U.S. FDA Grants Priority Review to AbbVie for Investigational, All-Oral, Interferon-Free Therapy for the Treatment of Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C

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Jun 13, 2014, 03:34 ET

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., June 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced today that the New Drug Application (NDA) for its investigational, all-oral, interferon-free regimen for the treatment of adult patients with chronic genotype 1 (GT1) hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has been granted priority review.

The NDA was submitted on April 21, 2014 and is supported by data from a large clinical program including six Phase III studies of more than 2,300 GT1 patients in over 25 countries. The regimen was granted a Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA in May 2013, a status given to investigational treatments for serious or life-threatening conditions with preliminary clinical evidence demonstrating substantial improvement on at least one clinically significant endpoint compared to available therapy.

In May 2014, AbbVie submitted marketing authorization applications (MAAs) for regulatory approval in the European Union.

About AbbVie's Investigational HCV Regimen
The AbbVie investigational regimen consists of ABT-450/ritonavir co-formulated with ombitasvir (ABT-267), and dasabuvir (ABT-333) with or without RBV. The combination of three different mechanisms of action interrupts the hepatitis C virus replication process with the goal of optimizing sustained virologic response rates across different patient populations.

Additional information about AbbVie's Phase III studies can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov.

AbbVie's HCV Development Program
The AbbVie HCV clinical development program is intended to advance scientific knowledge and clinical care by investigating an interferon-free, all-oral regimen with and without ribavirin with the goal of producing high sustained virologic response rates in as many patients as possible, including those that typically do not respond well to treatment, such as previous non-responders to interferon-based therapy or patients with advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis.

ABT-450 was discovered during the ongoing collaboration between AbbVie and Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA) for hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors and regimens that include protease inhibitors. ABT-450 is being developed by AbbVie for use in combination with AbbVie's other investigational medicines for the treatment of hepatitis C.

About AbbVie
AbbVie is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott Laboratories. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world's most complex and serious diseases. AbbVie employs approximately 25,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries. For further information on the company and its people, portfolio and commitments, please visit www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.

Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, and changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry.

Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," in AbbVie's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE AbbVie