Idenix Pharmaceuticals Advances HCV Discovery Program to Clinic
July 29 2008 - 7:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
~ Initiates IDX184 Phase I Clinical Study and Advances HCV Protease
Inhibitor and Non-Nucleoside Polymerase Inhibitor Clinical
Candidates into IND-Enabling Preclinical Studies ~ CAMBRIDGE,
Mass., July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Idenix Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (NASDAQ:IDIX), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the
discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral
and other infectious diseases, today announced that it has
initiated a first-in-man study of IDX184 under a United States
investigational new drug (IND) application. IDX184 is a once-daily,
oral nucleotide prodrug polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of
chronic hepatitis C. Today, Idenix also announced that is has
selected a lead clinical candidate (IDX375) from its HCV
non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor discovery program and has
advanced IDX375 into IND-enabling pharmacokinetic and toxicology
studies. Idenix has also advanced two protease inhibitor drug
candidates (IDX136 and IDX316) into IND-enabling pharmacokinetic
and toxicology studies. "We are pleased with the progress we have
made in our hepatitis C discovery program in the past few months,"
said Jean-Pierre Sommadossi, Ph.D., chief executive officer of
Idenix. "With IDX184 entering human testing and clinical candidates
undergoing late-stage preclinical testing from our HCV
non-nucleoside and protease inhibitor programs, we are progressing
toward our ultimate goal of developing a proprietary combination of
direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of hepatitis C." IDX184
Nucleotide Prodrug Polymerase Inhibitor IDX184 is a once-daily,
oral nucleotide prodrug candidate based on Idenix's proprietary
liver-targeting technology that has demonstrated HCV antiviral
activity in both in vitro and in vivo preclinical models.
Pre-clinical testing suggests that this technology enables the
delivery of high levels of active nucleoside triphosphate into the
liver, the site of primary HCV infection. In HCV genotype-1
infected chimpanzees, once-daily oral administration of 10 mg/kg of
IDX184 produced a mean viral load reduction of 2.3 log10 after four
days of dosing. "The in vitro antiviral activity of IDX184 combined
with the marked viral load reductions observed in HCV-infected
chimpanzees support the potential for once-a-day, low milligram
dosing of IDX184 in HCV-infected patients," said David Standring,
Ph.D., executive vice president of biology for Idenix. The company
has initiated a first-in-man study of IDX184 under a U.S. IND. The
study design is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, single
dose-escalation study to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic
activity of IDX184 in healthy volunteers. This study will evaluate
six single rising doses of IDX184, ranging from 5 mg to 100 mg
once-per-day. Each cohort of the study will evaluate eight
volunteers randomized six to IDX184 and two to placebo. This study
will be followed by a phase I/II proof-of-concept study in
treatment/naive, HCV genotype-1 infected patients. IDX375
Non-Nucleoside Polymerase Inhibitor Idenix has selected IDX375 as
its lead clinical candidate from its HCV non-nucleoside polymerase
inhibitor discovery program. Preclinical testing demonstrated that
IDX375 targets the palm non-nucleoside pocket of HCV polymerase.
IDX375 has exhibited single nanomolar in vitro potency against HCV
genotype 1b replicon (EC50 = 2 nM) and against HCV genotype 1a and
1b polymerases. Additionally, cellular cytotoxicity testing in
Huh-7 cells demonstrated that IDX375 is not cytotoxic (CC50 >100
micrometers), resulting in a selectivity index >33,000 for
IDX375. In preclinical in vitro studies, IDX375 did not inhibit
human cellular DNA polymerases alpha, beta and gamma (IC50 >100
micrometers), demonstrating selectivity for the HCV 1a and 1b
polymerases. After oral administration in monkeys, bioavailability
of IDX375 was approximately 30%. Based on monkey plasma drug
exposure levels, IDX375 has the potential for once-daily dosing in
man. IDX136 and IDX316 Macrocyclic Protease Inhibitors Idenix has
scaled up manufacturing of two clinical candidates, IDX136 and
IDX316, from its HCV protease inhibitor discovery program to
support IND-enabling pharmacology and toxicology studies. Both
IDX136 and IDX316 are based on Idenix's proprietary scaffold B and
were developed through SAR (structural activity relationship)
approaches aided by high-resolution co-crystal structures with the
HCV protease. IDX136 and IDX316 have demonstrated single nanomolar
potency against HCV genotype 1a and 1b purified proteases and
nanomolar potency against HCV genotype 1b replicon (EC50 = 4 to 10
nM). Additionally, these compounds are highly selective, binding
tightly to the HCV protease and demonstrating no activity against
eight human cellular proteases. Both drug candidates appear to have
a differentiated resistance profile when compared to other
macrocyclic protease inhibitors in development. Favorable
pharmacokinetic properties of IDX136 and IDX316 in non-human
primates suggest the potential for once- or twice-daily dosing in
man. Conference Call Information Idenix will hold a conference call
and webcast today at 8:30 a.m. ET. To access the call please dial
800-471-3635 U.S./Canada or 706-758-9475 International and enter
passcode 56201724 or to listen to and view the live webcast of the
call, go to "Calendar of Events" in the Idenix Investor Center at
http://www.idenix.com/. A replay of the call will also be available
from 11:30 a.m. ET on July 29, 2008 until 11:59 p.m. ET on August
12, 2008. To access the replay, please dial 800-642-1687
U.S./Canada or 706-645-9291 International and enter passcode
56201724. An archived webcast will also be available for two weeks
after the call on the Idenix website. About Idenix Idenix
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and
development of drugs for the treatment of human viral and other
infectious diseases. Idenix's current focus is on the treatment of
infections caused by hepatitis C virus and HIV. For further
information about Idenix, please refer to http://www.idenix.com/.
Forward-looking Statements This press release contains
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of The Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking
terminology such as "may," "plans," "anticipates," "will," or
similar expressions, or by express or implied statements with
respect to the company's discovery and development programs or
commercialization activities in hepatitis C, or any other potential
pipeline candidate. Such forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
actual results to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
statements. There can be no guarantees that the company will
advance any clinical product candidate or other component of its
potential pipeline to the clinic, to the regulatory process or to
commercialization. In particular, management's expectations could
be affected by unexpected regulatory actions or delays;
uncertainties relating to, or unsuccessful results of, clinical
trials, including additional data relating to the ongoing clinical
trials evaluating its product candidates; the company's ability to
obtain additional funding required to conduct its research,
development and commercialization activities; the company's
dependence on its collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG; changes in
the company's business plan or objectives; the ability of the
company to attract and retain qualified personnel; competition in
general; and the company's ability to obtain, maintain and enforce
patent and other intellectual property protection for its product
candidates and its discoveries. These and other risks which may
impact management's expectations are described in greater detail
under the caption "Risk Factors" in the company's Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, as filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other filings that
the company makes with the SEC. All forward-looking statements
reflect the company's expectations only as of the date of this
release and should not be relied upon as reflecting the company's
views, expectations or beliefs at any date subsequent to the date
of this release. Idenix anticipates that subsequent events and
developments may cause these views, expectations and beliefs to
change. However, while Idenix may elect to update these
forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it
specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. Idenix
Pharmaceuticals Contact: Amy Sullivan: 617-995-9838 DATASOURCE:
Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CONTACT: Amy Sullivan of Idenix
Pharmaceuticals, +1-617-995-9838 Web site: http://www.idenix.com/
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