Schering-Plough announces Ideal results

The results of a major study into the effects of three different drug combinations used to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been announced.

Schering-Plough’s individualised dosing efficacy versus flat dosing to assess optimal pegylated interferon therapy study, known as Ideal, is the first large, randomised study to do so.

Pegintron and Rebetol combination therapy, Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) and Copegus (ribavirin, USP) combination therapy, and a lower dose of Pegintron plus Rebetol were used.

More than 3,000 genotype one patients were administered the approved doses of Pegasys and Copegus in the study.

Findings showed sustained virologic response was similar for all three; additionally it also showed fewer patients treated with both Pegintron regimens relapsed after treatment ended, compared to those receiving Pegasys and Copegus.

Schering-Plough will present its full findings at the European Association for the Study of the Liver 43rd annual meeting in Milan, Italy, later in April.

Schering was first established in the late 1800s as the US subsidiary of the German company Schering AG.