Clinical Trials Begin for Welsh Team's Anti-Hepatitis Drug; Scientists Seek Treatment for Killer Infection

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Byline: Madeleine Brindley

THE first clinical trials on a new drug discovered by scientists at Cardiff University have begun.

The drug, know as INX-189, is c

It is estimated that 170m people worldwide - including up to 14,000 in Wales - have hepatitis C, which can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis and death.

The virus is the leading cause of liver transplants in Western countries.

The current treatment for hepatitis C involves two drugs, ribavirin and interferon, which have to be given as an injection over the course of a year. But the side-effects can be severe and are one of the reasons why only 10% of patients complete the treatment. …