Feb 25 (Reuters) - Roche Holding Ag ROG.S :
* CEO SAYS HAEMOPHILIA GENE THERAPY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF SPARK ACQUISITION, BUT THAT DEAL "GOES BEYOND HAEMOPHILIA A" TO REST OF PORTFOLIO
* CEO SAYS FEELS NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME TO "STEP UP" AND EXTEND PORTFOLIO INTO GENE THERAPY
* CEO SAYS SEES HAEMOPHILIA GENE THERAPY, HEMLIBRA ARE COMPLEMENTARY PRODUCTS
* CEO SAYS ROCHE CONVINCED STEROID PROPHYLAXIS SUFFICIENT TO MITIGATE IMMUNE RESPONSE OBSERVED IN HAEMOPHILIA A GENE THERAPY FROM SPARK
* CEO SAYS DOES NOT SEE PRICING BENEFIT TO HAVING BOTH GENE THERAPY, HEMLIBRA FOR HAEMOPHILIA A
* CEO SAYS MUST FIND "SUSTAINABLE REIMBURSEMENT SCHEMES" FOR ONE-TIME GENE THERAPY, INCLUDING THE INTRODUCTION OF ANNUITIES BASED ON EFFICACY
* CEO SAYS SPARK'S HAEMOPHILIA A GENE THERAPY HAS POTENTIAL TO BE "BEST IN CLASS" BASED ON CLINICAL TRIALS, SAYS REST OF PORTFOLIO IS "DIFFERENTIATED"
* CEO SAYS SPARK DEALS WITH NOVARTIS NOVN.S , PFIZER PFE (NYSE:PFE).N WILL CONTINUE AFTER ROCHE ACQUISITION
* CEO SAYS GENE THERAPY CONTRIBUTIONS TO SALES WILL DEPEND ON SPARK PIPELINE EVOLUTION