Arrowhead Research said this week that it has filed an application with Australian regulators to begin phase I testing of its hepatitis B treatment ARC-520.
Arrowhead acquired the drug through its 2011 purchase of Roche’s RNA therapeutics assets (GSN 11/27/2011). It comprises cholesterol-conjugated siRNAs against HBV and a proprietary delivery technology called dynamic polyconjugates.
Earlier this year, Arrowhead’s president and CEO said that the company plans to run two phase I studies for ARC-520 — one in healthy patients in Australia and a second, to begin before the end of 2013, in HBV-infected patients in Hong Kong.