Enanta Pharmaceuticals nominates EDP-239 lead development candidate from NS5A HCV inhibitor program

Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the nomination of lead development candidate, EDP-239, from its NS5A hepatitis C virus (HCV) inhibitor program.  EDP-239 has demonstrated picomolar potency against multiple genotypes of the virus and a preclinical pharmacokinetic profile amenable to once-a-day dosing.

"Our NS5A inhibitor program is well positioned to generate a pipeline of clinical candidates, and we are excited about further characterization of our various leads with distinct structural diversity," said Yat Sun Or, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Enanta Pharmaceuticals. "The NS5A program represents an important asset in our portfolio of HCV inhibitors, which additionally includes protease, polymerase, and cyclophilin inhibitors.  We look forward to exploring combinations and potential synergies of EDP-239 with our broader HCV portfolio."

Enanta's NS5A program and intellectual property estate in the HCV field were derived from its internal drug discovery efforts.  Enanta anticipates progressing into IND-enabling preclinical studies for EDP-239 with the goal of initiating clinical trials in 2011.

SOURCE Enanta Pharmaceuticals