Anadys presents positive data of hepatitis drug

In preclinical studies, ANA598 was reported to be highly synergistic with interferon-alpha and non-antagonistic with ribavirin in cell-based assays. Furthermore, ANA598 retained full activity against a number of replicon mutations known to confer resistance to other anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) agents currently in clinical development, including protease inhibitors and nucleoside polymerase inhibitors. This data confirms the broad potential utility of ANA598 to be used in combination with multiple other anti-HCV agents, regardless of class.

Anadys also presented the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of ANA598 based on the results of 28-day toxicology studies. An oral dose of 20mg/kg in monkeys provided plasma levels of ANA598 at 12 hours that were in excess of the protein-binding adjusted genotype 1a replicon EC95, suggesting the potential for twice-daily or once-daily dosing. In addition, ANA598 was tolerated in all preclinical studies up to the maximum doses tested.

James Freddo, chief medical officer of Anadys, said: “The preclinical PK profile combined with the previously reported potency of the agent provides further confidence that ANA598 will be an active antiviral in HCV infected patients.”