Forthcoming GSK eltrombopag data

A review, conducted by financial analysts Lehman Brothers, of abstract data due to be presented by UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline at the American Association for Study of Liver Disease meeting at the end of October, suggests that eltrombopag, the firm's developmental oral platelet growth factor, may be of benefit in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection.

The preview results show that 74%-95% of HCV patients treated with the compound achieved a blood platelet count of greater than 100,000/microliter after four weeks, which allowed them to move into the interferon/ ribavirin stage of the trial.

The work, which was conducted by John McHutchison and his team, also shows that 36%-65% of the eltrombopag-treated group went on to successfully complete 12 weeks of interferon/ribavirin therapy compared with only 6% of those who initially received placebo.