Enanta Announces Approval Of AbbVie's Viekirax In Japan For Chronic Hepatitis C

(RTTNews) - Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (ENTA) Monday announced the approval of AbbVie's (ABBV) Viekirax in Japan for the treatment of genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C, and liver diseases such as compensated cirrhosis. It will be a interferon-free and ribavirin-free treatment option for adult patients.

Viekirax consists of a two direct-acting antiviral, oral, fixed-dose combination of protease inhibitor paritaprevir/ritonavir with ombitasvir, dosed once daily for 12 weeks.

Approximately 1.5 to 2 million people in Japan is living with HCV. Genotype 1 is the most common HCV genotype with 60 to 70 percent of patients infected and, of those, about 95 percent are infected with the genotype 1b (GT1b) sub-type.

Upon the approval from Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Enanta expects to earn and receive a $30 million milestone payment in the quarter ending December 31, 2015.

AbbVie is responsible for all worldwide development and commercialization of Viekirax and other HCV treatment regimens containing paritaprevir. The approval is supported by the Phase 3 GIFT-I study.