J&J discontinues dengue drug study after changes in R&D portfolio

(Reuters) – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:) said on Friday it will discontinue a mid-stage field study of its experimental pill for prevention of dengue as the drugmaker reprioritized its communicable diseases R&D portfolio.

In a separate emailed statement, J&J also said it will also “explore opportunities to advance the clinical development of mosnodenvir outside the company, so that others may build on our research.”

No safety issues were identified for the drug, mosnodenvir, the company said.

Six of 10 participants on the drug showed no detectable dengue virus in their blood after being injected with a type of the pathogen, according to data that was presented by J&J in October last year from another mid-stage study.

J&J said that efficacy data from the field study will be available once the final data analyses are complete.

The drug works by blocking the action of two viral proteins, preventing the dengue virus from making copies of itself.

Dengue fever, while often asymptomatic, is also known as “break bone fever” for the severity of the joint pain and spasms that some patients experience.

About half of the world’s population is at risk of mosquito-borne dengue disease with an estimated 100 million to 400 million infections occurring each year, according to the World Health Organization.

The company is also developing a vaccine against a bacteria that causes urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonias, and testing approved drugs Cabenuva and Edurant in adolescent and pediatric HIV patients, respectively.