Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Re-emerges as Takeover Target as Hepatitis Drugs Fail

Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ACHN), the developer of hepatitis C treatments that was passed over by potential acquirers in the last year, is poised to draw renewed interest after setbacks by rival drugmakers. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) last week said it was abandoning an experimental hepatitis C pill it obtained through its February purchase of Inhibitex Inc. after one patient died and others were hospitalized while taking the drug in a study. This week, Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. said U.S. regulators halted its study of a similar therapy, marking the second hold on clinical trials for the company this month.

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