Assembly announces first participant dosed in Phase 1b trial of ABI-1179

Assembly Biosciences (ASMB) announced that the first participant has been dosed in the Phase 1b portion of the Phase 1a/b study of its long-acting herpes simplex virus, HSV, helicase-primase inhibitor candidate ABI-1179. The Phase 1b study will evaluate the safety and antiviral activity of weekly oral doses of ABI-1179 over a 29-day treatment period in participants with recurrent genital herpes. Antiviral activity will be evaluated by assessing changes in viral parameters, including HSV type 2, HSV-2, shedding rate and levels of HSV-2 DNA. Effects on clinical parameters including days with lesions will also be measured. ABI-1179 demonstrated positive interim Phase 1a results with a pharmacokinetic, PK, profile supporting once-weekly oral dosing in healthy participants and has exhibited low nanomolar potency against both HSV type 1, HSV-1, and HSV-2 in vitro.