The research programs at iTherX are focused on the area of Hepatitis C.

We have used our laboratory research capability to make discoveries that can be the basis for novel proprietary products. These discoveries include cellular or viral genes whose functions contribute to the cause or pathophysiology of the disease, or proprietary functional assays to screen chemical libraries to obtain compounds with desirable drug - like properties. Optimized drug candidates are taken into preclinical toxicology studies to define doses safe to give to humans, followed by clinical proof of concept studies that show whether the compound has the potential to become an approved drug.

In addition, we look for opportunities for in-licensing of clinical stage compounds to be re-purposed for HCV. We recently acquired ITX-5061, which has extensive safety data in over 250 human subjects. This compound exhibits picomolar potency in inhibiting both genotype 1 and genotype 2 HCV. We will begin a Phase 2a study of ITX-5061 in hepatitis C patients in Q1 2009.

Our pipeline also includes biologic therapies such as monoclonal antibodies directed at a virus receptor target.