BioCentury
ARTICLE | Clinical News

Emricasan: Phase II started

March 10, 2014 7:00 AM UTC

Conatus began a double-blind, placebo-controlled, U.S. Phase II trial to evaluate 25 mg oral emricasan twice daily for 28 days in about 40 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, including those with inflammatory and/or fibrotic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Emricasan is in a Phase IIb trial to treat acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), with data expected this half, and a Phase II trial for severe alcoholic hepatitis. A Phase IIb trial with emricasan to treat chronic liver failure is slated to start in 2H14. Conatus has delayed the start of the Phase II/III HCV-POLT trial with emricasan in patients who have developed liver fibrosis post-orthotopic liver transplant due to HCV infection pending an analysis of "the impact of HCV antiviral drugs on [the company's] ability to carry out the originally proposed two-year dosing study." ...