Romark's nitazoxanide boosts SVR of SOC

Positive data on US drug developer Romark Laboratories' nitazoxanide in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin - the standard of  care - in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection with  genotype 4 was published in the March issue of Gastroenterology.

The study showed that the addition of nitazoxanide to standard-of-care  therapy increased the rate of sustained virologic response when compared  with subjects given peginterferon plus ribavirin alone.

The percentages of patients with rapid virologic response, defined as  undetectable serum HCV RNA at week four of combination therapy, and  sustained virologic response were significantly higher in those given  the triple therapy compared with the standard of care (64% versus 38%,  p=0.048 and 79% versus 50%, p=0.023, respectively).