Janssen Pharmaceuticals has acquired investigational compound GSK2336805, an NS5a replication complex inhibitor in phase II development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, from an affiliate of GlaxoSmithKline. Janssen has acquired all rights to develop and commercialize GSK2336805, including in combination with other drugs. Financial details were not disclosed.

Janssen plans to initiate phase II studies to evaluate the use of GSK2336805 in interferon-free combinations with the investigational protease inhibitor simeprevir (TMC435) and TMC647055, Janssen's non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in adult patients with compensated liver disease.