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Vir Biotechnology Receives FDA IND Clearance and Fast Track Designation for Tobevibart and Elebsiran for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis Delta Infection
Fast Track designation follows positive preliminary Phase 2 trial data presented at the European Association for the Study of the Liver Congress 2024 and
About this update from Vir Biotechnology, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\nFast Track designation follows positive preliminary Phase 2 trial data presented at the European Association for the Study of the Liver Congress 2024 and underscores the unmet need for people living with chronic hepatitis delta\n\n\n SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nVir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its investigational new drug (IND) application and granted Fast Track designation for the combination of tobevibart and elebsiran for the treatment of chronic hepatitis delta infection. Tobevibart, an investigational monoclonal antibody, and elebsiran, an investigational small interfering ribonucleic acid, are currently being evaluated in the Company’s Phase 2 SOLSTICE hepatitis delta clinical trial, with complete 24-week treatment data on track to be reported in the fourth quarter.\n\n\n“The IND clearance and Fast Track designation from the FDA, along with the encouraging preliminary data from our Phase 2 hepatitis delta trial, underscore the potential of tobevibart and elebsiran to transform the treatment landscape for people living with this severe and life-threatening disease,” said Marianne De Backer, M.Sc., Ph.D., MBA, Vir’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to working closely with health authorities to bring this potential groundbreaking treatment to patients as quickly as possible, addressing a critical unmet medical need.”\n\n\nThe FDA’s Fast Track designation is intended to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. The World Health Organization considers hepatitis delta to be the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis due to more rapid progression towards liver cancer and liver-related death. It is estimated that at least 12 million people are living with chronic hepatitis delta globally.\n\n\nIn June, the Company announced preliminary Phase 2 SOLSTICE trial data which suggests treatment with tobevibart alone or in combination with elebsiran was generally well tolerated and participants achieved high rates of virologic response at weeks 12 and 24, durable virologic response through 48 weeks, and high rates of ALT normalization. The complete 24-week treatment data is expected in the fourth quarter. The Company is working to expedite the initiation of i...