Arbutus Biopharma Corporation and Vaccitech plc announced the first patient dosed in a Phase 2a clinical trial. This trial will evaluate Arbutus' RNAi therapeutic candidate, AB-729, in combination with Vaccitech's T-cell stimulating immunotherapeutic, VTP-300, and standard-of-care nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NA) therapy for the treatment of patients with virologically-suppressed chronic HBV infection (cHBV). The randomized, multi-center, blinded, Phase 2a clinical trial will evaluate the safety, antiviral activity and immunogenicity of VTP-300 administered after AB-729 in virologically-suppressed cHBV patients.

The trial is designed to enroll 40 cHBV patients. All patients will receive AB-729 (60mg every 8 weeks) plus NA therapy for 24 weeks. At week 24, treatment with AB-729 will stop.

Patients will continue only their NA therapy and will be randomized to receive either VTP-300 or placebo for an additional 24 weeks. At week 48 all participants will be evaluated for eligibility to either discontinue or remain on NA therapy.