Company
accelerates hepatitis C drug study

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals this week announced it is ramping up testing of its cancer drug Tarvacin as a hepatitis C treatment. The Phase I study is enrolling patients with hepatitis C rather than healthy subjects. Enrollment is several months ahead of schedule and should be completed by February; the release of preliminary data should begin by February 27. Tarvacin is Peregrine's first drug using its antiphospholipid technology. Certain viral diseases cause aminophospholipids, which are parts of the cell membrane, to become exposed. Phospholipids envelop the viruses, making them a target for the therapy. (AP)