A Phase IIa trial combining odalasvir, AL-335 and simeprevir demonstrated 100 percent undetectable RNA up to 12 weeks after treatment, in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus. The trial was sponsored by Achillion Pharmaceuticals and Alios BioPharma, part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.

The interim results evaluated several dose combinations and schedules, over six or eight weeks, in treatment-naïve patients with genotype 1 HCV, with cohorts receiving the triplet regimen reporting highly effective results in non-cirrhotic patients. The majority of adverse events were mild; most commonly headache, fatigue, and upper respiratory tract infection.

Based on these results, Janssen plans to begin a Phase IIb trial of the triple combination, and will present the data at a conference of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, Sept. 23-24.