Viratek: The Costa Mesa-based subsidiary of ICN...

Viratek: The Costa Mesa-based subsidiary of ICN Pharmaceuticals announced Thursday that it has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to permit the use of Virazole for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer and is responsible for 8,000 to 10,000 deaths annually in the United States, according to the American Liver Foundation.

Virazole, a brand name for ribavirin, is used to treat hepatitis C and other viral infections in more than 50 other countries.