Vir Biotechnology Presents New Data Evaluating the Potential for VIR-2218 and VIR-3434 as Therapies for Chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D

– Data from two ongoing clinical trials in people living with chronic hepatitis B infection suggest the combination of an antiviral with an immunomodulator can achieve rapid and deep declines in hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) and higher rates of HBsAg loss compared to antivirals or immunomodulators alone –

– Preclinical data suggest the potential of VIR-2218 and VIR-3434 as treatment for the chronic suppression of hepatitis D virus infection –

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced new data from its robust hepatitis B and D virus (HBV and HDV) portfolio that were presented at the EASL (European Association for the Study of the Liver) Congress.

Data presented in a late-breaker oral presentation from a Phase 2 clinical trial demonstrated that when VIR-2218, an investigational small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA), was given for 24 or 48 weeks on top of a course of up to 48 weeks of pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-⍺) (cohorts 4 and 5 combined), 16% (5/31) achieved sustained HBsAg loss 24 weeks following the end of treatment.

“While based on small numbers, this is one of the highest rates of off-treatment response observed to-date and strongly supports the hypothesis that adding an siRNA to an immunomodulator has the potential to result in functional cure rates higher than historically seen with PEG-IFN-⍺ alone,” said Professor Man-Fung Yuen, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the University of Hong Kong, Li Shu Fan Medical Foundation Professor in Medicine.

In a poster presentation, new pharmacokinetics (PK) data support the safety, tolerability and antiviral activity of a 300 mg dose of VIR-3434, an investigational monoclonal antibody, which is being evaluated for the treatment of chronic HBV and HDV infection across multiple ongoing clinical trials. In addition, preclinical data presented in a separate poster showed evidence of antiviral efficacy of VIR-2218 and VIR-3434 against HDV infection by demonstrating reduced levels of HBsAg, HDV and HBV viremia in vivo with the parental molecule of VIR-3434 as well as reduced HBV antigens and secreted infectious HDV virions in vitro with both single and combination therapies of VIR-2218 and VIR-3434. These data further support the clinical development of these investigational medicines for the treatment of HDV.