J&J's hep C drug simeprevir gets inside track at the FDA

J&J's ($JNJ) drug development arm Janssen got a boost from the FDA for its late-stage hepatitis C treatment simeprevir. The agency is providing a priority review for the therapy (TMC435) in combination with interferon and ribavirin, possibly speeding its way to the market. But it's the NS3/4A protease inhibitor's potential to go on to become part of an interferon-free cocktail that has grabbed analysts' attention. The designation is also a boost for Medivir, which licensed it out to J&J. Release