June 7, 2013

Simeprevir keeps HCV at bay in treatment-naive and experienced patients

By: NEIL OSTERWEIL, Internal Medicine News Digital Network

06/07/13

ORLANDO – The investigational protease inhibitor simeprevir was associated with high levels of sustained virologic response in patients with both treatment-naive and relapsed hepatitis C viral infections, reported investigators at the annual Digestive Disease Week.

In the QUEST-2 phase III trial, 81.3% of previously untreated patients with hepatitis C (HCV) genotype 1 infections randomized to simeprevir (TMC435) and pegylated interferon-alfa (pegIFN/RBV) had a sustained virologic response following 12 weeks of therapy (SVR12, the primary endpoint), compared with 50% of those assigned to pegIFN/RBV and placebo (P less than .001), reported Dr. Fred Poordad from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

In the phase III PROMISE trial, 79.2% of patients with HCV genotype 1 infections who had a relapse following prior therapy with an interferon-based regimen had an SVR12 when treated with simeprevir, compared with 36.8% of patients treated with pegIFN/RBV and placebo (P less than .001), said Dr. Eric Lawitz, also from the University of Texas in San Antonio.

"Safety and tolerability appear to be comparable to placebo, and patient-reported outcomes support both the efficacy and the safety profiles of simeprevir," Dr. Poordad said.

QUEST-2

Simeprevir is a once-daily oral inhibitor of the HCV NS3/4A protease with demonstrated antiviral activity against HCV genotypes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6.

In QUEST-2, 391 patients were randomized on a 2:1 basis to receive either simeprevir 150 mg daily plus pegIFN/RBV or placebo plus pegIFN/RBV for 12 weeks, followed by an additional 12 or 36 weeks of pegIFN/RBV depending on response-guided therapy criteria. If patients had HCV RNA less than 25 IU/mL at week 4 and undetectable at week 12, they received an additional 12 weeks of pegIFN/RBV. Patients outside of the response-guided criteria received a total of 36 additional weeks of pegIFN/RBV. In both treatment arms, patients were followed for an additional 24 months, for a total of 72 months.

A total of 235 of the 257 patients assigned to simeprevir (91.4%) met the response-guided criteria by week 24, completed therapy, and were then followed until study end. Of this group, 86% (202 patients) achieved SVR12.

Simeprevir was statistically significantly superior to placebo regardless of IL28B polymorphism genotype or METAVIR (fibrosis and inflammation) scores.

On-treatment failures, defined as a confirmed detectable HCV RNA level at the actual end of treatment, occurred in 7% of patients on simeprevir and 32.1% of controls. Relapses, defined as detectable HCV RNA on one or more follow-up visits following undetectable end-of-treatment levels, occurred in 12.7% and 23.9%, respectively (P values not shown).

Of the simeprevir-treated patients who did not achieve an SVR, 97.6% had emerging mutations in the NS3 protease domain at the time of treatment failure, Dr. Poordad said.

PROMISE

In the PROMISE trial, 393 patients who had experienced a relapse following interferon-based therapy were randomized to response guided therapy as described in the QUEST-2 study.

As noted before, 79.2% of patients assigned to simeprevir/pegIFN/RBV met the primary endpoint of SVR12, compared with 36.8% of patients assigned to placebo/pegIFN/RBV (P less than .001).

In this trial, simeprevir was significantly better than placebo in patients with both HCV genotypes 1a and 1b, and as in QUEST-2 was superior to placebo regardless of IL28B genotype or METAVIR score.

On-treatment failures occurred in 3.1% of simeprevir-treated patients and 27.1% of those on placebo and pegIFN/RBV. The respective relapse rates were 18.5% and 48.4%. As in QUEST-2, the large majority (92.3%) of simeprevir-treated patients who did not have an SVR had emerging mutations in the NS3 protease domain.

Safety

In QUEST-2, patients on simeprevir had more cases of rash, 27% vs. 20%, and photosensitivity, 4% vs. 1%. Anemia occurred in 13.6% and 15.7%, respectively. The incidences of other adverse events were similar between the groups.

In PROMISE, the most common adverse events were fatigue, influenzalike illness, pruritus, and headache. Anemia occurred in 17% of patients on the active drug plus pegIFN/RBV, compared with 20% for those on placebo/pegIFN/RBV. Neutropenia occurred in 18% and 22%, respectively. Rates of pruritus and rash were comparable between simeprevir and placebo.

The Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review status to simeprevir for the treatment of chronic HCV genotype 1.

The studies were funded by Janssen. Dr. Poordad and Dr. Lawitz have received grants and/or research support from the company, and several of their coauthors are employees of Janssen or its parent company Johnson & Johnson.

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Anurag Maheshwari, MD, on telaprevir-based HCV treatment

Provided by Healio

June 7, 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. — Anurag Maheshwari, MD, transplant hepatologist at the Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, discusses his poster, “Sa1059: The Experience with Telaprevir-Based HCV Therapy in Community Practice Does Not Mirror the Clinical Trials Data,” at Digestive Disease Week 2013.

Maheshwari notes that the morbidity associated with telaprevir-based treatment is much greater in real-world practice than had been indicated previously. He urges caution among clinicians in the administration of telaprevir, and stresses the need for rigorous side-effect management protocol and adequate long-term follow-up for patients with HCV receiving this treatment.

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Gilead Announces U.S. FDA Priority Review Designation for Sofosbuvir for the Treatment of Hepatitis C

Gilead

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 7, 2013-- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted priority review to the company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for sofosbuvir, a once-daily oral nucleotide analogue inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The FDA grants priority review status to drug candidates that may offer major advances in treatment over existing options. Gilead filed the NDA for sofosbuvir on April 8, 2013, and FDA has set a target review date under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) of December 8, 2013.

The data submitted in this NDA support the use of sofosbuvir and ribavirin (RBV) as an all-oral therapy for patients with genotype 2 and 3 HCV infection, and for sofosbuvir in combination with RBV and pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) for treatment-naïve patients with genotype 1, 4, 5 and 6 HCV infection.

Sofosbuvir is an investigational product and its safety and efficacy have not yet been established.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet medical need. The company’s mission is to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases worldwide. Headquartered in Foster City, California, Gilead has operations in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the risk that FDA and other regulatory agencies may not approve sofosbuvir in the anticipated timelines or at all, and that any marketing approvals, if granted, may have significant limitations on its use. Further, additional studies of sofosbuvir, including in combination with other products, may produce unfavorable results. In addition, even if approved, Gilead may not be able to successfully commercialize sofosbuvir, and may make a strategic decision to discontinue its development if, for example, the market for the product fails to materialize as expected. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described in detail in Gilead's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2013, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead, and Gilead assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

For more information on Gilead Sciences, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com, follow Gilead on Twitter (@GileadSciences) or call Gilead Public Affairs at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or 1-650-574-3000.

Source: Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Patrick O’Brien, 650-522-1936 (Investors)
Cara Miller, 650-522-1616 (Media)

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