Ocean Biomedical JV Partner Virion Therapeutics Presents Encouraging Phase 1B Data for HBV Immunotherapy at APASL

Ocean Biomedical, a biopharmaceutical company listed on NASDAQ as OCEA, has expressed its congratulations to its joint venture (JV) partner, Virion Therapeutics, a biotech firm focused on T cell-based immunotherapies. Virion Therapeutics has presented new human data at the APASL Annual Meeting in Kyoto, Japan, showcasing the safety and tolerability of its innovative checkpoint modifier immunotherapy, VRON-0200, for the functional cure of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). The Phase 1 data indicates that VRON-0200, administered intramuscularly to 10 patients with chronic HBV, demonstrated no concerning clinical or laboratory changes, marking a significant step towards developing an interferon-sparing immunotherapy.
Virion's CEO, Dr. Andrew Luber, highlighted the importance of these findings, emphasizing that VRON-0200 is their leading clinical program and that the data will bolster their proprietary platform technologies and pipeline programs, such as VRON-0300 for advanced solid tumor patients. Unlike monoclonal antibody checkpoint inhibitors, checkpoint modifiers like VRON-0200 work to enhance and diversify a patient's immune response, including areas of tumors or infectious diseases that are typically not stimulated during chronic conditions. This localized action at the injection site reduces the risk of serious adverse events.
Ocean Biomedical's co-founder and Executive Chairman, Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria, praised Virion's clinical data and emphasized the high demand for HBV treatments, which are projected to reach a global market of over $6.5 billion by 2032. He also noted the innovative nature of checkpoint modification technology and its broad potential applications for cancer and chronic infectious diseases.
Chronic Hepatitis B remains a significant global health challenge, with nearly 296 million people infected and approximately 820,000 deaths annually due to HBV-related liver complications. The current standard of care involves lifelong antiviral therapy to manage the virus, hence the need for a functional cure is paramount.
VRON-0200, designed to provide a functional cure for chronic HBV, targets the enhancement of HBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses, which become exhausted in patients unable to clear the initial infection. Preclinical data suggest that VRON-0200 can improve viral control by amplifying and broadening these T cell responses.
Virion Therapeutics, founded in 2018, is developing a range of novel T cell-based immunotherapies using its proprietary genetically encoded checkpoint modifiers. The company has a robust pipeline, including the VRON-0200 program and the VRON-0300 oncology program for advanced solid tumors.
Ocean Biomedical, based in Providence, Rhode Island, is dedicated to accelerating the development and commercialization of scientifically significant assets from research institutions. The company is currently working on several promising discoveries with the potential for significant impact on various diseases, including lung and brain cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, and malaria prevention and treatment.

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