Anadys Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDS)
www.anadyspharma.com
--Anadys is developing ANA975, the oral prodrug of isatoribine, as an interferon-like therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection. The compound is intended to be used in combination with direct anti-viral HCV therapies, including protease inhibitors. Several Phase I studies in ANA975 are currently being conducted, for treatment of both HCV and HBV. Anadys has licensed ANA975 to Novartis for upfront and milestone payments.

Genelabs Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNLB)
www.genelabs.com

--Genelabs currently has three HCV candidates in pre-clinical development; the company's focus is on the discovery and development of small molecule drug candidates which are potent, specific inhibitors of HCV viral replication, and which may offer significant therapeutic advantages over currently approved HCV treatments.

Intercell AG (VSE: ICLL)
www.intercell.com
--Intercell's hepatitis C candidate is IC41, a therapeutic vaccine for treating chronic HCV infection. IC41 was developed using Intercell's 'smart vaccine' technology for creating innovative vaccines against novel target pathogens and for improving existing vaccines to a level of superior efficacy and better tolerability. The compound's first Phase II trial was completed in 2004; results of the follow-up Phase II trial are expected mid-2007. IC41 is also being tested in an additional Phase II trial in combination with interferon/ribavirin, the current standard hepatitis C therapy; that trial is scheduled to be completed in 2006. Currently there is no approved hepatitis C vaccine.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: IDIX)
www.idenix.com
--Idenix's HCV candidate is valopicitabine (NM283), an oral nucleoside analog for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. Valopicitabine blocks hepatitis C virus replication by specifically inhibiting the HCV RNA polymerase. The ongoing Phase IIb clinical trials for valopicitabine are evaluating the combination of the compound and pegylated interferon in both hepatitis C patients who previously failed to respond to antiviral treatment and in patients who have not yet been treated for hepatitis C. Idenix has licensed valopicitabine to Novartis for upfronts, milestones and equity.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VRTX)
www.vpharm.com
--Vertex's products in development for chronic hepatitis C virus infection include its lead candidate, VX-950, an oral antiviral inhibitor of the HCV protease. Phase Ib results for VX-950 were reported in May 2005; the compound is currently in Phase II trials, both as a monotherapy and in combination with pegylated interferon.
--A second HCV candidate from Vertex, merimepodib (VX-497), is an IMPDH inhibitor; the compound is currently in a Phase II trial.

ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq: VPHM)
http://www.viropharma.com

--ViroPharma is co-developing its orally administered HCV compound HCV-796, a non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor, with Wyeth. Currently in a multiple-ascending-dose Phase Ib clinical trial, the companies previously completed a the a single-dose, placebo-controlled, dose escalation Phase 1 trial with HCV-796 to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of the compound administered orally to healthy volunteers. Preliminary data from this single dose trial indicate that HCV-796 was well tolerated at all doses tested, with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile.

XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. (Nasdaq: XTLB)
www.xtlbio.com
--XTL Bio is developing its lead HCV candidate, XTL-6865, under FDA 'Fast Track' protocols to prevent hepatitis C re-infection following liver transplant and for the treatment of chronic HCV. A combination monoclonal antibody (dual MAb), XTL-6865 is comprised of two antibodies, Ab68 and Ab65. A single antibody version of this product was previously tested in a pilot clinical program that included both Phase Ia/Ib and Phase II clinical trials for chronic HCV and a Phase IIa trial to prevent re-infection following liver transplantation. The dual MAb version is currently in a Phase Ia multi-center clinical trial that has been designed to establish its safety and anti-viral activity in patients with chronic HCV; results from this trial are expected in the second half of 2006.
--The company's second candidate, XTL-2125, is a small-molecule nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitor for treating chronic hepatitis C. XTL-2125 targets the HCV polymerase - a validated HCV viral target. In preliminary animal models, XTL-2125 was shown to reduce the levels of HCV in infected mice. The drug is in formal toxicity testing now, with an IND filing expected in early 2006.