Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, has acquired all rights to the investigational compound GSK2336805 from an affiliate of GlaxoSmithKline. GSK2336805 is an NS5a replication complex inhibitor currently in Phase II development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Financial details were not disclosed.
 
Janssen plans to initiate Phase II studies to evaluate GSK2336805 in interferon-free combinations with the investigational protease inhibitor simeprevir, TMC435 and TMC647055, Janssen’s non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in adult patients with compensated liver disease.
 
“We’re excited to add GSK2336805 to our existing portfolio of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). This addition will broaden our clinical development program as we continue to look for new investigational interferon-free treatment combinations to combat the hepatitis C virus,” said Gaston Picchio, hepatitis disease area leader, Janssen. “Janssen is dedicated to working with the hepatitis C community to investigate our portfolio of DAAs in a number of different treatment combinations and hepatitis C patient populations.”