Roche
and InterMune to Collaborate on HCV Protease Inhibitor ITMN-191
 InterMune
announced last week that it has entered into a collaborative agreement with Roche
Laboratories to develop and commercialize products from InterMune's HCV protease
inhibitor program.
The
agreement includes InterMune's lead candidate compound ITMN-191, which is expected
to enter clinical trials before the end of 2006. The two companies will also collaborate
on a research program for second-generation HCV protease inhibitors.  Roche
currently produces one brand of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (Pegasys
plus Copegus), which is the current standard-of-care treatment for chronic
hepatitis C.
InterMune
added that Roche will exclusively license ITMN-191 and have the right to exclusively
license further HCV protease inhibitor candidates resulting from the collaboration.
Upon closing,
InterMune will receive an upfront payment of $60 million, and -- assuming the
successful development and commercialization of ITMN-191 -- could receive up to
$470 million in milestones payments. 10/24/06 Source
www.MarketWatch.com.
InterMune, Roche to Collaborate on Protease Inhibitor. October 20, 2006.
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