Biotron signs international partner, ACLIRES for Hepatitis trial

Thursday, March 18, 2010
Biotron signs international partner, ACLIRES for Hepatitis trial


Sydney-based Biotron Limited (ASX: BIT) has struck a deal with a major international partner to trial its Hepatitis C drug, BIT225.

The ACLIRES clinical research group has signed on to progress Biotron's hepatitis C drug through clinical trials, given its experience in running clinical trials for both Hepatitis C and the HIV virus.

ACLIRES will bring its access to large numbers of eligible patient populations, necessary to complete a clinical trial.

Biotron?s drug, BIT 225 works by targeting the p7 protein, a viral protein essential to virus production and replication.

The next stage of development is to determine how the drug works in combination with current approved treatments for HCV, Interferon and Ribavairin.

Professor Rob Murphy, currently the Director of the Centre for Global Health at the prestigious Northwestern University in Chicago, USA will lead the clinical trial.