Advertise With UsAdvertise on our extensive network of industry websites and newsletters.
Get the PBR newsletterSign up to our free email to get all the latest PBR
news.Australian biotechnology company Avexa has reported highly successful results from its phase IIb trial for HIV drug apricitabine (ATC).
Subscribe to our email newsletter
ATC is Avexa’s novel nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) being developed for the treatment of HIV infection in patients with drug-resistant HIV. The phase IIb trial compared the effectiveness of ATC in reducing the viral load of patients with drug-resistant HIV with the effectiveness of lamivudine (3TC), a leading NRTI in widespread use.
A total of 47 patients completed 21 day dosing. Of these 17 patients received 600 mg doses of ATC, 16 received 800 mg doses of ATC and the control group of 14 patients were treated with 3TC. Avexa said that the demonstration of superior activity in this study indicates that ATC will be an effective antiviral drug for the treatment of many drug-resistant patients, including even those most highly resistant.
“This is a fantastic result for Avexa,” stated CEO Dr Julian Chick. “The positive result allows us to continue to progress ATC into phase III trials and towards commercialization. The team at Avexa has done a great job and these excellent results show that their hard work has paid off.”
Avexa has completed a $15 million placement to US investors in the hope of raising a further $60 million through a fully underwritten rights issue, in order to provide the funds required to complete phase III trials for the drug.