Assembly Bio plunges on disappointing vebicorvir data in HBV infection study

• Assembly Biosciences (NASDAQ:ASMB) craters 58% in premarket in reaction to vebicorvir data from Phase 2 extension (211) study, which failed to achieve meaningful sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in patients with chronic HBV infection. 39 of 41 patients have now relapsed.
• The study was exploring whether SVR could be achieved after discontinuing therapy in virologically-suppressed patients who had received at least 12-18 months of combination treatment with vebicorvir and a nucleos(t)ide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor ((NrtI)).
• The company said vebicorvir Phase 3 program with Beigene remains on track to initiate in China in H1 2021 for chronic suppressive therapy.
• In parallel, it continues to advance second and third core inhibitor candidates. Enrollment and dosing are underway in Phase 2 trial of ABI-H2158 for chronic HBV infection and Phase 1 study of ABI-H3733 in healthy volunteers.
• Additionally, in 1H of 2021, Assembly plans to commence triple combination Phase 2 trials with VBR’s core inhibitor with NrtI and an RNAi therapeutic from Arbutus and, separately, with interferon.
• https://seekingalpha.com/news/3633142-assembly-bio-plunges-on-disappointing-vebicorvir-data-in-hbv-infection-study