WATERTOWN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (NASDAQ: ENTA), a research and development-focused biotechnology company dedicated to creating small molecule drugs for viral infections and liver diseases, today announced that a poster presentation on one of the lead compounds in its RSV program was presented today at the 10th Annual Respiratory Syncytial Virus conference taking place September 28 through October 1, in Patagonia, Argentina.
Data presented in a poster titled, EP-023938, A Novel Non-Fusion Replication Inhibitor of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), M.H. J. Rhodin, et al., demonstrated that EP-023938 is a potent inhibitor of both RSV-A and RSV-B activity, maintaining antiviral activity post-infection while presenting a high barrier to resistance. Further, EP-023938 maintained antiviral potency across all clinical isolates tested as well as virus that was resistant to fusion inhibitors. Given this favorable preclinical profile, along with demonstrated synergy with inhibitors of other mechanisms, Enanta plans to continue evaluation of EP-023938 as a potential development candidate for RSV.
EP-023938 is a non-fusion inhibitor and one of several discovered by Enanta for potential development for RSV. Enanta believes that its approach differentiates its compounds from fusion inhibitors currently in development for RSV because its non-fusion inhibitors directly target the virus replication machinery and have demonstrated high barriers to resistance against the virus in vitro. Additionally, non-fusion inhibitors have the potential of being effective at later stages of infection.
The abstract can be viewed at http://www.rsv16.org/.
About RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that
infects the lungs and represents a serious unmet medical need in infants
and children, as well as immune-compromised individuals and the elderly.
RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small
airways in the lung) and pneumonia in children under 1 year of age in
the United States. Each year, 75,000 to 125,000 children in this group
are hospitalized due to RSV infection. Children with compromised
(weakened) immune systems due to a medical condition or medical
treatment, adults with compromised immune systems and those 65 and older
are also at increased risk of severe disease. There is currently no
effective treatment available for treating RSV infection.
About Enanta
Enanta Pharmaceuticals is a research and
development-focused biotechnology company that uses its robust
chemistry-driven approach and drug discovery capabilities to create
small molecule drugs for viral infections and liver diseases. Enanta’s
research and development efforts are currently focused on four disease
targets: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Non-alcoholic
Steatohepatitis (NASH) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
Enanta has discovered novel protease inhibitors and NS5A inhibitors that are members of the direct-acting-antiviral (DAA) inhibitor classes designed for use against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Enanta’s protease inhibitors, developed through its collaboration with AbbVie, include paritaprevir, which is contained in AbbVie’s marketed DAA regimens for HCV, and ABT-493, Enanta’s second protease inhibitor, which AbbVie is developing in Phase 3 studies in combination with ABT-530, AbbVie’s NS5A inhibitor. Enanta has also discovered a cyclophilin inhibitor, EDP-494, a novel host-targeting mechanism for HCV, which is now in a clinical proof of concept study in HCV patients, and EDP-305, a non-bile acid FXR agonist for NASH, currently in Phase 1 clinical development. Please visit www.enanta.com for more information on our programs and pipeline.
Forward Looking Statements Disclaimer
This press release
contains forward-looking statements, including statements with respect
to the prospects for development of one of Enanta’s lead compounds for
the treatment of RSV. Statements that are not historical facts are based
on management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and
projections about Enanta’s business and the industry in which it
operates and management’s beliefs and assumptions. The statements
contained in this release are not guarantees of future performance and
involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are
difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ
materially from what is expressed in such forward-looking statements.
Important factors and risks that may affect actual results include: the
development risks of early stage discovery efforts in disease areas such
as RSV that have no current therapeutic treatment; potential competition
from the development efforts of others in this disease area; Enanta’s
lack of clinical development experience; Enanta’s need to attract and
retain senior management and key scientific personnel; Enanta’s need to
obtain and maintain patent protection for its product candidates and
avoid potential infringement of the intellectual property rights of
others; and other risk factors described or referred to in “Risk
Factors” in Enanta’s most recent Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2015 and other periodic reports filed more recently with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Enanta cautions investors not to
place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this
release. These statements speak only as of the date of this release, and
Enanta undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements,
except as may be required by law.
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