Anyone see the article on Vertex in thestreet.com today?
Implying another delay for the Vertex protease inhibitor, which is in phase III, partly due to difficulty enrollng patients, as patients were reluctant to enter if they only had a 50/50 chance of receiving a protease inhibitor.
According to the article, Glaxo sales reps are making a conservative estimate for a launch in early 1999, later than the expected late 1998.
They are starting a third study that compares 141 to Merck's Crixivan.
Also the Vertex drug regiment requires 8 pills taken twice a day, 16 pills total, which is high.
Article mentions that Agouron's protease inhibitor, Viracept, "one of the more convenient protease inhibitors to take," is only three pills, three times a day. Also notes Monday's launch of Combivir, a combination pill of AZT and 3TC, one pill taken twice a day.
Mentions that other drug companies, -Merck, Agouron, Abbott, Roche - are all working on twice a day studies for their protease inhibitors, which will make the market more competitive for Glaxo and Vertex. |
