Does Roche Have The Hemophilia X Factor?
The hemophilia A market is turning into a fierce battleground, but some can see a winner emerging, at least in patients who have developed inhibitors. "We really need an effective medication to prevent bleeding, and I think [Roche's (OTCQX:RHHBY)] emicizumab has been shown to be that," Guy Young of the Children's Hospital Los Angeles tells EP Vantage.
Mr. Young is not alone in thinking that emicizumab can dominate the underserved inhibitor population - patients who have developed antibodies rendering front-line factor VIII clotting factors ineffective. But if the Swiss company really wants to take the fight to its rival Shire (NASDAQ:SHPG), it will also need to impress in patients without inhibitors. With data from the phase III Haven 3 trial due in the fourth quarter, a showdown beckons.
Mr. Young is not alone in thinking that emicizumab can dominate the underserved inhibitor population - patients who have developed antibodies rendering front-line factor VIII clotting factors ineffective. But if the Swiss company really wants to take the fight to its rival Shire (NASDAQ:SHPG), it will also need to impress in patients without inhibitors. With data from the phase III Haven 3 trial due in the fourth quarter, a showdown beckons.