Benitec Biopharma Ltd (BNTC)

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TT-­-034
HCV
TRIAL
UPDATE
Sydney
Australia,
8
October
2014:
RNAi
therapeutics
company
Benitec
Biopharma
Limited
(ASX:
BLT,
OTC:
BTEBY)
provides
an
update
regarding
progress
on
the
Company’s
US-­-based,
Phase
I/IIa
clinical
trial
for
TT-­-034,
a
ddRNAi-­-based
therapeutic,
designed
to
treat
and
potentially
cure
hepatitis
C
(HCV)
with
a
single
injection.
Benitec
is
pleased
to
report
that
the
first
patient
dosed
with
TT-­-034,
continues
to
be
monitored
as
per
the
protocol
and
that
laboratory
data
indicate
that
the
drug
is
well
tolerated
and
safe
at
the
dose
administered.
A
second
patient
has
been
identified
for
dosing,
and
provided
the
patient
continues
to
stay
within
the
clinical
parameters
required
by
the
trial
protocol
during
the
28
day
screening
process,
will
be
dosed
as
soon
as
possible
following
the
completion
of
screening.
The
Company
now
has
two
trial
sites
on
line,
both
of
which
are
actively
recruiting
patients
–
Duke
Clinical
Research
Centre
and
University
of
California
San
Diego.
Since
the
last
update,
the
Company
has
appointed
US-­-based
Senior
Drug
Development
Director,
Georgina
Kilfoil,
with
over
22
years
in
managing
clinical
trials
and
in
clinical
development
to
take
responsibility
for
three
main
areas
of
activity
aimed
at
increasing
the
rate
of
recruitment
in
the
TT-­-034
HCV
trial.
They
are:
• To
liaise
with
the
current
trial
sites
to
grow
existing
clinical
trial
site
recruitment;
• To
advance
negotiations
with
an
additional
five
clinical
trial
sites
in
the
US,
and
• Appoint
specialized
patient
recruitment
vendors
across
all
trial
sites
Dr
Peter
French,
Managing
Director
and
CEO
commented,
“Appointing
Georgina
to
the
position
of
Senior
Drug
Development
Director
is
an
important
step
for
Benitec.
She
will
work
with
the
company
and
our
clinical
investigators
to
accelerate
patient
recruitment
across
all
sites,
and
to
ensure
the
trial
progresses
as
rapidly
as
the
guidelines
allow.”
As
any
other
material
events
occur
relating
to
the
trial,
Benitec
will
provide
updates
to
the
market.
Investors
interested
in
tracking
the
progress
of
Benitec’s
TT-­-034
trial
should
monitor
progress
via
announcements
lodged
through
the
ASX.
For
further
information
regarding
Benitec
and
its
activities,
please
contact
the
persons
below,
or
visit
the
Benitec
website
at
www.benitec.com.