Precision BioSciences and Gilead Sciences to join forces on HepB virus

Precision BioSciences and Gilead Sciences have joined forces to utilise Precision’s genome editing platform ARCUS to develop therapies targeting the in vivo elimination of hepatitis B virus. Precision will develop, formulate and undertake preclinical evaluation of the investigational nucleases, and Gilead will undertake the clinical development and commercialization of potential therapies. Funding of research and development will come from Gilead and Precision will get milestone payments of up to about $445 million and tiered royalties.

John McHutchison, MD, Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research and Development at Gilead, said: “Gilead is committed to developing innovative therapies to achieve functional cure for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. We are excited about the potential of genome editing and Precision’s ARCUS technology, which has demonstrated promising in vitro activity. We look forward to exploring this technology as an important component of our HBV cure research efforts.”

Derek Jantz, Precision Chief Scientific Officer, said: “Gilead’s cure-based approach to hepatitis B is comprehensive and exciting. Precision is pleased that initial studies with our ARCUS platform have established an important role for genome editing in their HBV program. This is an excellent application for our technology, which has made notable progress toward therapeutic in vivo editing in relevant models over the last year.”