• Medivir AB, of Huddinge, Sweden, said HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor simeprevir (TMC435) and non-nucleoside inhibitor TMC647055 will enter a Phase IIa interferon-free combination trial for hepatitis C virus (HCV). The open-label trial will enroll about 40 patients chronically infected with HCV genotype-1a, and the primary endpoint will be sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of treatment.