RE:Q&A: CEO's Statement(s) Regarding Chronic Cough Competition Correction -
In my opinion:
As of right now, Bellus Health appears to have the best clinical trial results to beat with a reported 34% reduction in Cough. However, Bellus Health’s drug is limited to severe cases of Chronic Cough. Bellus Health defines a severe cough as 25 coughs or more per hour.
The European Respiratory Journal (ERJ) states those with a respiratory disease will cough as frequent as 11 coughs per hour and women in particular will cough as frequent as 16 coughs per hour. Thus, the broader market for Chronic Cough remains wide open even if Bellus Health is successful at Phase lll of the clinical trial process.
As it relates to Merck’s drug the taste tolerability remains a huge issue. It’s an issue that remains in the hands of the FDA for a market approval delayed until next March 2022:
The FDA is delaying its decision on Merck’s gefapixant by at least a few months to “provide time for a full review of the submission,” the company revealed in an SEC filing. The agency, which originally set a PDUFA date for Dec. 21, now expects to make a decision by March 21