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news.Progenics Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company, has selected a proprietary small-molecule drug candidate, designated PRO 206, for clinical development as a treatment of hepatitis C virus infection.
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In each of two in vitro models of hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry and replication, PRO 206 demonstrated potent inhibitory activity at concentrations that had no measurable effect on cell viability or entry of unrelated viruses.
According to the company, PRO 206 also demonstrated high oral bioavailability and a prolonged pharmacokinetic half-life in animals. The antiviral and pharmacokinetic properties observed for PRO 206 suggest the potential for once-daily dosing in humans.
PRO 206 is an orally available viral-entry inhibitor, designed to prevent HCV from entering and infecting healthy liver cells.
William Olson, senior vice president of R&D at Progenics Pharmaceuticals, said: “Our HCV entry program leverages our expertise in the discovery and development of HIV entry inhibitors such as PRO 140, which is currently in Phase II clinical trials. We look forward to completing the investigational new drug-enabling studies in 2009 in preparation for Phase I clinical trials.”