GlobeImmune Announces Completion of Planned Enrollment for GI-5005-02 Phase 2 Trial in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients
| Source: GlobeImmune, Inc.
LOUISVILLE, CO--(Marketwire - May 20, 2008) - GlobeImmune, Inc. announced today completion
of the planned enrollment of 120 subjects in a Phase 2 clinical trial to
evaluate the GI-5005 Tarmogen® for the treatment of patients with chronic
hepatitis C infection. GI-5005 is being evaluated as a potential therapy in
combination with standard of care; pegylated interferon plus ribavirin.
The Phase 2 clinical trial is a randomized, open-label, multi-center trial
evaluating GI-5005 in combination with full duration standard of care,
versus standard of care alone in patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis
C infection who are either treatment-naïve or non-responders to previous
therapy. Endpoints for the trial include improvement in early virologic
response (EVR), HCV RNA kinetics, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels,
the primary biochemical marker of liver damage, end of treatment response
(ETR), sustained virologic response (SVR), serum markers of liver fibrosis
/ necrosis, and liver biopsy. This study has enrolled the planned target
of 120 patients in five months at 40 centers in the U.S., India and Europe.
About GI-5005
GI-5005 is GlobeImmune's lead infectious disease product candidate for the
treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. GI-5005 is whole, heat-killed
recombinant yeast genetically modified to express HCV-specific protein
targets. The mechanism of action for GI-5005 (i.e. T cell-mediated
elimination of infected hepatic cells) may work synergistically in
combination with the current or emerging standard of care, which directly
inhibits viral replication, to more effectively eradicate hepatitis C virus
from the liver. Additionally, this mechanism of action may offer an option
for interferon-intolerant or interferon-contraindicated patients as a long
term monotherapy.
About Hepatitis C Infection
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 170 million people
globally are infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV), with 3-4 million new
infections each year. Roughly 80-90% of these cases fail to resolve
acutely and evolve into a chronic state. The population of subjects with
chronic HCV infections is estimated at approximately 4 million cases in the
U.S. and 5-10 million in Europe. Of the 4 million subjects infected in the
U.S., only 20-40% are estimated to be currently diagnosed given the largely
asymptomatic nature of HCV infection. The current standard of care for
genotype 1 HCV patients, the most common subtype in the U.S., is 48 weeks
of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. This treatment is often poorly
tolerated and only results in cure rates (sustained virologic response) of
approximately 50%.
About GlobeImmune, Inc.
GlobeImmune is a private Colorado-based company developing active
immunotherapies called Tarmogens for the treatment of cancer and infectious
diseases. The Company's lead product candidate, GI-5005, is a Tarmogen
being developed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. The
Company has completed enrollment of a randomized Phase 2 trial of GI-5005
in combination with the current standard of care. GI-5005 is designed to
complement both the current and emerging standard of care for hepatitis C
infection through the direct elimination of chronically infected cells.
The Company's lead oncology program, GI-4000, is designed to be a treatment
for cancers of the lung and gastrointestinal tract. A randomized,
placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in patients with resectable pancreas
cancer in combination with adjuvant gemcitabine is ongoing. Additionally,
a Phase 2 trial in NSCLC subjects is ongoing at Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center.
For additional information, please visit the company's website at
www.globeimmune.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties, including statements relating to initiation and progress
of the Company's clinical trial programs and potential advantages of the
Company's technology and product candidates. Actual results could differ
materially from those projected and the Company cautions readers not to
place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this
release.