Philadelphia PA, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virion Therapeutics, LLC, developers of T cell-based immunotherapies that utilize the first genetically encoded checkpoint inhibitor, today announced an upcoming presentation at ILC that will demonstrate that its VRON-0200 therapeutic HBV vaccine induces potent, broad, and sustained CD8+ T cell responses and lasting multi-log HBV DNA viral declines in a preclinical mouse model of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. These results were only observed if Virion’s novel checkpoint inhibitor, gD, was present in the vaccine. This oral platform presentation was selected by the EASL-ILC Organizing Committee as a Best of ILC for highlight at the meeting.
Worldwide, 257 million people are chronically infected with HBV. Over time the disease causes CD8+ T cell impairment and subsequent loss of virus control, which can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, cancer and possibly death. Antiviral agents can suppress the virus and prevent liver damage; however, these therapies do not restore immune functions and therefore require lifelong administration. Treatments that can restore immune functions and control the infection without the need for additional therapies are needed. VRON-0200 is a therapeutic vaccine that is rationally designed to help restore CD8+ T cell functions to control chronic HBV infection.
“A safe and effective immune-modulator for treatment of Chronic HBV has been sought after for decades and will most likely be required in combination with other agents to achieve a functional cure of chronic HBV infections,” said Andrew Luber, Pharm.D., President, and chief executive officer of Virion. “The addition of gD enhances the potency and breadth of HBV-specific T cells that are stimulated by the vaccine and, as we will show, is required for the impressive antiviral activity observed in these preclinical studies. We’re pleased that this presentation of a novel potential treatment for HBV was highlighted by the Organizing Committee and are excited to share these data with the Liver community as we continue to advance our VRON-0200 program into the clinic.”
Data to be presented at the EASL-ILC meeting:
Presentation Title: VRON-0200, A therapeutic HBV vaccine with an intrinsic checkpoint inhibitor elicits broad CD8+ T cell responses and sustained antiviral declines in preclinical studies
- Abstract ID: 2478
- Session Title: Hepatitis B: novel therapeutic approaches
- Presentation Type: Oral platform presentation
- Presenter: Hildegund Ertl, MD – Professor, Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia PA
The above presentation will be available on June 25, 2021, via the EASL-ILC meeting website, https://easl.eu/event/the-international-liver-congress-2021.
ABOUT VRON-0200
VRON-0200 is a pan genotypic, multi-region therapeutic vaccine for treatment of Chronic HBV infections that contains three unique elements: 1) select regions of HBV core and polymerase optimized for maximum immune recognition; 2) a series of heterologous chimpanzee adenoviral vectors to which humans have limited pre-existing neutralizing antibodies and that belong to different serotypes thereby allowing for optimal responses after prime-boost immunizations and 3) gD, a genetically encoded inhibitor of an early T cell checkpoint that strengthens and broadens CD8+ T cell responses. In contrast to monoclonal antibody checkpoint inhibitor therapies, gD is locally acting and rapidly cleared which results in a low risk for “off target” side effects. In animals, a single intramuscular injection of VRON-0200 produces potent and broad CD8+ T cell responses with sustained multi-log reductions in HBV DNA in blood. A Phase 1b study in chronically HBV-infected patients is scheduled to begin enrollment in late 2022.
ABOUT VIRION THERAPEUTICS, LLC
Virion Therapeutics, LLC, is a science driven company developing innovative immune-based treatments for virally associated cancers and chronic viral infections utilizing the first genetically encoded checkpoint inhibitor given via vaccination. Our novel T cell-based immunotherapies induce potent, diverse and sustained T cell-mediated immune responses, allowing us to target common diseases with unmet medical needs. Founded in early 2018 to advance technology licensed from The Wistar Institute, an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in vaccine, cancer and infectious disease research, Virion has built an experienced biotechnology management team, augmented by its advisory board that has extensive domain knowledge in antiviral, vaccine, and oncology therapeutic arenas.