Ireland-based Janssen Sciences Ireland UC has withdrawn its ongoing hepatitis C development program because of the increasing number of therapies available for treating the disease effectively, it was reported yesterday.

The Johnson & Johnson Company stated that by stopping development of JNJ-4178, its investigational hepatitis C treatment regimen, it is to concentrate on addressing significant unmet needs in chronic hepatitis. The product is a combination of AL-335, odalasvir and simeprevir which are all direct acting antivirals.

The company stated that it will continue with the ongoing phase two studies of the hepatitis C treatment regimen as per its original plan but the combination drug would not undergo any additional development. It stated that hepatitis C patients now have a much broader range of therapy options for the treatment after a range of new drug approvals for the disease.