Cytheris Announces Interim Results from ECLIPSE II Hepatitis C Multicenter Study

Cytheris SA has announced that data from an interim analysis of its ECLIPSE II Phase I/IIa study indicate that treatment with four weeks of the company's investigative immune-modulator, recombinant human Interleukin-7 (CYT107), added to peginterferon and ribavirin (SOC) in genotype one and four treatment experienced patients defined as non responders to SOC, induces a broad immune response associated with HCV viral clearance in genotype one and four treatment experienced patients defined as non responders to SOC.

"In the current pursuit of higher cure rates and shorter treatment times utilizing combinations of multiple direct acting antivirals, we are hopeful that IL-7 restoration of T cell immune control may represent an alternate, shorter, IFN-free pathway to achievement of viral clearance. The effect has already been observed in chronic LCMV and in three patients suffering from Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) due to the JC virus," said François Habersetzer, MD, principal investigator at Strasbourg University Hospitals, Inserm 748, University of Strasbourg, France and co-chair of the study.

Habersetzer continued, "The current study of safety and activity of CYT107 treatment in genotype one and four patients resistant to one or multiple lines of SOC focuses on one of the more difficult segments of the HCV patient population and strongly supports the potential of additional studies with this cytokine."

The data were presented during a late breaker poster session (Abstract No. LB-9: Four weeks of IL-7 (CYT107) added to peginterferon and ribavirin (SOC) induces a broad immune response associated with HCV viral clearance in genotype one and four treatment experienced patients defined as non responders to SOC. Habersetzer F, Payen JL, Rouzier  R, Alric L, Andreone P, Grando V, Attali P, Hézode C, Serfaty L, Tambussi G, Thabut D, Beq S, Demol P, Croughs T, Morre M, Marcellin P) at The Liver Meeting®, the 62nd annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in San Francisco, November 4-8, 2011.