EMERGE study of Lambda (BMS) in Hepatitis C genotypes 2 and 3 presented at EASL

EMERGE study findings of Peg-interferon lambda-1a (Lambda) from BMS in Hepatitis C genotype 2 and 3 patients were presented in an oral session at the International Liver Congress ,the 47th annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in Barcelona. The Phase IIb EMERGE clinical trial involved 118 treatment-na�ve patients chronically infected with genotype 2 or 3 Hepatitis C virus. In this study, Lambda plus ribavirin (RBV) achieved sustained virologic response rates 24 weeks post-treatment (SVR24) that were comparable to peginterferon alfa-2a (alfa) plus ribavirin. Rates of SVR24 ranged from 60.0% to 75.9% in the Lambda/RBV arms versus 53.3% in the alfa/RBV arm (n=30). The 180 �g dose arm of Lambda/RBV achieved SVR24 in 75.9% (n=29) and was the dose selected for phase III clinical trials. In this study, adverse events were mostly low grade and self-limited. Overall, rates of serious adverse events and adverse events were similar across treatment arms up to SVR24. There were fewer flu-like and musculoskeletal symptoms in the Lambda/RBV arms. Additionally, lower rates of anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were observed and there were fewer interferon and ribavirin dose reductions for anemia in the Lambda/RBV arms.