After License Deal for Letermovir: Head-to-head Phase 2 Trial Initiated by AiCuris to Demonstrate Superiority of its Novel Drug Pritelivir vs. Valacyclovir for Treatment of Genital Herpes

WUPPERTAL, Germany, November 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Cross-Reference: More Informations are available at: http://www.presseportal.de/pm/106935/

AiCuris announced today that it has started the second clinical efficacy trial with pritelivir (AIC316), its novel anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV) drug in development. After the first trial showed a high efficacy of pritelivir against genital herpes, the present trial AIC316-01-II-02 (NCT01658826, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov) is designed to prove superiority of pritelivir vs. valacyclovir in reducing genital HSV shedding. http://www.aicuris.com/10/News_Publications.htm

"We expect to see superior efficacy of pritelivir in direct comparison with valacyclovir", comments Dr. Alexander Birkmann , project leader for pritelivir. "Reduction of viral shedding is not only extremely relevant for the patients to reduce the risk of transmitting genital herpes to their partner, which is only reduced by 50% with present therapies. It is also a predictor for the potency of pritelivir to treat or even prevent the development of herpes lesions." Furthermore, pritelivir offers very convenient dosing regimens for patients: only one pill for treatment of a herpes episode.

About pritelivir

Pritelivir is a potent inhibitor of HSV replication. It has a new mode of action (inhibition of the viral helicase-primase enzyme complex) and a favorably long plasma half-life. It also stems from a novel chemical class. Pritelivir is active against both labial and genital herpes virus strains and retains activity against viruses which have become resistant to marketed drugs.

In the previous trial pritelivir exhibited a highly significant and dose dependent reduction of viral shedding, of the amount of virus shed, and of clinical lesions under treatment.

Contact:

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AiCuris GmbH & Co. KG    

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Phone:  +49-202-317-63-1176
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E-mail: press@aicuris.com

SOURCE AiCuris GmbH & Co. KG