Roche congratulates new flu medicine while Tamiflu suffers from generic

ZURICH (Reuters) – The hopes of the Roche pharmaceutical company to recover the Swiss influenza market have been reinforced after an advanced phase study showed that its experimental drug, baloxavir marboxil, reduces symptoms in people at high risk of complications.

Analysts said, however, that there was only a marginal benefit. Cheap generic copies of the old drug Tamiflu Roche.

In severe cases of influenza, millions of people can become ill, resulting in hospitalizations and hundreds of thousands of deaths, especially among the elderly or those with compromised immune or respiratory systems.

Roche's Capstone-2 study focused on adults aged 65 or older, or those who suffer from diseases such as asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, or heart disease.

He evaluated a single dose of the new drug compared to a placebo, as well as Tamiflu which requires a diet twice a day, five days.

Baloxavir marboxil is approved in Japan but not yet in the United States, although regulators have accelerated their review and they can make a decision by December 24th.

Roche is associated with Shionogi & Co., Ltd. the drug, in order to increase Tamiflu expired patent with a more practical alternative. In 2017, sales of Tamiflu fell by 33% to 535 million Swiss francs ($ 536.99 million), while cheaper generics were muscular in the market. "Baloxavir marboxil is the first antiviral to show a clinically significant benefit in people most susceptible to the complications of the flu," said Sandra Horning, Roche's chief medical officer, adding that the company was now going to health regulators with the results .

Roche did not give details for the results of the Capstone-2 study.

In a previous acute influenza trial in people 12 years and older, called Capstone-1, the drug started to improve flu symptoms after about 2.2 days, about a day earlier than at home. placebo patients.

This study also showed a reduction in the period during which a person is infectious, compared to both a placebo and Tamiflu.

Some analysts say that the limited improvement over Tamiflu should not result in a radical change in the treatment of influenza.

"We see most of the flu market more dominated by generic Tamiflu," Baader Helvea analysts said Tuesday, adding that the new drug is likely to increase sales at the expense of current Tamiflu revenues.