HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES ANNOUNCES

[aungkyawsan]

Hi All,
I am just sharing this info: As I am always excited about these news for my wife, understand me if these are not useful :
HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES ANNOUNCES ALBUFERON® MEETS PRIMARY ENDPOINT IN PHASE 3 TRIAL IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C
Human Genome Sciences, Inc. today announced that Albuferon(R) (albinterferon alfa-2b) met its primary endpoint of non-inferiority to peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) in ACHIEVE 2/3, a Phase 3 clinical trial of Albuferon in combination with ribavirin in treatment-naive patients with genotypes 2 and 3 chronic hepatitis C (p=0.0086). Albinterferon alfa-2b is being developed by HGS and Novartis under an exclusive worldwide co-development and commercialization agreement entered into in June 2006.

"We are pleased that Albuferon met its primary endpoint in the ACHIEVE 2/3 trial. These Phase 3 data show that the efficacy of Albuferon was comparable to Pegasys, with half the injections," said H. Thomas Watkins, President and Chief Executive Officer, HGS. "We look forward to having the results of ACHIEVE 1, our other Phase 3 trial of Albuferon, in March 2009. If ACHIEVE 1 is successful, we believe Albuferon could become the market-leading interferon for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, and we expect that global marketing applications will be filed by fall 2009."
Above is only one part of the article and more detail: visit this link
http://www.drugs.com/clinical_trials/human-genome-sciences-announces-albuferon-meets-primary-endpoint-phase-3-trial-chronic-hepatitis-c-6387.html

[aungkyawsan]

Thanks for the sharing your information...would like to have others' opinion. I have read this on Washington Post online...

[konyha]

HGS Reports Early Positive Results for Hepatitis C Drug

By Alejandro Lazo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 9, 2008; D04



Human Genome Sciences, a Washington area biotech company that in 16 years has yet to bring a commercial treatment to market, said yesterday that results were positive for the first of two late-stage clinical trials of its hepatitis C drug.

The Rockville company is developing the drug, Albuferon, with Swiss drugmaker Novartis. The results showed that Albuferon was as effective for hepatitis C as the current treatment on the market, a Roche drug called Pegasys, but in half as many doses. The test focused on patients who had two types of hepatitis C, both of which take 24 weeks to treat.

Results of Albuferon's final trial, conducted on patients with a type of hepatitis C that takes 48 weeks to treat, are expected in March. If those results are successful, the company hopes to file global marketing applications in the fall.

"We have a successful first trial," Jerry Parrott, a spokesman for the company, said. "We are looking to the next study, which we will have in March, and then we will have a full picture, a full understanding of the therapeutic and commercial potential of this drug."

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infectious disease that can cause serious liver diseases. The results announced yesterday showed that 79.8 percent of patients receiving Albuferon showed no signs of the hepatitis C virus in their bloodstream 24 weeks after the last injection, compared with 84.8 percent of a group that received Pegasys. The trials were conducted on 933 patients in different parts of the world and most of the discrepancy between the two drugs occurred in Asia, Human Genome Sciences said. In Asia, the drug was effective in 79.8 percent of patients compared with 95.5 percent who took Pegasys.

"What really remains to be seen is what this number means," Parrott said. "That Asian result completely accounts for that 5 percent difference."

Shares closed up 14 cents yesterday, or 8.14 percent, at $1.86.
"This is a beaten-down stock," Han Li, an analyst with the Stanford Group, said. "We should not expect a big pop up here, as to do that we need fresh money in there and at this point there are few investors willing to take the risk."

[aungkyawsan]

Thanks for the comment....as we are out of this knowledge and reading all news with very anciously ..

[cathy77]

If this study is independent and not linked to the major drug companies then I could get excited, but most are biased in their favour, very few are independent and are usually connected to the companies who have financial interests in them.

Cathy77

[FlGuy]

Over the past couple of years several people have posted comments that they were involded in the Albuferon trial and others reported interest in getting involved in the trials, But, I don't reall anyone reporting back, after treatment, with results of Albuferon. I may have missed those comments.   Half the injections always sounded pretty good to me.  I was asked to enroll at on of Albuferon sites but I was already back treating with the usual stff at that time.

I can't help but find it a little amsuing that  "its primary endpoint of non-inferiority to peginterferon alfa-2a" which twisted just a little bit could mean "just as bad as peginterferon alfa-2a" .  Now, if they could just do something about the riba.....