By Tess Stynes
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) said that its oral treatment regimen for
hepatitis C showed positive results in 96% of patients in the first
of six phase III studies, putting the company on track to make
regulatory submissions in the second quarter of next year.
AbbVie, a research-based pharmaceutical business spun off from
Abbott Laboratories (ABT), has placed its hopes for near-term
growth on Humira, a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other
conditions, as it continues to develop its drug pipeline.The drugs
AbbVie aims to bring to market over the next few years include a
treatment regimen for hepatitis C.
A number of companies are racing to bring new hepatitis C
treatments to market, seeking to tap what is expected to be a
multibillion-dollar market.
AbbVie in a statement Monday said the results of the latest
study confirm results of earlier Phase II trials.
The majority of the 631 patients in AbbVie's 12-week study were
in a category considered more difficult to treat. The rate of
virologic relapse or breakthrough was low, occurring in 1.7%
patients.
Shares closed Friday at $48.44 and were inactive in recent
premarket trading. Through the close, the stock is up 42% this
year.
Write to Tess Stynes at tess.stynes@wsj.com
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