Merck and Roche begin combination hep C trial
pharmafile | December 16, 2011 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Copegus, Merck, Pegasys, Roche, Victrelis
Merck and Roche have started clinical trials to investigate combinations of their hepatitis C drugs.
The first trial is designed to test Merck’s new oral hepatitis C drug Victrelis, in combination with Roche’s established treatments Pegasys and Copegus, alongside its investigational oral treatment HCV NS5B.
The four drugs will aim to treat adult patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection who had a poor response to treatment with Pegasys and Copegus.
Roche’s HCV NS5B is a nucleoside polymerase inhibitor, and has a similar mechanism of action to Victrelis.
The Phase II study, called DYNAMO 1, plans to recruit patients at 25 sites across the globe.
Eliav Barr, vice president of infectious diseases at Merck, said: “Victrelis is the first in a new class of medicines for the treatment of chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, and when used in combination with peginterferon alfa, can significantly increase a patient’s chance of achieving undetectable levels of the virus.
“The start of this new study is an important milestone in our collaboration with Roche as we work to build on the innovative platform Victrelis provides, by evaluating it in combination therapy with new investigational medicines for the treatment of chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, and also emphasises our ongoing commitment to seeking novel treatment options for patients with chronic HCV.”
This forms part of a co-promotion deal signed between the two firms in May this year.
As well as conducting clinical trials to assess the efficacy of combination therapies, the pair said they were also looking to raise awareness of the disease in emerging markets.
The current US licence for Victrelis stipulates that it must be used in combination with Pegasys and Copegus.
There have currently been no trials to show how well the drug works in combination with other oral polymerase inhibitors, such as Roche’s HCV NS5B.
Ben Adams
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