Vertex reports positive results for telaprevir against hep C

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. Vertex has released interim phase IIb clinical trial results for its hepatitis C drug telaprevir and it shows a potential breakthrough treatment for the disease.

The company said 49 of 60 chronic hepatitis C patients who took the experimental drug in combination with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin had a high rate of viral response at the four-week mark.

In the clinical trial, telaprevir, also known as VX-950, combined with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, is being given to chronic hepatitis C patients who failed to achieve sustained virological response on pegylated interferon plus ribavirin.