European Medicines Agency Validates Marketing Authorization Applications for AbbVie's Investigational, All-Oral, Interferon-Free Therapy for the Treatment of Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C

NORTH CHICAGO, Illinois, June 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced today that the Marketing Authorization Applications (MAAs) for its investigational, all-oral, interferon-free regimen for the treatment of adult patients with chronic genotype 1 (GT1) hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have been validated and are under accelerated assessment by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Accelerated assessment, which is designated to new medicines of major public health interest, was granted by the EMA for AbbVie's investigational HCV regimen in May. Validation of the MAAs confirms that the submissions are complete and starts the EMA's centralized review process. If approved, AbbVie's regimen could be available for marketing in the European Union (EU) in the first quarter of 2015.

The MAAs were submitted on May 8, 2014 and are supported by data from a large clinical program including six Phase III studies of more than 2,300 GT1 patients in over 25 countries. Review of the MAAs will be conducted under the centralized licensing procedure, which, when finalized, provides marketing authorizations in all 28 member states of the EU.

On June 13, AbbVie announced that the New Drug Application (NDA) for AbbVie's regimen was accepted and granted priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

About AbbVie's Investigational HCV Regimen
The AbbVie investigational regimen consists of the fixed-dose combination of ABT-450/ritonavir co-formulated with ombitasvir (ABT-267), and dasabuvir (ABT-333) with or without ribavirin (RBV). The combination of three different mechanisms of action interrupts the hepatitis C virus replication process with the goal of optimizing sustained virologic response rates across different patient populations.

Additional information about AbbVie's Phase III studies can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov.

AbbVie's HCV Development Program
The AbbVie HCV clinical development program is intended to advance scientific knowledge and clinical care by investigating an interferon-free, all-oral regimen with and without RBV with the goal of producing high sustained virologic response rates in as many patients as possible, including those that typically do not respond well to treatment, such as previous non-responders to interferon-based therapy or patients with advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis.

ABT-450 was discovered during the ongoing collaboration between AbbVie and Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA) for hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors and regimens that include protease inhibitors. ABT-450 is being developed by AbbVie for use in combination with AbbVie's other investigational medicines for the treatment of hepatitis C.

About AbbVie
AbbVie is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott Laboratories. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world's most complex and serious diseases. AbbVie employs approximately 25,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries. For further information on the company and its people, portfolio and commitments, please visit www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.

Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, and changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry. 

Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," in AbbVie's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.