The Boston company, which is handling US marketing for the drug, said about 200 field-based employees have been hired to support a potential launch, including a sales team of 115 therapeutic specialists and others, according to a statement. Telaprevir's PDUFA date is May 23. In March, the firm launched a YouTube channel, HepC.tv, and posted the second in a series of animated educational videos this week.
In April, an FDA advisory committee voted 18-0 to recommend FDA approval. A rival hepatitis C drug from Merck, Victrelis (boceprevir), saw the same positive vote a day earlier. Analysts predict both drugs will reach market and have blockbuster potential.
Which one are physicians more likely to adopt? Market share may depend on the side effect profiles. Telaprevir is more efficacious than boceprevir but may aggravate patients who have skin sensitivities, while boceprevir is more notorious for anemia.
