CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA I June 6, 2013 I Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IDIX), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today announced three poster presentations featuring clinical and preclinical data for samatasvir (IDX719), Idenix’s once-daily pan-genotypic NS5A inhibitor for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, at the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) Liver Week 2013, taking place in Singapore, June 6-10, 2013. Idenix recently initiated a phase II clinical trial (HELIX-1) evaluating an all-oral, direct-acting antiviral (DAA) HCV combination regimen of samatasvir and simeprevir (TMC435), a once-daily protease inhibitor jointly developed by Janssen R&D Ireland and Medivir AB.

The following abstracts will be presented in poster sessions during APASL Liver Week 2013 in the Conference Exhibition Hall on Friday, June 7, 2013, 8:30am – 5:30pm SGT:

  • Abstract No. 2110: “Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of IDX719, a Pan-Genotypic HCV NS5A Inhibitor, in Genotype 1, 2, 3 or 4 HCV-Infected Subjects.”
  • Abstract No. 2121: “Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Inhibitor IDX719 Demonstrates Potent, Pan-genotypic Activity in Preclinical and Clinical Studies.”
  • Abstract No. 2127: “IDX719, a Pan-genotypic HCV NS5A Replication Complex Inhibitor, Is a Promising Candidate for HCV Combination DAA Treatment.”

ABOUT SAMATASVIR (IDX719)

Samatasvir is an NS5A inhibitor with low picomolar, pan-genotypic antiviral activity in vitro. To date, samatasvir has been safe and well-tolerated after single and multiple doses of up to 150 mg in healthy volunteers for up to 14 days’ duration and up to 100 mg in HCV-infected patients up to 3 days’ duration. There have been no treatment-emergent serious adverse events reported in the program. Samatasvir has demonstrated potent pan-genotypic antiviral activity in HCV-infected patients with mean maximal viral load reductions up to approximately 4.0 log10 IU/mL across HCV genotypes 1-4 in a proof-of-concept, three-day monotherapy study.

The HELIX-1 trial is a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel group study evaluating the safety and tolerability of samatasvir and simeprevir in addition to antiviral activity endpoints, with a target enrollment of 90 treatment-naive, non-cirrhotic, genotype 1b or 4 HCV-infected patients. The HELIX-1 trial is the first study in HCV-infected patients to commence under a non-exclusive collaboration agreement signed with Janssen in January 2013. A second trial (HELIX-2) of samatasvir, simeprevir and TMC647055, a once-daily non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor boosted with low-dose ritonavir being developed by Janssen, is expected to initiate in the second half of 2013.

ABOUT HEPATITIS C

Hepatitis C virus is a common blood-borne pathogen infecting three to four million people worldwide annually. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 170 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HCV, representing a nearly 5-fold greater prevalence than human immunodeficiency virus.

ABOUT IDENIX

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases. Idenix’s current focus is on the treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. For further information about Idenix, please refer to www.idenix.com.

SOURCE: Idenix Pharmaceuticals