Roche And Hybridon Terminate R&D Alliance

Hoffmann-La Roche has revealed that, effective February 28 next year,its antisense collaboration with Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Hybridon will be concluded. The R&D collaboration, which was initiated in 1992, has identified two lead compounds for the treatment of human papillomavirus and hepatitis C.

In animal studies, the compound targeting HPV has exhibited potent antiviral activity in an animal model in which no other drug has exhibited activity, according to Hybridon, although further research is required in order to improve on "promising early results" of a topical formulation, it added. Meanwhile, the lead compound against HCV has been shown to inhibit hepatitis C expression in cell culture assays in a dose-dependent manner. An animal model has been identified which has the potential for in vivo studies, comments the company.

A spokesman for Hybridon said that it would seek a collaborator to progress the products, but that it was not in active discussions. He added that the company had been specifically approached about the HCV compound before the Roche collaboration terminated, although this was not yet being pursued.