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PropThink: Abbot's Impressive HCV Data Continues the Trend; Everyone's Got a Candidate

By The Associated Press Monday, October 15, 2024

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By Jake King

Developers of potential Hepatitis C (HCV) treatments are among the most-traded in the healthcare industry on Monday, following an announcement from Abbot Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) that a combinations of it's three-drug regimen (ABT-450, ABT-267, ABT-333) plus ribavarin demonstrated a 99% Sustained Virological Response (SVR) rate in treatment-naive HCV patients. Abbot released data from the Phase IIb study that demonstrated impressive results for null responders (treatment-resistant patients) as well, with a 93% SVR rate for patients taking a combination of the drugs plus standard-of-care ribavarin.

The Aviator study evaluated the most common form of HCV in America and Europe, Genotype 1, without the use of interferon, which often causes flu-like side effects in patients. That goal, in fact, and improving the efficacy and pill burden of these drugs, has been the focus of most developmental treatments. Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) leads the move to market these drugs, with its nucleotide NS5B inhibitor GS-7977 in a Phase III study for the indication. Abbot, however, just set a high bar for success in the segment. GS-7977 in combination with ribavarin produced an 88% SVR rate in treatment-naive, genotype 1 patients during a Phase II interim analysis in April. For a benchmark, Vertex's (NASDAQ:VRTX) Incivek, approved in 2011, improves treatment-naive response to about 80% when combined with interferon and ribavarin (the two alone provide less than a 50% SVR rate in previously untreated patients).

Throw Achillion's (NASDAQ:ACHN) non-nucleotide drugs and protease inhibitors into the mix, plus Bristol-Myers Squibb's (NYSE:BMY) pipeline products - and Idenix's (NASDAQ:IDIX) candidates- and its gets even messier. For sure, all of these drugs are demonstrating strong efficacy in completed and ongoing trials, but the question is which one will hit the market first and which one will be most adopted. GS-7977 is most advanced in the development process and has the lowest pill burden; it may even be approved in 2013, with competitors to follow the next year. We still like the looks of Achillion as a potential take-out candidate - or long-term for its pipeline - and GILD will likely continue to perform well despite today's weakness. Study details and a clearer view of the segment should be forthcoming after the meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) on November 9 - 13. The market for HCV treatments is expected to top $20B by 2020. ABT is up 3% in the afternoon and set an all-time high of $72.08, with GILD trading down 2%, and ACHN off by 3%.

Click here to see this article in its original form at PropThink.com.

About PropThink

PropThink is an intelligence service that delivers long and short trading ideas to investors in the healthcare and life sciences sectors. Our focus is on identifying and analyzing technically-complicated companies and equities that are grossly over or under-valued. We offer daily market coverage, weekly feature stories, and a newsletter to investors who subscribe on PropThink.com. To learn more, follow us on Twitter or visit us at http://www.propthink.com.

Disclaimer:

You should assume that as of the publication date of any report or letter, PropThink, LLC and persons or entities with whom it has relation ships (collectively referred to as "PropThink") has a position in all stocks (and/or options of the stock) covered herein that is consistent with the position set forth in our research report. Following publication of any report or letter, PropThink intends to continue transacting in the securities covered herein, and we may be long, short, or neutral at any time hereafter regardless of our initial recommendation. To the best of our knowledge and belief, all information contained herein is accurate and reliable, and has been obtained from public sources we believe to be accurate and reliable, and not from company insiders or persons who have a relationship with company insiders. PropThink was not compensated to publish this article. Our full disclaimer is available at .

This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: PropThink via Thomson Reuters ONE

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