Achillion falls after reporting HCV data

Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ACHN) fell $1.53 (19%) to $6.74 on Monday after reporting additional data from 58 patients in the second part of a Phase IIa trial of ACH-1625 treat chronic HCV genotype 1 infection. The data showed that 100%, 94% and 100% of patients receiving once-daily 200, 400 and 800 mg oral ACH-1625 in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin, respectively, achieved a complete early virologic response (cEVR) at week 12. Additionally, 79%, 89% and 90% of patients receiving low-, mid- and high-dose ACH-1625 plus peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin, respectively, achieved a rapid virologic response (RVR) at week four. Furthermore, all 22 patients who completed 12 weeks of treatment with the ACH-1625 combination followed by 12 weeks of peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin alone had undetectable HCV RNA levels at the end of the 24-week treatment period. ACH-1625 is a selective inhibitor of HCV NS3 protease. ...