Replies to post #231091 on Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

To my knowledge, VIR’s is the only HBV program planning to incorporate peg-IFN (in the phase-2 trial). Fans of JNJ/ARWR's program claim VIR's use of peg-IFN is a sign of weakness. Do you concur?

Thanks for posting the terms of the VIR-ANLY collaboration.

[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 @60mg worked as well as a single injection of AB-729 @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 was a scant 0.2 logs at 29 days.

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).

CC slides re today’s data:
https://investor.arbutusbio.com/static-files/e4837c62-6f08-4325-9c9c-fe10a4a31208