New simeprevir clinical data to be presented at EASL's International Liver Congress 2015

Janssen Sciences Ireland UC, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen), today announced that clinical data for simeprevir, its NS3/4A protease inhibitor for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, will be presented at The International Liver Congress™ 2015 of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) taking place in Vienna from April 22-26. Early-stage data on the investigational nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitors AL-335 and AL-516, which were recently obtained through Janssen's acquisition of Alios BioPharma, will also be presented.

Several key presentations will report on the efficacy and tolerability of simeprevir in interferon-free combination regimens in Phase 2, Phase 3 and real-world clinical settings.

"Hepatitis C remains a serious health problem. The breadth of data we are presenting at The International Liver Congress™ reinforces our commitment to reducing the significant burden of this infectious disease around the world," said Gaston Picchio, hepatitis disease area leader, Janssen. "Janssen has an extensive and ongoing clinical trial program for hepatitis C, including confirmatory and new exploratory studies, and we look forward to sharing these results. We remain focused on investigating alternative and more immediate treatment options for patients with a high unmet need."

A total of 14 company-sponsored abstracts supporting Janssen's marketed and investigational therapies for HCV will be presented, including three abstracts on simeprevir accepted as late-breaking presentations. The scope and rigor of these data underscore Janssen's commitment to being a positive catalyst in the fight against this serious public health threat.

"These data highlight the strength of our commitment to advancing research in the area of viral hepatitis," said Lawrence M. Blatt, Ph.D., global head therapeutics, Janssen Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, and president and chief executive officer of Alios BioPharma. "We are delighted to present additional data for simeprevir in combination with other currently available therapeutic options alongside early-stage data for our nucleotide portfolio."

Studies on Janssen's HCV portfolio to be presented at The International Liver Congress™ 2015 include:

Late-Breaking Poster Presentations

All posters will be displayed electronically from Thursday 23 April, 07:30 to Saturday 25 April, 20:00 in Hall B.

• A Phase 3, randomised, open-label study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 12 and 8 weeks of simeprevir (SMV) plus sofosbuvir (SOF) in treatment-naive and -experienced patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection without cirrhosis: The OPTIMIST-1 study
  • Abstract LP14
  • Lead Author: P. Kwo; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
• A Phase 3, open-label, single-arm study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 12 weeks of simeprevir (SMV) plus sofosbuvir (SOF) in treatment-naive or -experienced patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection and cirrhosis: The OPTIMIST-2 study
  • Abstract LP04
  • Lead Author: E. Lawitz; Texas Liver Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
• Simeprevir (SMV) plus daclatasvir (DCV) and sofosbuvir (SOF) in treatment-naive and -experienced patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4 infection and decompensated liver disease: Interim results from the Phase 2 IMPACT study
  • Abstract LP07
  • Lead Author: E. Lawitz; Texas Liver Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA

Oral Presentation

• On-treatment virologic response and tolerability of simeprevir, daclatasvir and ribavirin in patients with recurrent hepatitis C virus genotype 1b infection after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT): Interim data from the Phase 2 SATURN Study
  • Abstract 0004: Thursday 23 April, 16:45 – 17:00, Hall D
  • Lead Author: X. Forns; Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain

Poster Presentations

All posters will be displayed electronically from Thursday 23 April, 07:30 to Saturday 25 April, 20:00 in Hall B.

• Significant drug-drug interaction between simeprevir and cyclosporine A but not tacrolimus in patients with recurrent chronic HCV infection after orthotopic liver transplantation: The SATURN study
  • Abstract P0834
  • Lead Author: S. Ouwerkerk-Mahadevan; Janssen Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium
• Deep sequencing analyses in HCV genotype 1-infected patients treated with simeprevir plus sofosbuvir with/without ribavirin in the COSMOS study
  • Abstract P0780
  • Lead Author: B. Fevery; Janssen Infectious Diseases BVBA, Beerse, Belgium
• Effectiveness of simeprevir (SMV)-containing regimens among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in various U.S. practice settings: Interim analysis of the SONET study
  • Abstract P0826
  • Lead Author: I. Alam; Austin Hepatitis Center, Austin, TX, USA
• Study protocol for a partly randomised, open-label Phase 2a trial of once-daily simeprevir combined with sofosbuvir for the treatment of HCV genotype 4-infected patients with or without cirrhosis (OSIRIS)
  • Abstract P1346
  • Lead Author: M. El Raziky, Departments of Pediatrics, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
• Baseline factors associated with increased SVR rates in 123 treatment-naive chronic HCV genotype 1 patients treated with a shortened 12-week simeprevir plus pegylated interferon and ribavirin regimen: A multivariate analysis
  • Abstract P0792
  • Lead Author: T. Asselah, Beaujon Hospital, University of Paris, France
• Clinical characteristics and outcomes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with newer direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-based regimens from a large U.S. payer perspective
  • Abstract P0852
  • Lead Author: N. Tandon; Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USA
• A descriptive analysis of a real-world population with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with simeprevir (SMV)-and/or sofosbuvir (SOF)-based regimens: Findings from a U.S. payer database
  • Abstract P0827
  • Lead Author: J.B. Forlenza; Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USA
• Real world effectiveness and cost of simeprevir- and/or sofosbuvir-based HCV treatments: $175,000 per SVR12
  • Abstract P0881
  • Lead Author: K. Bichoupan; Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

Alios BioPharma Poster Presentations

• Derisking the potential for mitochondrial toxicity of nucleoside analogs
  • Abstract P0679
  • Lead author: Z. Jin; Alios BioPharma, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Preclinical characterization of AL-335, a potent uridine based nucleoside polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C
  • Abstract P0682
  • Lead Author: H. Tan; Alios BioPharma, San Francisco, CA, USA

SOURCE Janssen Sciences Ireland UC