Vir Biotechnology reports ‘positive’ end-of-treatment data from MARCH study

Vir Biotechnology (VIR) announced end-of-treatment data from Part B of the MARCH Phase 2 clinical study evaluating combinations of tobevibart and elebsiran, with or without pegylated interferon alfa, in participants with chronic hepatitis B. The study demonstrated “promising” rates of hepatitis B surface antigen loss, or seroclearance, in participants with low baseline HBsAg in both combination regimens, the company said. The efficacy and safety profile support continued development to evaluate the potential to achieve a functional cure. Detailed data will be presented in a late-breaking oral presentation at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, or AASLD, The Liver Meeting, on November 18 at 5:00 p.m. PT. Vir Biotechnology will host an investor conference call on November 19, at 8.15 a.m. ET, the company noted. “At Vir Biotechnology our ambition is to develop a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B following a finite treatment regimen. The MARCH data suggests that tobevibart and elebsiran can clear HBsAg and re-ignite the immune system, producing antibodies to potentially keep the virus under control,” said Mark Eisner, M.D., M.P.H., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Vir Biotechnology. “We are encouraged by these results and eagerly anticipate the functional cure data in 2025, as it will be decisive for the next steps of clinical development.”