Novartis has announced that it has discontinued the development of two investigational compounds in its pharmaceutical pipeline.

The first discontinued drug is albinterferon alfa-2b, an investigational compound for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in adults.

The decision was made on the basis of feedback from EU and US regulatory authorities and data from a Phase II study.

The second is Mycograb (efungumab), an antifungal agent that was being evaluated as an add-on therapy for the treatment of invasive candidiasis in adults.