Patients achieve HDV RNA decline, negativity in Lambda phase 2 study

Results from a phase 2 study of Lambda for the treatment of hepatitis D showed a decline of HDV RNA in more than half of treated patients, according to a press release from Eiger BioPharmaceuticals.

“Lambda interferon demonstrated better tolerability in HDV-infected patients who were previously treated with alpha-interferon,” study co-lead investigators Ohad Etzion, MD, from Soroka University Medical Center, and Saeed Hamid, MD, from Aga Khan University, said in the release. “Fewer episodes of cytopenia, flu-like symptoms, and psychiatric events in this study make Lambda interferon particularly attractive for further development as a monotherapy or in combination with other treatments for HDV.”

The researchers randomly assigned 33 patients to receive 180 g (n = 16) or 120 g (n = 17) of Lambda (pegylated interferon lambda) with subcutaneous injections for 48 weeks.

At week 48, patients who received 180 g of Lambda achieved a mean HDV RNA decline of –2.4 log 10 with 60% experiencing a decline of 2 log 10 or more. At the end of treatment, 40% were HDV RNA negative.

In the 120 g group, patients achieved a mean HDV RNA decline of –1.5 log 10 with 42.9% of patients experiencing a decline of 2 log 10 or more and 14.3% achieving a negative HDV RNA status.

The most common adverse events included mild to moderate flu-like symptoms and elevated transaminase levels.

According to the release, Eiger plans to share additional details from the study during the AASLD 2018 meeting in San Francisco this November.

Reference: www.eigerbio.com