Human Genome Sciences Reports Positive Late-Breaker Results at EASL from ACHIEVE Phase 3 Trials of Albuferon(R) in Patients with Chronic H...( - With half as many injectio...),Health

- With half as many injections, in two pivotal Phase 3 trials, Albuferon (albinterferon alfa-2b) met the primary efficacy endpoint of sustained virologic response comparable to Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) -

- Patients receiving 900-mcg Albuferon had comparable rates of serious and/or severe adverse events across the two Phase 3 trials, versus peginterferon alfa-2a -

- Submission of global marketing applications planned in fall 2009 -

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) today reported that the final results of two pivotal Phase 3 trials demonstrate that Albuferon(R) (albinterferon alfa-2b) met its primary endpoint of non-inferiority to peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C. The Phase 3 results were the subject of two late-breaker oral presentations today in Copenhagen at the 44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL). Albinterferon alfa-2b is being developed by HGS and Novartis under an exclusive worldwide co-development and commercialization agreement entered into in June 2006.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080416/HGSLOGO )

"The Phase 3 data presented at EASL show that Albuferon, with half the injections, achieved a rate of sustained virologic response comparable to Pegasys," said David C. Stump, M.D., Executive Vice President, Research and Development, HGS. "Importantly, the rates of serious and/or severe adverse events were also comparable in these studies. We plan to file global marketing applications in fall 2009, following di
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