Medivir: Medivir's Antiviral MIV-210 (FLG) Inhibits Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Which is Resistant to Currently Marketed Antivirals

The March edition of Antimicrobial Agents andChemotherapy features a report by Professor Fabian Zoulim and hiscolleagues at INSERM in Lyon, France that Medivir's antiviral MIV-210(FLG) in laboratory assays is active against lamivudine- andadefovir-resistant HBV. Lamivudine and adefovir are currently used intreatment of HBV patients, but both lead to the development ofresistance, thereby losing their therapeutic efficacy. The newlypublished results therefore show that HBV which has developedresistance against both lamivudine and adefovir is inhibited byMIV-210 (FLG). Several HBV antivirals in clinical development give thesame resistance profile as lamivudine.

The newly published results indicate that the two polymeraseinhibitors MIV-210 (FLG) and adefovir block the HBV polymerase bydifferent mechanisms. The authors consider that MIV-210 (FLG) shouldbe suitable both for treatment of drug-resistant HBV, but also asfirst-line therapy together with e.g. adefovir in order to minimizethe risk of resistance development and to enhance the therapeuticefficacy.

In previously published trials, chronically HBV-infectedwoodchucks have been treated with lamivudine, adefovir or MIV-210(FLG), and MIV-210 (FLG) has shown superior antiviral efficacy.

Hepatitis B is a very common form of jaundice, in need of bettertreatment alternatives than those currently available. Sales of HBVpharmaceuticals are growing strongly and are expected to reach USD 1billion annually by the year 2010. MIV-210 (FLG) is also activeagainst HIV which has a polymerase which resembles the HBV polymerase.Phase IIa clinical trials with MIV-210 (FLG) are currently underway inHIV patients. These trials are shortly expected to be ready for resultevaluation, as a basis for the project's future clinical strategy.MIV-210 is one of the projects whose outlicensing or divestment isadministered by Medivir HIV Franchise AB.

About Medivir

Medivir develops pharmaceuticals for widely prevalent diseaseswith proteases as the target enzyme. The goal is to become aself-sustaining, profitable, research-based pharmaceutical companywith proprietary products on the market. The company is located inHuddinge, Sweden and Chesterfield Research Park, Essex, England.

The group comprises Medivir AB, subsidiary Medivir UK Ltd, MedivirHIV Franchise AB and Medivir Personal AB. At the end of December 2005,the Group had 133 employees. In 1996 Medivir was listed on the O listat the Stockholm Stock Exchange (Stockholmsborsen). Medivir's researchportfolio embraces projects on hepatitis C, labial herpes,osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), asthma, multiple sclerosis(MS). Medivir has seven individual projects in development, of whichone is entering phase III.

Medivir HIV Franchise AB is focused on the development anddivestment of HIV/HBV projects and examining the clinical strategy forshingles drug MIV-606.

Medivir AB (publ.), Lunastigen 7, SE-141 44 Huddinge, Sweden.

Phone (switchboard): +46 (0)8 5468 3100.

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