BEERSE, Belgium, April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
As the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) International Liver Congress™ 2012 opens in Barcelona, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies (Janssen) highlight their commitment to responding to the high unmet medical need of hepatitis C by driving innovation in care and treatment of this devastating disease.
Over 210 million people are infected with hepatitis C worldwide, with three to four million people newly infected each year.[1] An estimated nine million people are infected with the disease in the WHO European Region.[2]
Given the scale of the problem and the nature of the virus, Janssen has opted for a new business model of collaboration and partnering in order to develop a world class portfolio of treatments and diagnostics for hepatitis C. It is recognised that there is not one simple solution to this disease and that to overcome it we need to work in partnership, sharing knowledge and expertise for the benefit of patients worldwide. Today, Janssen has two protease inhibitors, a class of medicine that is expected to transform the current standard of care, INCIVO™ and TMC435. INCIVO™, developed in collaboration with Vertex, was approved last September by the European Medicines Agency and is currently being launched across Europe, the Middle East and Africa by a separate commercial division within Janssen; TMC435, an investigational drug co-developed with Medivir, is currently in phase 3 clinical trials and pending approval will be commercialised by a separate commercial division. Beyond its collaborations with Vertex and Medivir, Janssen has clinical development collaborations in the field of hepatitis C with Gilead and BMS. Through Janssen Diagnostics, we are bringing innovation to hepatitis C point-of-need diagnostics.
"We recognise that to become a world leader in the treatment of hepatitis C we need a long term focus and a determination to find the best cure for patients," said Wim Parys M.D. Global Head, Janssen Infectious Diseases BVBA. "By continually innovating, whether combining internal research with external innovation or by developing new business models, we do so remembering both our commitment to patients and our desire to help eradicate this serious disease."
About Janssen
The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson are dedicated to addressing and solving the most important unmet medical needs of our time, including oncology, immunology, neuroscience, infectious disease, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Driven by our commitment to patients, we develop innovative products, services and healthcare solutions to help people throughout the world.
More information can be found at http://www.janssen-emea.com
References
1. Hepatitis C, WHO Factsheet, June 2011 http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs164/en/index.html Accessed 02.04.12
2. Hepatitis C, WHO Europe. http://www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-do/health-topics/communicable-diseases/hepatitis Accessed 02.04.12
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