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.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals announces study results of telaprevir-based regimen

More than 80 percent of hepatitis C patients in each arm of the Phase 2 Study C208 achieved a sustained viral response (SVR) with a telaprevir-based regimen according to results of an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis announced today by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

2 Nov 2009

Schering-Plough receives FDA complete response letter regarding PEGINTRON

Schering-Plough Corp. announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter to the company's supplemental Biologics License Application regarding PEGINTRON® (pegylated interferon alfa-2b) for the adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III malignant melanoma after complete lymphadenectomy.

31 Oct 2009

Researchers report an epidemic of sexually-transmitted HCV infection among HIV-infected men in NY City

Researchers in New York City are reporting their work uncovering a new epidemic of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) who have HIV infection.

30 Oct 2009

Idenix Pharmaceuticals reports phase I study results of IDX184 for treating HCV

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today announced presentations of data on IDX184, a once-daily novel liver-targeted nucleotide prodrug of 2'-methyl guanosine (2'MeG) for the treatment of HCV, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) currently being held in Boston, Massachusetts.

30 Oct 2009

Supportive data from a preclinical study of SCY-635 to be presented

Drug discovery company SCYNEXIS, Inc. today announced that supportive data from a preclinical study of the Company’s lead product candidate for hepatitis C (HCV), SCY-635, will be presented in a poster session at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) being held in Boston, MA, October 30-November 3, 2009.

29 Oct 2009

Drug-cocktail approach offers hope in developing single agent to treat drug-resistant H1N1 swine flu

An experimental drug cocktail that includes three prescriptions now widely available offers the best hope in developing a single agent to treat drug-resistant H1N1 swine flu, says a virology researcher in the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

28 Oct 2009

Phase 2 clinical study of PEG-Interferon lambda commenced

ZymoGenetics, Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of PEG-Interferon lambda (IL-29) and ribavirin in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (the “EMERGE” study).

27 Oct 2009

Patients with chronic hepatitis C can benefit by drinking coffee

Patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease who drink three or more cups of coffee per day have a 53% lower risk of liver disease progression than non-coffee drinkers according to a new study led by Neal Freedman, Ph.D., MPH, from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

20 Oct 2009

Schering-Plough to present data on boceprevir at the AASLD 2009 Annual Meeting

Schering-Plough announced that data on boceprevir, an investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, will be reported in an oral presentation at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Annual Meeting in Boston, Oct. 30-Nov. 3.

19 Oct 2009

Cytheris initiates Phase I/IIa dose escalation study of patients suffering from ICL

Cytheris SA, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation, today announced the initiation of a Phase I/IIa dose escalation study of patients suffering from idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia (ICL).

15 Oct 2009

Idera Pharmaceuticals commences phase 1 IMO-2125 clinical trial for chronic HCV infection

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that patient treatment has been initiated in a phase 1 clinical trial evaluating IMO-2125 in combination with ribavirin in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. IMO-2125 is a novel agonist of Toll-like Receptor (TLR) 9.

7 Oct 2009

GlobeImmune to present an abstract of GI-5005 drug at AASLD's annual meeting

GlobeImmune Inc. today announced that a late breaking abstract related to GI-5005, its investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) product candidate, has been accepted for presentation at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), which will take place Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, 2009, in Boston, Mass.

7 Oct 2009

PSI-879 nominated as second development candidate for treating HCV infection

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today the nomination of PSI-352879 (PSI-879) as a second development candidate from two series of purine analogs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

7 Oct 2009

FDA Advisory Committee approves Peginterferon alfa-2b for treating metastatic melanoma

Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the FDA Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee voted in favor of recommending approval of PEGINTRON® as a treatment in addition to surgery in patients with metastatic melanoma.

6 Oct 2009

Schering-Plough receives FDA recommendation approval for PEGINTRON

Schering-Plough Corp. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) recommended approval by a vote of six to four for PEGINTRON® (pegylated interferon alfa-2b) in the adjuvant treatment of patients with Stage III malignant melanoma.

6 Oct 2009

Phase 1b clinical trial results of PEG-Interferon lambda to be presented

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and ZymoGenetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZGEN) announced that final results from a Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with hepatitis C (HCV) treated with PEG-Interferon lambda, a new class of interferon, in combination with ribavirin will be presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) annual meeting October 30–November 3, 2009, in Boston.

3 Oct 2009

Vertex Pharmaceuticals to present SVR data at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that sustained virologic response (SVR) data from Study C208, which evaluated twice-daily dosing of Vertex’s investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor telaprevir, will be presented in an oral presidential plenary session at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) taking place Oct. 30 – Nov. 3, 2009 in Boston.

25 Sep 2009

Genetic variation helps identify hepatitis C infected people, according to a study

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers are part of an international team that has discovered a genetic variation that could identify those people infected with hepatitis C who are most likely to benefit from current treatments.

24 Sep 2009

TCAD therapy shows potency against seasonal and novel H1N1 influenza viruses

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held company, announced today that a multi-center in vitro study of its proprietary triple combination antiviral drug (TCAD) therapy showed substantially greater potency against seasonal and novel H1N1 influenza viruses than currently recommended single or double therapy and that the triple combination is active against drug-resistant flu strains.

14 Sep 2009

Phase II trial of ANA598 commenced by Anadys Pharmaceuticals

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDS) announced today that dosing has begun in a Phase II trial of ANA598 in patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The study will evaluate ANA598 over 12 weeks, taken in combination with pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin, in treatment naive HCV patients. ANA598 is an investigational, oral, non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor.

9 Sep 2009