Medivir AB,an emerging research-based pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases, has announced that simeprevir (TMC435) and TMC647055, a non-nucleoside inhibitor (NNI) will enter a phase IIa interferon free combination trial. Simeprevir is a once daily potent HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor in phase III clinical development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C jointly developed by Medivir and Janssen Research & Development Ireland (Janssen).

TMC647055 is a potent NNI (non-nucleoside inhibitor) of the HCV NS5B polymerase and is being developed by Janssen R&D.

“This study is in line with Medivir’s and Janssen’s strategy to evaluate different combination possibilities with simeprevir for interferon-free HCV treatments. This will broaden our understanding of simeprevir, which we believe has the necessary characteristics to potentially become a key component of future hepatitis C treatment regimens, including combination with interferon and ribavirin as well as interferon-free therapies,” comments Charlotte Edenius, Medivir’s EVP of Research and Development.

This will be an open label study in patients who are chronically infected with HCV genotype-1a or 1b to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the combination. The primary endpoint in the study will be SVR12 (sustained virologic response 12 weeks after end of treatment). Simeprevir, TMC647055 and low-dose ritonavir will be co-administered once daily, with and without ribavirin.

Approximately 40 patients will be enrolled in this study, which is divided in two parts. The first part will include patients chronically infected with HCV genotype-1, who are either treatment-naive or have relapsed after prior pegylated interferon (PegIFN)/ribavirin treatment. The treatment will consist of simeprevir, TMC647055 and low-dose ritonavir, with and without ribavirin for 12 weeks.

The second part of the trial will investigate the same regimen in prior null responder patients chronically infected with HCV genotype 1a.

Medivir is an emerging research-based pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases. The Company’s key pipeline asset is simeprevir (TMC435), a novel protease inhibitor in phase III clinical development for hepatitis C that is being developed in collaboration with Janssen Research & Development Ireland.