InterMune Reports Presentation of Triple Combination Study of ITMN-191 at European Association for the Study of the Li...( - Results inform selection of doses r...),Health

- Results inform selection of doses, regimens to be explored in Phase 2b study -

-- Phase 2b program anticipated to begin in summer 2009 --

COPENHAGEN, April 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- InterMune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITMN) today announced that results from a 14-day Phase 1b clinical study of ITMN-191 (R7227) in combination with the current standard of care were presented today by Stefan Zeuzem, M.D., of the J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, in an oral presentation at the 44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) in Copenhagen, Denmark. The study explored the use of ITMN-191 in combination with Pegasys(R) (peginterferon alfa-2a) and Copegus(R) (ribavirin) for 14 days of treatment in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment-naive patients infected with HCV genotype 1. ITMN-191 is an HCV protease inhibitor being developed in collaboration with Roche.

Among the highlights of his presentation, Dr. Zeuzem reported:

• The combination of ITMN-191 plus the standard of care for 14 days resulted in rapid and sustained reductions in HCV RNA.
• Substantial antiviral activity was observed in both the q8h and q12h dosing cohorts; the most rapid declines in HCV RNA occurred in the ITMN-191 900 mg q12h dosing cohort.
• Viral rebound was not observed in any patient receiving treatment with ITMN-191 plus Pegasys and ribavirin.
• ITMN-191 plus standard-of-care therapy was safe and generally well tolerated.
• The findings support the continued evaluation of ITMN-191-based combination regimens of twice-daily and three-times-daily dosing in patients with chronic HCV infection.

Dr. Zeuzem, protocol chair of the study, said, "Based on the t
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