecasts

 
• By Edwin Elmhirst

Many assets outperform their pre-launch sales predictions despite the frequent overestimation of forecasts within the industry. In this article, Scrip highlights several such assets and the factors that influenced their predictions.

China Signals Restarting IPOs For Unprofitable Biotechs

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

The China Securities Regulatory Commission has proposed a new “growth tier” for the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, to reinstate the market’s listing standards for unprofitable firms.

BIO Notebook: Woodcock Calls For Doing The Right Thing, Dealmaking Remains Constrained

 
• By Mandy Jackson, Joseph Haas, and Sarah Karlin-Smith

Highlights from Day Four of the BIO International Convention include Woodcock offering practical advice on rare disease trials, the sorry state of dealmaking mid-year, Novartis discussing its approach to partnering, and Generate looking for funding to move into Phase III.

More from Scrip

China Signals Restarting IPOs For Unprofitable Biotechs

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

The China Securities Regulatory Commission has proposed a new “growth tier” for the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, to reinstate the market’s listing standards for unprofitable firms.

BIO Notebook: Woodcock Calls For Doing The Right Thing, Dealmaking Remains Constrained

 
• By Mandy Jackson, Joseph Haas, and Sarah Karlin-Smith

Highlights from Day Four of the BIO International Convention include Woodcock offering practical advice on rare disease trials, the sorry state of dealmaking mid-year, Novartis discussing its approach to partnering, and Generate looking for funding to move into Phase III.

Syncona Looks To Go Private As Market Decline Deepens

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

While some are calling for Syncona to be wound up, the UK-based company believes many existing and new investors will back the creation of new private fund.