CHMP backs telaprevir

EMA's CHMP issued several positive recommendations Friday, including backing approval of Incivo telaprevir from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) to treat chronic HCV genotype 1 infection in combination with standard of care -- peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. J&J has rights from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VRTX), which launched the drug as Incivek in the U.S. in May. Vertex was up $0.19 to $50.98 on Friday (see BioCentury, June 20). ...