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The non-existence of effective vaccine against HCV leads the healthcare market in United States to be driven by therapeutics. Vertexs Incivek was amongst the first DAA HCV therapies launched in the US and is the current market leader. Inciveks improved efficacy over the previous standard of care in the treatment of the most prevalent HCV genotype in the US, HCV GT1, which enabled the drug to quickly capture the market. Adverse events associated with Incivek therapy, such as life-threatening skin reactions, and the slow-progressing nature of HCV, has resulted in many patients deciding to forego treatment in order to wait for the launch of a more-tolerable HCV regimen.

The launch of Protease Inhibitors (PIs) accelerated the pace of innovation and impressive Sustained Virologic Response (SVR) rates by oral IFN free drug combinations. Freedom from IFN, treating all genotypes and vaccines could bring a sea of change in the HCV therapy class area in the future. Roche set the trend with the acquisition of Anadys for total of USD 230 mn followed by GILD buying VRUS for USD 11 bn, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) acquiring Inhibitex for USD 2.5 bn, VRTX acquiring Virochem in 2009 for USD 375 mn, In-licensed Alios VX-135 in 2012 for total of USD 775 mn and Abbott in-licensed Enantas ABT-450 for total of USD 310 mn.