Key Takeaways:
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Vertex’s Incivek was the fastest drug from launch to $1bn, while Merck’s competing Victrelis generated a fraction of the revenue
The pharmaceutical industry is no stranger to fierce competition, but the battle between Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated’s Incivek (telaprevir) and Merck & Co., Inc.’s Victrelis (boceprevir) stands out as a particularly captivating David versus Goliath story. Incivek was Vertex’s first drug to market and has gone down in the annals of history as the fastest to reach $1bn, doing so in less than a year of launching. Meanwhile, Victrelis was marketed by one of the most established big pharma companies but brought in a tenth of that amount during the same time.
Victrelis was launched 13 May 2011 and Incivek was green-lighted 10 days later. Both drugs were indicated for hepatitis C...
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