Achillion’s Elvucitabine Shows Positive Preliminary Results

Achillion Pharmaceuticals said that preliminary 12-week results from an ongoing Phase II trial studying elvucitabine in patients infected with wild-type HIV showed potent antiviral activity similar to GlaxoSmithKline’s Epivir.

Elvucitabine is an L-cytosine nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor that has previously demonstrated potent antiviral activity against HIV, including strains resistant to other NRTIs.

The objectives of the study include demonstration of the safety, tolerability and antiviral activity with a 10mg dose of elvucitabine, as compared to Epivir (lamivudine) in a standard triple-combination regimen. The results at 12 weeks demonstrated potent anti-viral activity similar to lamivudine, Achillion said.

Michael Kishbauch, president and CEO of Achillion, commented: “As we anticipated, the end of 2007 is going to be an important period for Achillion, as we prepare to report additional data from our Phase II program with elvucitabine.

“The majority of the patients in this ongoing study have already completed 24-weeks of treatment, and we anticipate reporting topline 24-week data by early next year.”