Vertex Pharmaceuticals ($VRTX) CEO Matthew Emmens is an enthusiastic backer of Incivek. In fact, he told a group in Boston the launch of the hepatitis C drug will be "historic...in terms of acceptance," Reuters reports.
"We'll be very proud at what we show you," said Emmens, who spoke at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast. The company will disclose its earnings later this month, revealing just how well the drug is doing after its first quarter on the market.
Many analysts have had high hopes for the drug, with one even tapping it as a potential blockbuster during its first year on the market. However, last month, IMS Health provided disappointing numbers on the prescription data for the drug. The group admits there was a snafu with missing data and restated the numbers, but the figures showed sales hitting a peak in late September and declining slightly thereafter.
But Emmens is still confident and declined to comment on the IMS's omission. "I'm confident of our internal data and that's how we drive the company," he said, as quoted by Reuters.
Emmens' discussion follows on the heels of the company's submission of an application to the FDA for Kalydeco to treat certain cystic fibrosis patients. "Kalydeco represents a completely new approach to the treatment of CF by targeting the underlying cause of the disease," Emmens says in a release. "This is our second new drug application in less than a year, which is a significant achievement and underscores our commitment to developing new medicines for people with serious diseases."
- check out the Vertex release
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