CAMBRIDGE (MASSACHUSETTS) (dpa-AFX) - Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, (VRTX), a manufacturer of small molecule drugs for patients with serious diseases, Tuesday announced a new data from a viral kinetic study of the uridine nucleotide analogue, ALS-2200 or VX-135 in development for the treatment of Hepatitis C.
There was a reduction in hepatitis C virus or HCV RNA after seven days of dosing with 200 mg once daily in treatment- naïve people with genotype 1 chronic HCV infection and compensated cirrhosis. Among treatment-naïve people with genotypes 3 or 4 chronic HCV infection, there was a median 4.65 log10 reduction in HCV RNA after seven days of dosing with 200 mg once daily. Prior to a protocol amendment, one treatment-naïve person with genotype 2 HCV infection received 100 mg once daily for seven days, and had a 5.04 log10 reduction in HCV RNA after seven days of dosing. ALS-2200 was well-tolerated in this study, there were no serious adverse events and no patients discontinued due to adverse events. These were performed following a non-exclusive agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. According to the agreement, Vertex plans to conduct two Phase 2 studies of the combination, including an initial study in treatment-naïve people with genotype 1 HCV infection planned for the second quarter of this fiscal. Vertex plans to begin a subsequent study in treatment-naïve people infected with genotype 1, 2 or 3 HCV, including those with cirrhosis, in the second half of 2013, pending data from the initial study.
VX-135 is a uridine nucleotide analogue pro-drug designed to inhibit the replication of the hepatitis C virus by acting on the NS5B polymerase. Hepatitis C is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is spread through direct contact with the blood of infected people and ultimately affects the liver.
Currently, Vertex is trading up $2.02 or 2.46 percent at $84.35 on the Nasdaq.
Copyright(c) 2013 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2013 AFX News
