January 22, 2009

Myriad Acquires Rights to Develop Bevirimat

Salt Lake City–based Myriad Pharmaceuticals has purchased the rights to develop and eventually sell bevirimat, a promising HIV maturation inhibitor currently in Phase II studies discovered by Panacos Pharmaceuticals, based in Watertown, Massachusetts. According to a January 21 Panacos press release, the Watertown, Massachusetts–based company will receive a $7 million payment for bevirimat, allowing it to focus on other antiretrovirals (ARVs) currently in earlier stages of development.

Virus maturation occurs during the last stages of HIV reproduction, after the virus has been released from the infected cell. It involves processing viral proteins and is required for the virus to become infectious. Bevirimat, a derivative of the Chinese herb Syzigium claviflorum, inhibits the maturation process and therefore prevents HIV from going on to infect other cells in the body.

According to Panacos, 15 small clinical trials with bevirimat involving nearly 650 HIV-negative and HIV-positive study volunteers have been conducted thus far and have shown significant reductions in viral load and a promising safety profile. Myriad will continue developing a new tablet formulation of bevirimat that has achieved blood levels similar to those from an original liquid version.

Panacos has identified several compounds in its oral fusion inhibitor program that demonstrate potent activity against diverse HIV strains, at least in test tube studies. One lead compound, PA-161, has been selected for further laboratory evaluations. Myriad, which makes several cancer-focused genetic tests, is also developing a handful of other ARVs in addition to bevirimat; these include two maturation inhibitors (MPC-9055 and MPI-461359) and a fusion inhibitor (MPI-451936).

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