Pharmasset partners with BMS in hepatitis C deal PRINCETON, N.J.—Pharmasset also recently entered into a clinical collaboration agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMS) to evaluate the utility of BMS-790052, BMS' NS5A replication complex inhibitor, in combination with PSI-7977, Pharmasset's nucleotide polymerase inhibitor, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). This proof-of-concept study will evaluate the potential to achieve sustained viral response 24 weeks post treatment with an oral, once-daily treatment regimen in patients across HCV genotypes. Specifically, the study will assess the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of BMS-790052 in combination with PSI-7977, with and without ribavirin, in treatment-naÔve patients chronically infected with HCV genotypes 1, 2 and 3. The study is planned to start in the first half of 2011.