Replies to post #5233 on Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (ABUS)

[DewDiligence]

ABUS—(+51%/AH)—reports additional phase-1 data for AB-729 in HBV:

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/18/2035242/0/en/Arbutus-Announces-Single-Dose-Week-12-Data-in-Chronic-Hepatitis-B-Subjects-with-60-mg-AB-729-Demonstrating-a-Significant-and-Continuous-Reduction-in-HBsAg.html

The new data show that a single injection of AB-729 dosed at 60mg worked as well as a single injection of AB-729 dosed at 180mg in generating a ~1.0-log reduction in HBsAg relative to baseline at 12 weeks. While this is not great news per se, it’s sufficient for a “relief” rally given the 43% sell-off when the initial data from this trial were reported in March (#msg-154597458). In the March data release, the 60mg cohort had not yet been followed for 12 weeks, and the mean reduction in HBsAg relative to baseline in this cohort was a scant 0.2 logs.

AB-729 is an injected RNAi agent targeting HBsAg that incorporates the “GalNac” siRNA chemistry licensed to ALNY (and also used, with modification, by VIR’s VIR-2218 HBV compound).