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InterMune wins new US patent for hepatitis drug

InterMune, a biotechnology company, has announced the issuance of a new US patent, which covers the ITMN-191 compound.

The nominal 20-year patent term extends to October 13, 2024. ITMN-191 is an inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease.

ITMN-191 is being developed with InterMune’s collaborative partner, Roche, for the treatment of patients chronically infected with HCV.

In November 2008, InterMune, Roche and Pharmasset, initiated the first all-oral combination study of direct anti-virals in the absence of interferon or ribavirin, known as the Inform-1 study. That study has completed the first dose cohort. Results of Inform-1 are expected to be reported in the second quarter of 2009.

Dan Welch, president and CEO of InterMune, said: We are pleased to announce that this new patent, which is the foundation of our intellectual property coverage of ITMN-191, has issued. We look forward to continued progress in developing ITMN-191 with our partner, Roche, as we anticipate the start of our phase IIb program in the second quarter of 2009.

InterMune is a biotechnology company focused on the research, development and commercialization of therapies in pulmonology and hepatology. InterMune has a pipeline portfolio addressing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections.