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Arrow Therapeutics selects
Hepatitis C clinical candidate
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London, 6th February 06, Arrow Therapeutics, the London based antiviral drug discovery and development company, has announced that its lead Hepatitis C compound has entered full preclinical development.
Originating from Arrow's focused chemical library and optimised in-house, the compound (A-831) has shown potent activity in the replicon assay and has an excellent therapeutic index and good pharmacokinetic properties, as well as displaying a novel mechanism of action targeting the NS5a protein. Phase I trials on the compound are planned for the second half of 2006, by which time a further compound from Arrow's second Hepatitis C programme (also targeting the NS5a protein) is expected to enter preclinical development.
The urgent need for novel Hepatitis C inhibitors has been well documented, with an estimated 170 million sufferers worldwide. The current treatment (Pegylated Interferon + ribavirin) has a poor side effect profile, is very expensive and is only effective in around 50% of patients. As with HIV/AIDS, multiple drugs in combination therapy are likely to be needed to overcome drug resistance. The value of the Hepatitis C market was approximately $3 billion in 2004 and is forecast to grow substantially, to greater than $6 billion in the next 5-7 years.
Arrow's CEO, Ken Powell, speaks of his delight at the advancements made within the programme, "We have been working hard on our Hepatitis C programmes since the foundation of the company. Arrow's compounds have a novel mechanism and show potent activity in the replicon assay - now well validated as a predictor of clinical activity through the work of Vertex and others. We regard NS5a as an excellent target, and these inhibitors should find an important place as constituents of combination regimens. The entry of the first programme into full preclinical development is an exciting step in the development of a novel therapy".
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