- Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ENTA +2.5%) commences the proof-of-concept portion of its ongoing Phase 1 study evaluating EDP-494, a pan-genotypic cyclophilin inhibitor, in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1 or 3 infection. The double-blind, randomized phase will assess the safety, pharmacokinetics and anti-viral activity of two different oral doses of EDP-494 in treatment-naive HCV patients, administered once daily for 14 days.
- According to the company, there is increasing resistance to currently available direct-acting HCV antivirals (DAAs). EDP-494 avoids this problem via its unique mechanism of action, inhibiting a protein called cyclophilin which plays an essential role in HCV replication. EDP-494 is called a host-targeting antiviral which means that it targets the host proteins that are involved in the viral life cycle. Other HCV therapies are categorized as virus-targeting antivirals since they act directly on viral proteins. It says cyclophilin inhibitors may have the highest barrier to resistance of any class of HCV treatments.
- After the Phase 1 is completed, Enanta intends to develop EDP-494, in combination with one or more DAAs, for treatment-resistant HCV infection.
- HCV-related tickers: (GILD +1.6%)(JNJ +1.1%)(BMY +1%)(MRK +1%)(GSK +3.4%)(RGLS +0.7%)(ABBV +1.7%)