Merck and Roche have signed a pact to sell Merck’s recently approved hepatitis C drug Victrelis and explore combination treatments for the disease.

Roche will promote Victrelis (boceprevir), a first-in-class protease inhibitor, in the U.S. as part of a triple combination therapy regimen that includes Roche’s injectables Pegasys (peginterferon alfa) and ribavirin. The two companies are working together to educate physicians and patients about HCV.

Additionally, Merck and Roche will collaborate to examine combinations of marketed and investigational medicines from both firms "to expedite the availability of potential new treatment regimens for patients with HCV."