Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (NASDAQ:ABUS) has announced continued positive results for the ongoing phase 1a/1b clinical study with AB-729. AB-729 is the company’s GalNAc delivered RNAi compound.
Arbutus announce positive AB-729 results in HBV
The positive data announced show that chronic hepatitis B virus subjects demonstrated a reduction in average HBsAg at week 12 to 1.23 log10 IU/mL when administered with 90 mg injection of AB-729. William Collier, the CEO and president of the company, stated that the 90 mg single dose data at week 12 combined with previously disclosed 60 mg single dose data after 12 week means that the company now has two doses that have shown a significant mean reduction in HBsAg in patients with favorable tolerability and safety profile.
Collier added that currently, the company is dosing chronic HBV subjects in four multi-dose groups where they are administering the 60 mg dose in 4 and 8 weeks and 90 mg dose in 8 and 12 weeks. The company is seeking to determine the optimal AB-729 dose regimen. The CEO is optimistic that AB-729 will be a well-tolerated low dose of chronic HBV treatment with minimal injections.
Results for AB-729 60 mg and 90 mg dose cohorts expected this year
The company expects to present the preliminary data from the current Phase 1a/1b clinical study of 60 mg dose and 90 mg dose cohorts in HBV positive participants and the long-term follow-ups of the 60 and 90 mg single dose cohorts in this year’s scientific meeting. Besides the current 60 mg multi-dose cohort dose study where subjects receive doses at 4 and 8 weeks, Arbutus has also commenced the 90 mg multi-dose cohort where subjects will be doses at 8 and 12-week intervals.
Arbutus’s Chief Development Officer, Gaston Picchio, stated that the average HBsAg reduction withne3ssed in the 90 mg single dose cohort was consistent with previous observations in single-dose cohorts. Most importantly, the results show consistent efficacy and a favorable safety profile at the intermediate dose.
