Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes a viral infection that, left untreated, results in the development of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. Currently, there is no cure for HIV infection, nor are there any preventative or therapeutic vaccines. Although there are more than two dozen antiretroviral drugs on the market, all have limitations and resistant strains of HIV continue to emerge.

As a result, industry continues to focus on the development of new antiviral agents that offer effective treatment for patients who no longer respond to existing therapy. In order to address these unmet medical needs, Achillion is developing elvucitabine for the treatment of HIV. Elvucitabine has demonstrated potent antiviral activity against HIV, including strains resistant to other NRTIs. Elvucitabine has also demonstrated a significantly longer half-life than the other marketed drugs in its class and subsequently may delay the emergence of resistance and prolong the effectiveness of therapy.

Program Overview
Achillion believes elvucitabine addresses the limitations of currently available NRTIs and could address a large and growing market. more

Data Overview
Elvucitabine is currently completing its Phase 2 clinical development program. To date, multiple Phase 2 trials have been successfully completed, and data has been presented at a variety of medical meetings.  One Phase 2 trial remains on-going in an open-access extension of up to 96 weeks of treatment. This final treatment segment will be completed in 2009. more

Partners
Achillion has partnered with GCA Therapeutics, Ltd. (GCAT) and its Chinese joint venture with Tianjing Institute of Pharmaceutical Research to clinically develop and commercialize elvucitabine in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Under the collaboration, GCAT, with its Chinese joint venture with Tianjing Institute of Pharmaceutical Research (TIPR), will assume all development and regulatory responsibility and associated costs for elvucitabine, and Achillion will be eligible to receive development milestones and double-digit royalties on net sales in those territories. GCAT and the TIPR have a demonstrated track record of successfully developing therapeutics for large Asian markets. Achillion plans for a series of similar agreements to allow elvucitabine to reach a large global market of patients with chronic HIV and HBV infection. Elvucitabine can be an important compound for worldwide populations where therapies are currently unavailable and there remains significant demand for infectious disease products.