New revised draft guidance on HCV drug development recommends that interferon-free regimens, which have become the standard of care, be studied against a direct-acting antiviral comparator.

While Olysio will be priced higher than Incivek for the course of therapy, J&J has a broader strategy for use of the second-generation protease inhibitor. Market analysts are skeptical about the drug’s prospects even though it has some clear edges over the first-generation protease inhibitors for hepatitis C.

Roche/Genentech oncology partnering maintained a robust dealmaking pace through the pandemic, keeping the percentage of partnered R&D programs at about 50% of the cancer drug pipeline.