AbbVie reports experimental hepatitis C trial, ‘Aviator’, cured up to 96 percent of patients
Biopharmaceutical company, AbbVie Inc announced today the results of its phase IIb clinical trial of its investigational direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
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The experimental hepatitis C trial called “Aviator”, which consists of a regimen of a triple-DAA combination (ABT-450/r, ABT-267, ABT-333) and ribavirin, cured up to 96 percent of patients in just 12 weeks, according to data released on Tuesday.
At least 88 percent of new patients saw elimination of the virus, as shown by clear blood tests 24 weeks after treatment, with just eight weeks of treatment, without raising significant safety issues, researchers said today.
“These new results from the Aviator study further demonstrate that this investigational all-oral therapy combination can achieve high sustained viral response after 12 weeks of treatment,” said Kris Kowdley, M.D., Director of the Liver Center of Excellence and Director of Research in the Digestive Disease Institute at Virginia Mason Medical, and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.
“The consistency of high sustained viral response rates that we have seen in clinical trials across populations is encouraging, especially given the proportion of patients with these characteristics who have failed with interferon plus ribavirin treatment.”
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“AbbVie’s clinical development program aims to improve virologic cure rates, including in patients who have historically been harder to treat with current therapies, such as prior null responders. While further studies are required to confirm these findings, we remain encouraged by the high viral response rates and the safety profile we have seen in the Aviator study,” said Barry Bernstein, divisional vice president, infectious disease development, AbbVie.
“Our Phase III trials are progressing well and we remain focused on bringing an interferon-free treatment option to patients with HCV genotype 1 infection.”
Across the world, about 160 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by an infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV is transmitted when an infected person’s blood enters the bloodstream of another person.
For the hepatitis C virus, there are six major HCV genotypes (GT1-6). Presently, there is no vaccine for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Decision to treat is dependent on a number of factors such as the amount of liver damage present, other conditions the patient may have, amount of virus in the body, and viral genotype. If treatment is needed, a hepatitis C infection is typically treated with a combination of antivirals.
