Biotron completes recruitment for HIV/HCV trial

Biotron (ASX:BIT) has completed enrolment for its phase II trial of antiviral candidate BIT225 in patients co-infected with hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV.

The company has signed up the full cohort of 12 co-infected patients for the open-label study.

Each subject will receive 28 days’ treatment with BIT225 in combination with standard of care HCV therapies interferon and ribavirin (INF/RBV), plus antiretroviral drugs. Patients will remain on INF/RBV once dosing of BIT225 has concluded.

Biotron hopes to be able to announce preliminary results from the trial in 2H13.

HIV/HCV co-infected patients have an estimated three times the risk of cirrhosis, liver failure and death compared to those infected with HCV alone. It is estimated that around one in four US HIV patients are co-infected with HCV.

Biotron commenced recruitment for the trial in November. The company has also conducted separate early-stage trials of BIT225 in HIV or HCV alone, achieving some promising results, including an indication that the antiviral treatment can target HIV reservoir cells.

CEO Dr Michelle Miller said she was confident the HCV/HIV trial will deliver further positive data. “Both viruses present substantial challenges and there is global demand for novel therapeutics,” she said. “We look forward to the outcomes from this important study.”

Biotron shares were trading unchanged at $0.083 as of around 12.30 pm on Wednesday.