Hepatitis C virus
The Centre of Disease Control (CDC) estimates that in the United States alone 4.1 million (1.6%) have been infected with HCV. Of these people, 3.2 million are chronically infected. 70% of chronically infected patients progress to chronic liver disease. 1-5% of infected patients die as a result of HCV infection.
In the United States, the current standard of care for treating HCV patients involves combination of an oral form of ribavirin with various forms of interferon. There are a number of dose limiting side effects associated with the combined ribavirin/interferon therapy.
There is a clear unmet need for HCV therapeutics that have high potency with an improved side effect profile as are being developed by Biota.
Biota's solution
There is a compelling need for an effective antiviral treatment for HCV. Biota has discovered and is developing a novel class of antiviral nucleoside drugs which inhibit the HCV polymerase.
HCV polymerase is an essential enzyme involved in the replication of the virus. Polymerase inhibitors are a successful class of drugs and numerous examples are on the market (eg HIV/AIDS and herpes drugs).