Pegasys approved in Europea for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B

18 April 2005. Related: Hepatitis coinfection.

On 25 February, the EU Commission approved Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD)) for the treatment of HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.

The phase III study results on which approval was based in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B were published in September 2004 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The results of the phase III study in patients with HBeAg-positive CHB were presented at the 2004 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Studies in HIV/HBV coinfected patients are still needed.

Source: Roche press release.
http://www.roche.com