Research Article: The Molecular Basis of Drug Resistance against Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors

Posted 7/30/12 on PLOS, a very cool peer-reviewed, open access journal for the rest of us. A very nice US-based research article entitled "The Molecular Basis of Drug Resistance against Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors" by Romano, et al.  This the life source for for HCV Drug Development and virology geeks alike. The authors look in-depth in the major resistance mutations at R155K, A156T, D168A and how they effect the binding of telaprevir, danoprevir, vaniprevir and MK-5172 to the HCV protease target. Also available as a PDF file at the PLOS site for an enthralling, page turning read (seriously!): http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1002832

InterMune spins of Danoprevir development and commercialization rights to Roche...

Roche Pays InterMune $175M for Rights to Danoprevir

BioWorld Today - Oct. 07, 2010

$530M Deal Axed

InterMune Inc. reported late Wednesday that it sold worldwide development and commercialization rights to danoprevir (RG7227 or ITMN-191) to partner Hoffman-La Roche Inc. and F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, for $175 million in cash.

In connection with the transaction, the collaboration agreement that Brisbane, Calif.-based InterMune and Roche entered into in October 2006, valued at a potential $530 million, has been terminated. In addition, the companies are actively exploring ways to continue their ongoing work together on other hepatitis C virus research programs. (See BioWorld Today, Oct. 18, 2006.)

With the net proceeds from the transaction, InterMune expects to have a cash balance of about $290 million at the end of 2010.

InterMune's Dan Welch, chairman, CEO and president, said the cash infusion will allow his company to "aggressively pursue" the registration and commercialization of pirfenidone, a drug that failed to win FDA approval as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis despite the strong backing of an agency panel of experts. (See BioWorld Today, May 5, 2010.)

The company's stock (NASDAQ:ITMN) lost 32 cents, to close at $13.45 Wednesday, but following the late-breaking news, was up as much as 9 percent in after-hours trading.