Benitec to conduct phase I/II clinical trial of TT-034 in patients with HCV in UCSD site

RNAi-based therapeutics company Benitec Biopharma Limited (ASX Code: BLT) today announced the selection of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Health Sciences as the second site for its upcoming phase I/II first-in-man trial for TT-034 in Hepatitis C infections (HCV). Benitec previously announced the selection of Duke Clinical Research Unit as the other site. TT-034 is being developed as a potential "one-shot-cure" for HCV.

A consultant and sub-principal investigator for the study from UCSD Health Sciences will be Robert Gish , M.D., clinical professor of Medicine and medical director of Hepatology. Dr. Gish is a renowned hepatitis researcher with previous experience using RNAi based therapeutics for HCV. He has over 500 publications in the field and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease.

"I look forward to working with Benitec and Duke University on this important program," Dr. Gish commented. "This is the first time that this therapeutic modality is being tested in humans, and if it is successful I believe it can be a significant step forward, not only for HCV treatment but potentially also as a treatment modality for Hepatitis B."

The principal investigator for the study at UC San Diego is David Wyles , M.D., associate professor of Medicine at the UC San Diego AntiViral Research Center, the clinical research site that will be conducting the trial. His research interests include the laboratory evaluation of new antiviral therapies for HCV, drug resistance to HCV antivirals, and HCV viral fitness.

Peter French , Ph.D., chief executive officer of Benitec said, "We are elated that UC San Diego and Dr. Gish will participate in this study.  We now have two top clinical research teams working with Benitec on this trial.  This constellation of expertise will greatly benefit our HCV program and can help demonstrate the power of our ddRNAi technology in the clinic.  Having our two clinical centers in place moves us a step closer to initiating the Phase I/II clinical trial, which we expect to occur during the second half of 2013."