Merck HCV: MRL Smoke and BS

[Anonymous]

Listened to our EASL review T-C a few weeks back. Outside vendor informed us on all the new molecules being brought through phase II into phase III by Gilead, BI, Tibotec ect.. Not a word on Merck's 5172. Not a word on Merck finding another agent to partner 5172 with. Does this mean we will be fourth guy on the block and have no second agent to co-formulate with ?

 

[Anonymous]

who the hell wants to work or partner with you pieces of shit.

 

[Anonymous]

So true. Word on the street is that we cannot even work with ourselves. HIV and HCV MRL teams developed their respective brands, and would not even speak with each other. Peter Kim's MRL is SO dysfunctional that two closely related lines of research within virology (HIV and HCV) hate/fear each other so much they refused to sync their resepective work streams so that the org could take advantage of market facts.

40% of HIV infected patients in US are HCV co-infected. Merck did not begin co-infection study until Vertex bought sig study quantities of raltegravir to study with telaprevir.

Great work Peter, nice environment,

 

[Anonymous]

Well let's be specific - the antiviral basic research organization has been dysfunctional since Daria Hazuda started to run it. We couldn't be effective when leadership was non-existent. And Peter was organizationally inept, but had worked with Daria before. Therefore, because she was a Friend of Peter's, she became untouchable. What you are seeing is the productivity outcome of incompetence at multiple levels.

Merck which once owned this space has been totally lapped. Another example of it's decline to a latrine of ineptitude.

 

[Anonymous]

Reading MRL comments like this scares me. Sales folks can moan all they want but posts like this one here is really alarming.

 

[Anonymous]

Curatto said that Merck is just laying low for now so everything is under control and not to worry

 

[Anonymous]

But Mr Penn Stte told wall street Merck would do whatever necessary to remain a leader in HCV!

Lawyers wouldnt lie would they?

 

[Anonymous]

Curatto said that Merck is just laying low for now so everything is under control and not to worry

Merck has become exceptionally talented at laying low.

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has boceprevir so it ought to be a no-brainer to make a combo therapy for HIV/HCV. Hidden message is that the lead Merck HCV compound in development is a dud. Clinical trial listings suggest that's so.

 

[Anonymous]

No matter what I am comfortable and confident that we are headed in the right direction with leaders like curatto and the putz. Why shouldn't I be?

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has boceprevir so it ought to be a no-brainer to make a combo therapy for HIV/HCV. Hidden message is that the lead Merck HCV compound in development is a dud. Clinical trial listings suggest that's so.

Merck only has it because we spent $40B to buy it from S/P. All the other 'shining stars' of Fast Freddie have faded like the shooting duds they were.

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has boceprevir so it ought to be a no-brainer to make a combo therapy for HIV/HCV. Hidden message is that the lead Merck HCV compound in development is a dud. Clinical trial listings suggest that's so.

You are correct. So what does that say for the future of Hep reps at Merck? Guess we are going down with the ship with that bald toothless idiot at the helm

 

[Anonymous]

Well let's be specific - the antiviral basic research organization has been dysfunctional since Daria Hazuda started to run it. We couldn't be effective when leadership was non-existent. And Peter was organizationally inept, but had worked with Daria before. Therefore, because she was a Friend of Peter's, she became untouchable. What you are seeing is the productivity outcome of incompetence at multiple levels.

Merck which once owned this space has been totally lapped. Another example of it's decline to a latrine of ineptitude.

Peter Kim gutted MRL by putting in compliant and ineffective, clumsy managers after he took over: Shiver, Koblan, and Hazuda. All FOPs (Friends of Peter). Anyone who questioned his misinformed or naive decisions was sent packing. He's a complete sociopath. Lord of the Realm Tony Ford-Hutchinson did WHATEVER Peter wanted him to do without question (because he is also a sociopath). I watched that toady play Peter like an expert child molester. It was revolting- like watching Gollum give Peter blowjobs.

 

[Anonymous]

watching Gollum give Peter blowjobs.

That's kind of hot.

 

[Anonymous]

Peter Kim gutted MRL by putting in compliant and ineffective, clumsy managers after he took over: Shiver, Koblan, and Hazuda.

Yes, that was a fantastic decision by Peter. Koblan eventually was institutionalized for bizarre and inappropriate behavior; Shiver was excited to be named one of many "Floridians to Watch Out For" and then put forward vaccine candidates that were far from ready for primetime; and Daria sat and quietly watched antivirals crumble. Meanwhile the British Rasputin clones swirled around Peter in a dervish fury and left him hallucinating about his greatness and invincibility. All sad, but entertaining.

 

[Anonymous]

Tell me more about Daria...FOP...I recall seeing her at ICAAC last year...all self important...hanging out with the rest of the virology "girl friends". Heddy "the purse" Teppler and Bach Yen..."crazy horse". All three ladies very styling with their Gucci bags and silk scarves.

No wonder we are being lapped by the virology research at other companies.
Very mediocre crew.

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has boceprevir so it ought to be a no-brainer to make a combo therapy for HIV/HCV. Hidden message is that the lead Merck HCV compound in development is a dud. Clinical trial listings suggest that's so.

Interesting to recall that before Merck bought Schering our internal due diligence showed that boceprevir was likely inferior to telaprevir and not worth the value that Hassan demanded. Peter Kim still went ahead and championed the buyout of Schering on Fred's terms. Hazuda said nothing to dissuade him, as always. So Peter can add another dud to his vast list of worthless companies: Rosetta, Sirna, Glycofi, Abmaxis...

 

[Anonymous]

Can anyone confirm ? We are now being told that Merck is buying a small biotech company with a promising NS5A nucleoside...The story is that Merck is laying low, fooling Gilead, BI and Abbott and that we will come roaring out of the gate and actually have an agent to co-formulate with 5172 (our beaten up 2nd generation PI). All this will happen in time for us to compete with Gilead and BI for all the patients that are again being wharehoused.

Any truth ? or just Curatto bull chips to save face for the disastrous loss to Vertex.

PS: The first generation agents, have stalled in the market place due to perceived tolb issues. Duh, 80% share out of the gate with TPV colored most all clinicians against the 1st generation PIs.

Hey, what the heck, Curatto cost us 3-500 mil...He is all cute and slimmed down now...give him another crack at it ??? OMG Who is is god father ? George Merck IV ?

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting to recall that before Merck bought Schering our internal due diligence showed that boceprevir was likely inferior to telaprevir and not worth the value that Hassan demanded. Peter Kim still went ahead and championed the buyout of Schering on Fred's terms. Hazuda said nothing to dissuade him, as always. So Peter can add another dud to his vast list of worthless companies: Rosetta, Sirna, Glycofi, Abmaxis...

Wait, don't forget the other 4 stars that Fast Freddie sold us....and how many of those are making the big bucks to justify our purchase of S/P?

 

[Anonymous]

Wait, don't forget the other 4 stars that Fast Freddie sold us....and how many of those are making the big bucks to justify our purchase of S/P?

Again, that is Peter Kim's epic misjudgement. The board is very pissed. I doubt he will be replaced soon because the board cannot find anyone of consequence who wants to step into Peter Kim's cesspool.