The next generation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies moved a step closer to the corner drugstore with the initiation of Pharmasset Inc.'s pivotal Phase III studies of the HCV nucleotide analogue PSI-7977. The program will evaluate a 12-week, all-oral, interferon-free regimen of PSI-7977 and ribavirin in three groups of patients with HCV, independent of viral genotype or their ability to take interferon therapy.The Princeton, N.J.-based company expects to submit data from the three Phase III trials in the second half of 2013, both in the U.S.