(Reuters) - GlobeImmune Inc said its experimental hepatitis B drug did not meet the main goal of reducing infection in patients after 24 weeks, in a mid-stage trial.
However, the drug reduced HBsAg, an antigen that indicates the strength of hepatitis B infection, after 48 weeks, the company said on Wednesday.
GlobeImmune is developing the drug, GS-4774, with Gilead Sciences Inc.
The drug was tested in 178 patients who were already on oral antiviral treatment.
Hepatitis B is the most common liver infection affecting about 400 million people worldwide.
Left untreated, the infection can cause diseases such as liver scarring and cancer.
As drugs to treat hepatitis C flood the market, drugmakers are shifting focus to other liver diseases, including hepatitis B and fatty liver disease.
Companies developing hepatitis B drugs include Arrowhead Research Corp, Canada's Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp and Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
GlobeImmune's shares closed at $8.24 on Tuesday on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Amrutha Penumudi in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey)
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