Ribavirin News and Research

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Ribavirin, also known as Copegus, Rebetol, Virazole, or a component of Rebetron, is a type of antiviral medicine called a nucleoside analogue. This medicine blocks the ability of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) to make more copies of itself. Ribavirin is not active against HIV. Ribavirin is used in combination with interferon alfa-2a or -2b or peginterferon alfa-2a or -2b to treat HIV infected patients who are also infected with HCV.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals receives clinical hold order from FDA for IDX184, IDX320 programs

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today announced that the company received verbal notice on Friday, September 3, 2010 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the IDX184 and IDX320 programs have been placed on clinical hold.

7 Sep 2010

Researchers complete INX-189 clinical trials for Hepatitis C virus

The first clinical trials on a new investigational drug being developed to treat infections caused by Hepatitis C virus have been successfully completed.

3 Sep 2010

ZymoGenetics completes enrollment in Phase 2b PEG-IFN lambda clinical trial

ZymoGenetics, Inc. today announced enrollment has been completed in the Phase 2b clinical trial with PEG-Interferon lambda and ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

25 Aug 2010

Pharmasset commences dosing in PSI-7977 Phase 2b study for chronic hepatitis C

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today that dosing has begun in a Phase 2b study of PSI-7977, a nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV). The trial will evaluate PSI-7977 200mg QD and 400mg QD in combination with pegylated interferon alfa 2a and ribavirin, the current standard of care (SOC) in patients with HCV genotype 1 who have not been treated previously.

24 Aug 2010

LabCorp launches IL-28B gene test for HCV infection

Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings announced today the nationwide availability of a genetic test to detect the presence of a single polymorphism within the IL-28B gene that has been reported to help predict a person's response to certain hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies.

24 Aug 2010

Pharmasset receives fast track designation from FDA for PSI-7977

Pharmasset, Inc. has received fast track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for PSI-7977 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. PSI-7977 is an oral uridine nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor of HCV. Pharmasset recently completed dosing in a 28 day Phase 2a trial to evaluate PSI-7977 in combination with Pegasys (pegylated interferon) plus Copegus (ribavirin) in treatment-naive patients chronically infected with HCV genotype 1.

12 Aug 2010

Vertex reports results from Phase 3 ILLUMINATE study of telaprevir-based therapy for hepatitis C

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced results from the Phase 3 ILLUMINATE study, which was designed to evaluate whether there was any benefit to extending therapy from 24 to 48 weeks in people whose hepatitis C virus (HCV) was undetectable at weeks 4 and 12 of treatment (extended rapid viral response or eRVR).

10 Aug 2010

Array BioPharma fiscal 2010 revenue increases to $53.9 million

Array BioPharma Inc. today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2010.

10 Aug 2010

Anti-viral drug addition to standard treatment regimen increases cure rate for hepatitis C

Adding a direct acting anti-viral drug to the standard treatment regimen for hepatitis C significantly increases the cure rate in the most difficult to treat patients, according to a research report published Monday in the online edition of the journal The Lancet.The research team, led by Paul Kwo, M.D., of Indiana University School of Medicine, reported that adding the drug nearly doubled the treatment's effectiveness when given for 48 weeks in one treatment arm of the study.

9 Aug 2010

Merck's two pivotal boceprevir Phase III registration studies for chronic HCV meet primary endpoint

Merck reported that two pivotal Phase III registration studies for boceprevir, its investigational oral hepatitis C protease inhibitor, have been completed and met the primary endpoints: in both studies in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection, the addition of boceprevir to treatment with PEGINTRON® and REBETOL® significantly increased the number of patients who achieved sustained virologic response, compared to control groups that received Peg/riba plus placebo.

5 Aug 2010

Anadys Pharmaceuticals reports SVR12 data for ANA598

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that six of six patients (100%) in the ANA598 200 mg twice daily (bid) arm who were randomized to stop all treatment at Week 24 in an ongoing Phase II trial maintained undetectable levels of virus 12 weeks after stopping treatment, referred to as Sustained Virological Response 12, or SVR12.

30 Jul 2010

Anadys second-quarter net loss decreases to $3.0 million

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving patient care by developing novel medicines for the treatment of hepatitis C, today reported its financial results and program highlights for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

29 Jul 2010

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Merck announced a non-exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of a genetic test that may help predict the response of patients with Hepatitis C virus infection to peginterferon alpha-based therapy.

28 Jul 2010

Singapore hepatitis C therapeutics market revenue to increase to $4.5 billion by 2017

The Singaporean government's emphasis on raising awareness on the benefit of frequent health check-ups have significantly raised the number of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) diagnosed cases in the country, expanding the patient pool. Therapeutics companies have a challenging task ahead for improving treatment for this market as current treatment requires high dosage frequency, but potentially has serious side effects.

27 Jul 2010

Idenix second-quarter total revenues decrease to $1.3 million

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today reported unaudited financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010. At June 30, 2010, Idenix's cash and cash equivalents totaled $51.0 million.

27 Jul 2010

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange reported today that a significant decrease in HCV viral load was detected in 3 patients with liver cancer who are treated daily orally with CF102. The company is studying CF102 as a treatment for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC). The results announced today relate to data which came out of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CF102 in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC.

26 Jul 2010

Achillion nominates ACH-2928 NS5A clinical candidate for treatment of HCV

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the discovery and development of treatments for the most challenging infectious diseases, today announced the nomination of a lead clinical candidate in its fourth proprietary program against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The candidate, ACH-2928, is an NS5A inhibitor that in preclinical studies has demonstrated excellent potency against HCV RNA replication, as well as good pharmacokinetic and safety profiles.

22 Jul 2010

Depressive symptoms in patients with HCV infection overlooked

Researchers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland (the NORDynamIC project group) have observed that depressive symptoms in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are commonly overlooked in routine clinical interviews, and that treatment-induced depression compromises the outcome of HCV therapy. A second U.S. study found that patients with chronic infection had lower (work) productivity and incurred higher medical benefit costs than those without HCV.

21 Jul 2010

New drug launches for HCV in the Philippines to increase market earned revenues to $4.5 billion by 2017

Efforts to raise disease awareness in the Philippines have increased the number of cases and patient pool available for hepatitis C treatment. Screening and detection efforts by the Red Cross as well as growing awareness in the Philippines have been largely responsible for the rise in the number of diagnosed cases. These campaigns have encouraged people, mostly from the urban areas, to opt for physical examinations that enable the detection of hepatitis C.

15 Jul 2010

Presidio Pharmaceuticals completes Phase 1a clinical trial of PPI-461 in healthy subjects

Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the successful completion of a Phase 1a clinical trial of PPI-461, its lead HCV NS5A inhibitor, in healthy subjects. This first-in-human trial evaluated four single doses of PPI-461, followed by a five-day, once-a-day treatment regimen with PPI-461 at the highest tested dose.

14 Jul 2010