A sign at a diagnostic site for Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche is seen in Burgess Hill, UK, Oct.7, 2020. REUTERS / Peter Nicholls / File Photo
Roche (ROG.S) is looking for another location to conduct trials with his pill to combat COVID-19 after the drop in cases in the UK made it difficult to find enough patients for his study there, the Swiss medicine maker said Wednesday.
Roche and Boston-based partner Atea Pharmaceuticals (AVIR.O) hope their AT-527 pill can provide an antiviral therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 patients that is easier to administer and cheaper than other future treatments, such as antibody cocktails. of Gilead Science’s (GILD.O) remdesivir.
In an interview in Swiss media in early March, Roche Chairman Christoph Franz had offered the tantalizing prospect of data on AT-527 “within the next few weeks” and said he dreamed of being able to fight the pandemic with a pill by the end of the year. .
But Britain’s success in reducing the number of cases with a rapid vaccination program and strict lockdown meant it took longer than expected to collect data from the trial there, said Bill Anderson, head of Roche’s pharmaceutical division. .
“There are just not enough patients to enroll … at the speed we had hoped for,” Anderson said during a conference call.
“That has been one of the challenges since the start of the pandemic: you have set up sites where there is a lot of COVID, and by the time you are ready to sign up, the pandemic has gone elsewhere and you are on the hunt for it.”
He did not identify other locations where Roche could set up trials.
Atea received a $ 350 million cash upfront payment from Roche, with potential for future milestone payments and royalties. With Roche, Atea is testing the drug in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. It also tests the drug separately in hospitals with patients with more severe cases.
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