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news.UK based Avecia and Illumigen Biosciences have entered into an agreement to develop Illumigen's lead development product, IB657, for the treatment of hepatitis C and other RNA viruses.
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Under the agreement, terms of which have not been disclosed, Avecia will carry out development work to optimize the drug manufacturing process and conduct initial cGMP manufacture of IB657. This manufacturing agreement will provide Illumigen with IB657 in sufficient quantities to complete phase Ia clinical trials in hepatitis C infected patients.
“We believe our excellence in process development will create a scaleable manufacturing process to support the clinical advancement of IB657,” said Dr Stephen Taylor, Avecia’s vice president of commercial development.
Illumigen’s IB657 is a biologic for the treatment of hepatitis C and other RNA virus infections such as respiratory syncytial virus, West Nile virus, and influenza. Illumigen began its search for a hepatitis C drug in 2003 and expects IB657 to enter phase 1 clinical trials in 2007.
Based on preclinical data and Illumigen’s, the company believes IB657, in contrast to existing antiviral therapeutics, could provide improved efficacy with lower toxicity and be broadly active against several RNA virus families.