Medivir AB, the research-based pharmaceutical company focused on the development of high-value treatments for infectious diseases, announces that a phase II combination study with the investigational compound TMC435 and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s investigational compound daclatasvir will start in July. This study is part of the clinical collaboration agreement between Janssen R&D Ireland and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced on 2 December 2011 and on 18 April 2012.

TMC435, a once daily potent NS3/4A protease inhibitor (PI) in phase III clinical development for the treatment of chronic genotype-1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, will be investigated in an interferon free phase II trial in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb´s investigational NS5A replication complex inhibitor, daclatasvir (BMS-790052), also in phase III development.

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of TMC435 and daclatasvir in combination with or without Ribavirin in chronic genotype-1 hepatitis C infected patients who are treatment-naive or null responders to previous Peginterferon alfa/Ribavirin therapy.

In this open label phase II study the potential to achieve sustained viral response (SVR), 12 (SVR12) and 24 (SVR24) weeks post treatment in treatment-naïve and null responder patients infected with HCV genotype 1a and 1b will be evaluated. Patients with advanced liver disease (F3/F4) will be allowed up to approx. 35% of the total treated population.

Cohort one and two will include patients with genotype 1b where TMC435 and daclatasvir will be dosed with or without Ribavirin for 12 weeks with a 36 weeks follow-up or for 24 weeks with a 24 weeks follow-up.

Cohort three and four will include patients with genotype 1a where TMC435, daclatasvir and Ribavirin will be dosed for 12 or 24 weeks with a 24 weeks post treatment follow-up.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infectious disease of the liver and is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and liver transplants. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 180 million people worldwide, or approximately 3% of the world's population, are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The CDC has reported that almost three million people in the United States are chronically infected with HCV.