SAFETY BOARD RECOMMENDS COMPLETION OF VERONATE TRIAL

Inhibitex has announced that its independent data safety monitoring board has recommended the continuation of the company's 2,000-patient pivotal Phase III clinical trial of Veronate for the prevention of hospital-associated infections in premature, very low birth weight infants.

Veronate is a novel, antibody-based investigational drug being developed to prevent hospital-associated infections in premature, very-low-birth-weight infants weighing 500 g to 1,250 g at birth. The primary endpoint of the pivotal Phase III trial is to demonstrate efficacy in the prevention of hospital-associated infections due to Staphylococcus aureus in this infant population. Secondary endpoints include a reduction in the frequency of hospital-associated infections due to Candida species (fungus) and Coagulase-negative staphylococci, and a reduction in the mortality rate.