Cutting Edge HCV Drug Development with 2 Oral HCV Drugs in Combination

Cutting Edge HCV Drug Development with 2 Oral HCV Drugs in Combination

In 2009 at EASL liver meeting Roche reported for the 1st time data on giving patients 2 HCV oral drugs (R7227, protease + R7128, nuke) in combination alone for 14 days without peg/rbv and achieved potent reductions in viral load in treatment-naives, see link immediately below. This was the proof of concept that 2 HCV oral drugs without peg/rbv is potent, but can we cure HCV without peg/rbv. Subsequently Roche, now Genentech in the USA, decided to boost with ritonavir their HCV protease inhibitor R227 (aka ITMN191), so studies of 2 orals by Roche/Genentech would now be with the nuke R7128 (from Pharmasset) plus the boosted protease R7227. See data below from boosting R7227 with ritonavir and from early INFORM Study. In late 2009 BMS announced they were starting a study giving null responder patients 2 of their oral HCV drugs, the NS5A inhibitor BMS-790052 plus their protease BMS-650032, see below. So can we cure HCV at least for some patients with only 2 oral HCV drugs without peg/rbv??? We may have an early view of data at the end of 2011.