Roche has initiated the first Phase II study to evaluate R1626, an investigational polymerase inhibitor, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The drug has also been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA. R1626 uses a different mechanism of action from the current standard HCV treatment and has been shown to have a strong antiviral effect. In a Phase I study, the drug achieved significant reductions in viral levels in chronic hepatitis C patients infected with genotype 1, the most d...