Roche plans to suspend its HIV research because pending medicines fail to show significant improvement over existing therapies, according to a company statement. The company also claimed it will "refocus resources within virology on diseases in which the company can deliver substantial improvements over existing medications." Research scientists currently working in HIV will be reassigned to other activities, according to Linda Dyson, a spokeswoman in Roche's U.S. office in NJ.
The company plans to continue to support its molecular diagnostic tests and drugs already on the market, including the fusion-inhibitor Fuzeon. Roche has partnered with Trimeris, Inc., a NC-based biotech company, to sell Fuzeon, which had sales of $266.8 million last year. The drug has experienced some difficulty in the past because of its high cost, which is approximately $25,000 for a year's supply.
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