Phase 2B Dose Ranging Study of Locteron Plus Ribavirin to Treat HCV

The purpose of the study was to assess in subjects with chronic hepatitis C (treatment-naïve, genotype 1) receiving weight-based doses of ribavirin the virologic response to 3 dose levels of Locteron™, dosed every 2 weeks, in comparison with PEG-Intron™ dosed weekly.

The aim of SELECT-2 study was to compare the safety and efficacy of Locteron to PegIntron. SELECT-2 was a 72-week Phase 2b, multicenter, international trial of treatment-naïve genotype-1 chronic HCV subjects who were randomized 1:1:1:1 and dosed with one of three doses \[640ug (n=29), 480ug (n=29), 320ug (n=28)\] of q2week Locteron or weekly doses of 1.5ug/kg PEG2b (n=30). Subjects received these regimens in combination with weight-based ribavirin (800-1400 mg) for up to 48 weeks. Subjects and staff were blinded to Locteron dose for the first 12 weeks. Subjects without early virologic response by 12 weeks, and without viral negativity by 24 weeks, discontinued treatment for lack of efficacy. Adverse events including flu symptoms and depression, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Short Form-36, HCV RNA and safety labs were measured at standard intervals at clinic visits through Week 72. In addition, daily subject self-reports of flu symptoms using an electronic subject reporting tool (ePRO) were collected for the first 12 weeks.