Schering-Plough highlights Pegintron data at DDW

Schering-Plough has announced data from a number of clinical studies with Pegintron (peginterferon alpha-2b) and Rebetol (ribavirin) combination therapy and boceprevir as treatments for hepatitis C at the annual meeting of Digestive Disease Week in San Diego.

Researchers have presented findings from a number of Pegintron trials assessing patient response to the compound at important treatment milestones.

The firm hopes to customise treatments for individual patients to improve outcomes, especially those who were nonresponders to previous therapy.

Pegintron is currently indicated for use as a monotherapy or in conjunction with ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients with compensated liver disease who have not been treated with interferon alpha.

Additionally, the firm is exploring the use of boceprevir – an investigational oral HCV protease inhibitor is currently in phase II of clinical development – as a treatment for hepatitis C.

“Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in America and the most common form of liver disease, affecting nearly five million people in the United States and 200 million people worldwide,” Schering-Plough said.

It adds that the disease is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and is a major reason for liver transplants.

In March 2008, Schering-Plough announced the approval of the combination of Pegintron and Rebetol for patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2 or 3 as a shorter 24-week course.