Transgene to seek partner for HCV vaccine TG4040 on strong Ph II results

French biotech firm Transgene (Euronext Paris: FR0005175080) has revealed interim data showing a substantial viral suppression at 12 weeks by using the combination of its therapeutic vaccine TG4040 with the commonly used treatment regimen in patients with chronic hepatitis C. These data, presented during the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases AASLD) congress, were observed in a randomized Phase II trial that has included 153 patients (the HCVac study).

“The magnitude of improvement in early viral suppression observed in the HCVac trial is unheard of in the immunotherapy of this pathology,” said Philippe Archinard, chairman and chief executive of Transgene, adding: “We will immediately start discussing with possible partners so as to envisage the future development of TG4040. Among the options, there is a strong rationale to go to treatment regimens without interferon.”

The HCVac study is a three-arm (one control and two experimental arms with different schemes of administration) randomized Phase II trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of TG4040, a therapeutic vaccine, in combination with ribavirin (RBV) and pegylated alpha interferon (Peg-IFN), the commonly used treatment regimen in the indication.