The company is developing Viramidine in oral form for administration in combination with pegylated interferon for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Valeant is currently conducting two pivotal phase III trials for Viramidine in major markets around the world.
“Japan represents the world’s second largest hepatitis C market, with an estimated 2.3 million people infected,” Valeant’s president and CEO, Timothy Tyson, said.
“Our hope is that Viramidine’s potentially improved safety profile could be of great benefit to hepatitis C patients in Japan, especially when you consider that many physicians believe that Japanese patients tend to be more prone to developing anemia. We remain confident in Viramidine’s potential and look forward to presenting the results of the first of two global phase III trials in the first half of 2006.”