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HOPKINTON, Mass., July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SBPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of viral infections, inflammatory diseases, and certain cancers today announced a second clinical trial collaboration with Gilead Sciences, Inc. for a clinical study examining the use of Spring Bank’s oral selective immunomodulator, SB 9200, co-administered with Gilead’s Vemlidy® (tenofovir alafenamide) in chronic Hepatitis B (HBV) patients.
“We are excited to be starting a new Phase 2 trial, which will be funded and implemented by Gilead Sciences and has the potential to accelerate the development program of SB 9200 as a potential backbone therapy for treatments focusing on functional cure in HBV,” said Nezam Afdhal M.D., D.Sc., Chief Medical Officer of Spring Bank.
Although direct-acting antiviral drugs are effective in suppressing HBV replication, a functional cure in the treatment of chronic HBV has remained elusive. Spring Bank is developing SB 9200, a novel, selective oral immune-modulator which activates hepatic retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I), for the treatment of chronic HBV with the strategic concept that successful combination therapy for chronic HBV will require immune-modulation for a persistent and durable functional cure. In May 2017, Spring Bank released top-line results from the initial cohort of the Phase 2a segment of the ACHIEVE trial that suggested that a low dose (25mg) of SB 9200 alone may be able to reduce hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in patients with chronic HBV, a critical first step in achieving functional cure.
Dr. Afdhal continued, “We hope the combination of SB 9200 with Vemlidy will be synergistic in reducing HBsAg. This clinical trial partnership with Gilead is a continuation of our strategic efforts to engage in collaborations involving the study of SB 9200 in combination with other compounds against chronic HBV, and is an important next step in defining the most rapid path to potential Phase 3 development of new combination strategies for functional cure of HBV.”
Under the terms of the clinical trial supply and collaboration agreement, Gilead will lead the Phase 2 trial with input from Spring Bank. Spring Bank will supply SB 9200 for the clinical trial.
About Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals
Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of a novel class of therapeutics using its proprietary small molecule nucleic acid hybrid (SMNH) chemistry platform. SMNH compounds are small segments of nucleic acids that the company designs to selectively target and modulate the activity of specific proteins implicated in various disease states. The company is developing its most advanced SMNH product candidate, SB 9200, for the treatment of viral diseases, including hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other SMNH product candidates, including SB 11285, the company’s lead immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of selected cancers through the activation of the STimulator of INterferon Genes, or STING, pathway. For more information, please visit www.springbankpharm.com.
Read complete press release here: http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/spring-bank-announces-collaboration-with-gilead-for-hepatitis-b-hbv-phase-2-study-exploring-20170710-00528