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GSK Reaches ‘First Base’ In Hep B Functional Cure But Has More To Prove

9% Disease Free After Phase II Study

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

GSK is the first to raise the functional cure rate with its antisense drug, Phase II data suggest, but the company is looking for ways to boost responses across hepatitis B patients in its Phase III study.

Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis B has so far proven very difficult to suppress - but GSK is hoping to achieve a functional cure for more patients in its Phase III study • Source: Shutterstock

Recent weeks have seen a flurry of Phase III trial readouts from GSK, ranging from a definite ‘win’ (for its RSV vaccine) to a clear failure (with myeloma therapy Blenrep) in the company’s efforts to bring a new generation of blockbusters to market. The firm has now added to this with Phase II results showing a small number of patients have achieved a functional cure when treated with its chronic hepatitis B (CHB) candidate bepirovirsen. (Also see "GSK’s Blenrep Hit By Trial Failure, Raising Questions About Its Future In The Myeloma Market" - Scrip, 7 November, 2022.) 

The data might not be a clear win just yet, but do set up GSK to move in to Phase III in the first half of 2023, ahead of competitors...

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