|
News & Events
Eiger BioPharmaceuticals Acquires Exclusive
License to Novel Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Technology From Stanford
University
Therapies in development inhibiting new NS4B-RNA target
August 4, 2009
PALO ALTO, Calif., /PRNewswire/ -- Eiger
BioPharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company developing antiviral
therapies, announced today that it has licensed the exclusive worldwide
rights to novel Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) technology from Stanford
University. This technology, discovered in the lab of Stanford scientist
and Eiger founder Dr. Jeffrey Glenn, M.D., Ph.D., is focused on a
variety of novel targets, including key features of NS4B, a
non-structural protein in the HCV genome, which binds to HCV-RNA and is
required for viral replication.
“We are delighted to have licensed the rights to this exciting new
technology from Stanford University,” said David Cory, President and CEO
of Eiger. “Disrupting the interaction between NS4B and HCV-RNA may be a
promising new method to treat HCV infection and help combat drug
resistance to HCV polymerase and protease inhibitors. We are rapidly
advancing novel small molecule inhibitors of NS4B-RNA binding into the
clinic for the benefit of clinicians and HCV patients."
“The unique two component nature of the NS4B-RNA target appears to
decrease the virus’ ability to escape inhibition by the small molecule
inhibitors in development at Eiger, and that should decrease HCV
resistance to this type of antiviral therapy,” said Jeffrey Glenn.
“These virus specific agents in development at Eiger possess the promise
of more effective, oral drugs that can be essential components of all
future cocktails for HCV therapy.”
About Hepatitis C Virus
Infections from HCV have reached pandemic proportions, affecting over
150 million people worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC), 3.9 million Americans have been exposed to HCV, resulting
in 2.7 million cases of chronic infection. Chronic HCV infection leads
to serious liver disease (e.g. liver scarring and cirrhosis) and is the
leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplantation in the U.S.
About Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc.
Eiger is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and
development of new antiviral agents against novel targets for the
treatment of hepatitis virus infections. Eiger's pipeline includes
repurposed clinical stage therapeutic agents as well as preclinical NCEs
from discovery that exhibit antiviral activity against Hepatitis C,
Hepatitis D, and other viruses. Eiger
www.eigerbio.com investors include
InterWest Partners www.interwest.com and Vivo Ventures
www.vivoventures.com.
Contact
info@eigerbio.com
1-650-320-9900
|
