Vir Biotechnology Presents New Clinical Data from Ongoing Trials of VIR-2218 and VIR-3434 in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection at the International Liver Congress 2021

– Results demonstrate positive safety profiles and a reduction in HBsAg for two novel HBV therapies administrated as monotherapy or in combination with other agents –

– Management to host conference call today, Friday, June 25, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. ET –

SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced new data from its ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials of VIR-2218 and ongoing Phase 1 studies of VIR-3434 in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The results, which demonstrate positive safety findings plus a reduction in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for both compounds, were presented in two oral and two poster presentations at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) International Liver Congress 2021, which is taking place virtually. Vir will hold a conference call and webcast today, Friday, June 25, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. ET, to discuss the new data presented at the meeting.

In summary, data presented this week demonstrate the promising safety profile and potential durable response of VIR-2218, an investigational small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) that mediates RNA interference (RNAi), through 48 weeks. In a separate analysis evaluating VIR-2218 in combination with pegylated interferon alfa (PEG-IFN-α) for 12 weeks, a more rapid and substantial HBsAg decline was observed in the co-administration cohort compared to VIR-2218 alone. The treatment regimen resulted in no new safety signals.

Additionally, two new analyses from an ongoing Phase 1 trial of VIR-3434 showed no safety signals in healthy volunteers dosed with up to 3,000 mg, and a rapid reduction in HBsAg levels one week after subcutaneous administration of this investigational HBV-neutralizing monoclonal antibody, which has been Fc engineered to include the XX2 “vaccinal mutation,” allowing it to potentially function as a T cell vaccine.

“For years, the field has been hoping that viral antigen knockdown will help unlock the ability of immunomodulatory agents to control chronic hepatitis B – a devastating viral disease resulting from a loss of immune control,” said Phil Pang, M.D., Ph.D., Vir’s chief medical officer. “These new data are exciting because they suggest this may indeed be the case. Knockdown of all HBV proteins by VIR-2218, coupled with the immunomodulatory agent pegylated interferon alfa, resulted in potentially more than additive declines in hepatitis B surface antigen. Findings also strongly support our overall strategic approach of combining VIR-2218 with various immune modulators. Meanwhile, the monotherapy results for VIR-3434, which speak for themselves, support my belief that the combination of VIR-3434 and VIR-2218 has significant potential. That combination trial is expected to start in the second half of this year.”