Bristol-Myers Squibb to present hepatitis data at ILC 2013

Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced plans to present new hepatitis drug data at the forthcoming 2013 International Liver Congress (ILC).

The company will attend the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in order to present 14 abstracts covering a wide range of new therapies for hepatitis B and C.

Among the data to be showcased will be new findings on an investigational, all-oral, triple DAA regimen of daclatasvir, asunaprevir and BMS-791325, which is currently undergoing phase II testing as a therapy for hepatitis C virus genotypes 1a and 1b.

The company will also be discussing safety data on another daclatasvir-based regimen, while presenting a characterisation of ALT flares observed in hepatitis B treatment with the investigational interferon Lambda versus alfa interferon.

Dr Brian Daniels, senior vice-president for global development and medical affairs within Bristol-Myers Squibb's research and development division, said: "Bristol-Myers Squibb has a longstanding commitment to viral hepatitis and has been at the forefront of the evolving science in both hepatitis B and C."

This comes after the firm announced the appointment of Dr Francis Cuss as its new chief scientific officer earlier this week.