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Biotech / Medical : InterMune (nasdaq)ITMN -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ewolf who wrote (330)	10/28/2002 8:35:41 PM
From: IRWIN JAMES FRANKEL	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 508

Roche already has approval for the sale of Pegasys, their pegylated interferon for treating HCV. They still need ribavirin since combo treatment is substantially more effective in producing SVR (sustained viral response). So they are offering their own version of ribavirin/Copegus. The composition of matter andanti-viral patents on ribavirin have expired. However, there is a combo patent for using interferon and ribavirin together to treat HCV. Roche has already indicated they would give away the treatment for 15,000 patients for 6 months to help them break into the US market. They want a piece of the market and are going after it aggressively. ij