Merimepodib (MMPD) in Triple Combination for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C

Summary

This trial is designed to test whether or not the addition of merimepodib (MMPD) to the standard therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin will result in a positive treatment response for people who have not previously responded to this therapy. Approximately 315 subjects will be enrolled in this research study at approximately 55 clinical sites in the United States. There will be three study groups. Everyone in the study will receive Pegasys® (pegylated interferon) and Copegus® (ribavirin) at the normally prescribed doses. Two of the groups will also receive the study drug merimepodib (MMPD) twice a day, one group at each dose level being tested. The third group will take a placebo instead of MMPD, with the Pegasys® and Copegus®. After the first 24 weeks of treatment, blood tests will be done to see if subjects are responding to treatment. If they are responding, they will continue receiving study treatment in the study for another 24 weeks. If they are not responding, they will stop study treatment. Everyone who is responding will be monitored for 24 weeks after the last dose of medication, to see how long the response lasts. Evaluations will be performed during the study to look at the safety of the Pegasys®/Copegus® and MMPD or placebo combination, and to see how the combination is working by measuring Hepatitis C Virus in the blood. At some of the clinical sites performing the study, some subjects may also participate in additional testing to look at the metabolism of the drugs, or to look at the immune response to Hepatitis C virus infection and treatment.

Timeline

Start

2004-07

Primary completion

—

Completion

2006-10

Publications

• Rustgi VK, Lee WM, Lawitz E, Gordon SC, Afdhal N, Poordad F, Bonkovsky HL, Bengtsson L, Chandorkar G, Harding M, McNair L, Aalyson M, Alam J, Kauffman R, Gharakhanian S, McHutchison JG; MErimepodib TRiple cOmbination Study Group. Merimepodib, pegylated interferon, and ribavirin in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C pegylated interferon and ribavirin nonresponders. Hepatology. 2009 Dec;50(6):1719-26. doi: 10.1002/hep.23204.

Drugs

Indications