April 27th, 2011

Wall Street Journal:

“A Food and Drug Administration staff review of Merck & Co.’s proposed hepatitis C drug boceprevir has raised safety concerns about anemia and other blood disorders.

But the review also said it agreed with Merck’s analysis showing adding boceprevir to other drugs currently used to treat hepatitis C was significantly more effective at treating the condition. Broadly, two studies submitted to the FDA in support of boceprevir showed more patients responded to treatment by achieving a so-called sustained virologic response. However, certain groups such as African-Americans and patients with more advanced hepatitis C didn’t respond as well.”

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