Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) and ZymoGenetics, Inc 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 to November 3, 2009, in Boston.

"Bristol-Myers Squibb is pleased to partner with ZymoGenetics in the development of this promising new investigational interferon," said Elliott Sigal, executive vice president, chief scientific officer, and president, Research and Development of BMS. "This is a collaboration that is focused on innovative science that will potentially translate into important new options for patients living with hepatitis C."

"We are pleased to present the first set of data in patients living with hepatitis C on this promising new interferon," said Douglas E Williams, chief executive officer of ZymoGenetics. "This is the first complete data set to emerge following the announcement of our collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb. We look forward to a continuation to our productive partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb as we work to bring PEG Interferon Lambda to hepatitis C patients as rapidly as possible."

The poster presentation is scheduled on November 3, 2009 and will include final results from the study, including cohorts of both relapsed and treatment-naïve patients, and will confirm the activity of the interferon lambda across a broad range of doses.

PEG-Interferon lambda (IL-29) is a novel type-3 interferon in development for hepatitis C. The native human protein Interferon lambda is generated by the immune system in response to viral infection.

ZymoGenetics is focused on the creation of novel protein drugs to improve patient care and address unmet medical needs.