Roche hepatitis C drug shows strong antiviral effect

Roche has reported that its polymerase inhibitor drug R1626, developed to reduce the virus numbers in patients with chronic hepatitis C, has shown strong antiviral properties. It said that the reduction in viral load for patients infected with type-1 hepatitis C was “significant”.

In a phase I study, still ongoing, patients who took R1626 tablets twice daily found that their viral RNA secretions reduced in clinically significant proportions, while no adverse side-effects were noted and no patients withdrew.

Dr Stuart Roberts, director of gastroenterology at Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia and lead investigator of the study, said: “These early results give us a strong indication that the polymerase inhibitor R1626 is very effective in inhibiting viral replication.”

He added: “Current therapies only cure about half of all patients infected with the most common and difficult-to-treat genotype 1 virus, so a product that could potentially improve cure rates, or be more tolerable, is much needed.”

Roche says that future hepatitis C therapies are likely to involve combinations of new small-molecule antiviral drugs. Last week Schering-Plough had the EU label classification changed for its hepatitis C drug Intron A, after it was also found to reduce the production of viral RNA serum continuously for months after completion of the therapy.

According to UK-based charity Hepatitis C Trust, approximately 200 million people are infected with hepatitis C worldwide and they add that there is no imminent prospect of a vaccine.

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