With the aim of developing an oral treatment regimen for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection that could work in as little as 6 weeks, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals has licensed worldwide development and commercialisation rights to Achillion Pharmaceuticals’lead HCV assets, including its Phase II second-generation NS5A inhibitor ACH-3102. The deal is potentially worth more than US$1.1 B to Achillion, including a US$225 M equityinvestment. Janssen’s NS3/4A protease inhibitorOlysio® (simeprevir) has seen its sales declinefollowing the October 2014 approval of Gilead Sciences’ single-tablet HCV regimenHarvoni® (ledipasvir and sofosbuvir).