REPLICor to disclose results of its first-in-class drugs against hepatitis C
Laval, October 24, 2006 – REPLICor Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that its first-in-class drugs, REP 9 and REP 9C, showed potent activity against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). These compounds work by inhibiting HCV fusion and entry.
The study was conducted at the National Institute of Health, in collaboration with T. Jake Liang, MD, Chief of the Liver Disease Branch, NIDDK. “The aim of the study was to assess whether REPLICor’s compounds inhibited HCV infection by blocking viral entry” said Dr. Liang. “The preliminary findings of REPLICor’s compounds as inhibitors of HCV infection are encouraging and deserves further testing”
The potent antiviral activity of these compounds was assessed using a true replicative HCV model. REP 9 was equally active against 7 different genotypes. Analysis of the results indicated that the target of inhibition is at the post-binding cell fusion/entry step. REP 9 and REP 9C are oligonucleotide-based compounds that differ from antisense or siRNA in that they work outside the cell using a sequence independent mode of action.
“We are pleased that our first-in-class drugs show robust activity against all tested strains of the hepatitis C virus” said Michel Bazinet, MD, CEO of REPLICor. “We hope that this drug will eventually help many of the hundreds of millions of patients afflicted with this disease worldwide. They still have very limited treatment options available today”
Full research results will be presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, in Boston on October 30 (www.aasld.org). REPLICor will also give an update on the Company’s activities at BIO-Europe 2006 in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Nov. 7 (www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope).
About REPLICor
REPLICor is a biopharmaceutical company developing applications for its novel DNA-based technology platform. REPLICor’s technology is based on the discovery that oligonucleotides have sequence independent and size dependent activities as amphipathic polymers with multiple potential clinical applications. REPLICor has demonstrated that its two lead compounds, REP 9 and REP 9C, have the ability to interact with a wide variety of targets that are present in a variety of disease including viral infections, metabolic disorders and amyloid related diseases.
For additional information:
Andrew Vaillant, Ph.D.,
Chief Scientific Officer
REPLICor Inc.
(450) 688-6068