A phase 2 study exploring once daily dosing of ritonavir boosted lonafarnib for the treatment of chronic delta hepatitis – end of study results from the LOWR HDV-3 study

New treatment options for delta virus: Is a cure in sight?

“…In the proof‐of‐concept study, the farnesyl transferase inhibitor lonafarnib (LNF), given for 28 days in 14 CHD patients, dose‐dependently reduced serum HDV RNA levels . Several phase 2 studies were then conducted at the University of Ankara Medical School in Turkey, at Hannover Medical School in Germany and at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States . At the NIH, efficacy of once daily dosing of LNF with ritonavir (RTN) was explored.…”

“…One patient had undetectable HDV RNA, and one patient had HDV RNA levels below level of quantification at end of treatment . LNF RTN once daily dosing combination regimen for 24 weeks was tested in a double‐blind approach at NIH . LNF at doses of 50/75/100 mg, qd with RTN 100 mg, qd was tested.…”

Targeting the Host for New Therapeutic Perspectives in Hepatitis D

“…Lonafarnib is a farnesyltransferase inhibitor that was first investigated as a treatment for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome [81]. Lonafarnib (LNF) has been investigated in combination with ritonavir (RTV) through four different phase II studies called LOWR-HDV [82][83][84][85]. RTV does not have an antiviral effect but is an inhibitor of LNF metabolism and thus increases its availability, stability and efficacy at lower doses [83].…”

Delta Hepatitis – 2019. Part II: Modern Treatment and Its Promise

“…После 12 недель лечения средний log снижения концентрации РНК-HDV от исходного уровня колебался от 0,83 IU/мл (для лонафарниба 100 мг) до 1,6 IU/мл (для лонафарниба 50 мг). Комбинация ритонавира и лонафарниба у больных, получавших лечение в течение шести месяцев, была безопасной и эффективной в отношении снижения виремии HDV [29]. Увеличение дозы и достижение толерантности оценивали в исследовании LOWR HDV-4 с у частием 15 пациентов.…”