Samatasvir: Phase II started

Last month, Idenix began the open-label Phase II HELIX-2 trial to evaluate an all-oral regimen of once-daily samatasvir plus once-daily simeprevir ( TMC435) and/or once-daily TMC647055/ritonavir with or without ribavirin for 12 weeks in about 143 patients with HCV genotype 1 infection. Idenix is conducting the trial under a January 2013 deal to develop an all-oral, interferon-free HCV combination therapy using combinations of Idenix's samatasvir, simeprevir from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ, New Brunswick, N.J.) and Medivir AB (SSE:MVIR B, Huddinge, Sweden) and J&J's TMC647055. The companies retain all rights to their respective compounds. ...