Ligand soars on GSK win for new Promacta use in HCV patients
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals soared as high as 17.4% on 19 November on word the US FDA gave its blessing for the company's partner, GlaxoSmithKline, to market Promacta (eltrombopag) as a treatment for thrombocytopenia, or low blood platelet counts, in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) intended to allow them to initiate and maintain interferon-based therapy.