Idenix Provides Update On IDX184 Clinical Development Program

IDX184 has been placed on partial clinical hold by FDA

Management to host a conference call webcast today at 8:30 am ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:IDIX), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today announced that the Company received verbal notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that a partial clinical hold has been placed on IDX184, the Company's nucleotide polymerase inhibitor under development for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV).

As a result of the recent occurrence of a serious cardiac-related adverse event encountered with a competitor's nucleotide polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of HCV, the FDA has expressed an interest in further reviewing the safety of IDX184 and has placed IDX184 on partial clinical hold. In previous clinical trials as well as the ongoing phase IIb clinical trial of IDX184 in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV), there has been no evidence to date of cardiotoxicity in patients dosed with IDX184 with PegIFN/RBV beyond that seen with PegIFN/RBV alone. There are currently no patients receiving IDX184 worldwide.

The FDA has requested additional data on patients treated with IDX184. Patient safety is our main concern and Idenix will immediately begin work to comply with the FDA request and expects to submit these data to the FDA in the coming weeks. The Company intends to have an ongoing discussion with the FDA following the submission of this data.

ABOUT IDX184

IDX184 is an unpartnered, novel, liver-targeted nucleotide prodrug of 2'-methyl guanosine, which includes Idenix's proprietary liver-targeting technology. This technology enables the delivery of nucleoside monophosphate to the liver, leading to the formation of high levels of nucleoside triphosphate, potentially maximizing drug efficacy and limiting systemic side effects with low, once-daily dosing. The Company reported interim data in June 2012 for the first cohort of 31 patients from an ongoing phase IIb clinical trial of IDX184 in combination with PegIFN/RBV. Of the patients who achieved an extended rapid virologic response (undetectable levels of virus at 4 weeks and 12 weeks) and completed an additional 12 weeks of PegIFN/RBV (n=9), 100% of patients (4/4) in the 100 mg arm and 80% of patients (4/5) in the 50 mg arm achieved a sustained virologic response four weeks after the completion of treatment (SVR4).

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