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Vertex ends work on one hepatitis C drug, continues another

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Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:50am EDT

(Reuters) - Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Tuesday it will discontinue development of an experimental drug to treat hepatitis C after it failed to show sufficient efficacy to warrant further study.

The company, which was developing the drug, known as ALS-2158, with partner Alios BioPharma Inc, said it will continue development of another hepatitis C drug, ALS-2200, after it showed promise in an early trial.

The company said it is planning one mid-stage, or Phase II, trial of ALS-2200 in combination with the drug ribavirin and one trial to evaluate ALS-2200 in combination with the company's existing drug Incivek.

Vertex acquired worldwide rights to ALS-2200 through a licensing agreement it signed with Alios in June 2011. The drug is designed to inhibit the replication of the hepatitis C virus and the virus does not appear to become easily resistant to it, the company said.

(Reporting By Toni Clarke; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)
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