And then there was one. Merck & Co. Inc. de-emphasized development of its experimental nucleoside polymerase inhibitor for hepatitis C earlier this year, so with Johnson & Johnson’s Sept. 11 decision to exit HCV drug development, the last "nuc” that could have provided competition to Gilead Sciences Inc.’s sofosbuvir-driven dominance likely has reached a standstill.
With J&J’s Departure From HCV, Gilead Stands Alone In ‘Nuc’ Field
J&J is the latest firm to back away from the hepatitis C field, reflecting the dominant position Gilead has built with its sofosbuvir franchise. In February, Merck lowered sales expectations for its investigational "nuc" MK-3682.
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