Assembly Biosciences and Door Pharmaceuticals Sign Collaboration and Option Agreement to Develop a Novel Class of HBV Core Pr...
November 16 2020 - 8:00AM
Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASMB) and Door
Pharmaceuticals, LLC today announced that the companies have signed
an exclusive, two-year collaboration and option agreement focused
on the development of a novel class of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core
protein modulators. Door Pharmaceuticals’ innovative discovery
platform targets functions of core protein distinct from viral
assembly and that have the potential to interfere with viral
nucleic acid including cccDNA transcription, providing a strong
complement to Assembly Bio’s current portfolio.
Under the terms of the agreement, Door Pharmaceuticals will
build upon its previous efforts to lead and conduct new discovery
research, which will be funded by Assembly Bio. In return for an
up-front payment and success-based milestones and royalties,
Assembly Bio will be granted an exclusive option to license
compounds arising from the collaboration and will be responsible
for the continued development and commercialization of optioned
compounds. Financial details were not disclosed.
“Door Pharmaceuticals was established by our co-founder, Adam
Zlotnick, whose research led to the successful discovery of the
core inhibitor candidates that comprise Assembly Bio’s clinical
program,” said William Delaney, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer,
Virology of Assembly Biosciences. “Adam is a true innovator, and
this collaboration is a natural continuation of our work together.
We’re excited to build upon our current pipeline of HBV core
inhibitors with additional contributions from a science-driven
company that shares our passion and focus for bringing new
treatment options to patients facing HBV.”
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to once again contribute to the
advancement of Assembly Bio’s core inhibitor platform under this
new collaboration,” said Adam Zlotnick, PhD, Founder of Door
Pharmaceuticals. “There is a clear mechanistic rationale for the
potential role that core inhibitors can play in the treatment of
HBV, and it is our hope and belief that the complementary
mechanisms of action of these core protein modulators will offer an
important therapeutic pathway towards HBV cure.”
About HBVChronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)
infection is a debilitating disease of the liver that afflicts over
250 million people worldwide with up to 90 million people in China,
as estimated by the World Health Organization. HBV is a global
epidemic that affects more people than hepatitis C virus (HCV) and
HIV infection combined—with a higher morbidity and mortality rate.
HBV is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and need for liver
transplantation, and up to one million people worldwide die every
year from HBV-related causes.
The current standard of care for patients with chronic HBV
infection is life-long suppressive treatment with medications that
reduce, but do not eliminate, the virus, resulting in very low cure
rates. There is a significant unmet need for new therapies to treat
HBV.
About Assembly BiosciencesAssembly
Biosciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company
developing innovative therapeutics targeting hepatitis B virus
(HBV) and diseases associated with the microbiome. The HBV program
is focused on advancing a new class of potent, oral core inhibitors
that have the potential to increase cure rates for chronically
infected patients. The microbiome program is developing novel oral
live microbial biotherapeutic candidates with Assembly Bio’s fully
integrated platform, including a robust process for strain
identification and selection, GMP manufacturing expertise and
targeted delivery to the lower gastrointestinal tract with the
GEMICEL® technology. For more information,
visit assemblybio.com.
About Door
PharmaceuticalsDoor Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2018 by
leading HBV researcher, Adam Zlotnick, PhD, a professor of
molecular and cellular biochemistry at Indiana University; he is
also a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and of the
AAAS. The company is focused on research of virus structural
proteins to discover new classes of inhibitors. The company is
initially focused on HBV, with the vision to realize the potential
for novel therapeutics for other viruses.
Forward-Looking StatementsThe information in
this press release contains forward-looking statements that are
subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to materially differ. These risks and uncertainties
include: the Door collaboration may not yield any novel assets
and we may not exercise our option with respect to any
collaboration compounds; Assembly Bio’s ability to initiate and
complete clinical trials involving its HBV therapeutic product
candidates in the currently anticipated timeframes; safety and
efficacy data from clinical studies may not warrant further
development of Assembly Bio’s product candidates; clinical and
nonclinical data presented at conferences may not differentiate
Assembly Bio’s product candidates from other companies’ candidates;
Assembly Bio may not observe sustained virologic response in
patients who stop therapy in Study 211; Assembly Bio’s
ability to maintain financial resources necessary to continue its
clinical trials and fund business operations; any impact that the
spread of the coronavirus and resulting COVID-19 pandemic may have
on Assembly Bio’s business and operations, including initiation and
continuation of its clinical trials or timing of discussions with
regulatory authorities; and other risks identified from time to
time in Assembly Bio’s reports filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (the SEC). You are urged to
consider statements that include the words may, will, would, could,
should, might, believes, hopes, estimates, projects, potential,
expects, plans, anticipates, intends, continues, forecast,
designed, goal or the negative of those words or other comparable
words to be uncertain and forward-looking. Assembly Bio intends
such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor
provisions contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended. More information about Assembly Bio’s risks and
uncertainties are more fully detailed under the heading “Risk
Factors” in Assembly Bio’s filings with the SEC, including its
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Except as required by law,
Assembly Bio assumes no obligation to update publicly any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
ContactsAssembly Biosciences, Inc.Lauren
GlaserSenior Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate
Affairs(415) 521-3828lglaser@assemblybio.com
Media ContactSam Brown Inc. Audra Friis (917) 519-9577
ASMBMedia@sambrown.com
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