-- One poster and one oral presentation selected, with the poster highlighting new preclinical data from the Company’s interferon-α receptor agonist program --

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASMB), a biotechnology company developing innovative antiviral therapeutics targeting serious viral diseases, today announced that preclinical and clinical data from its virology portfolio will be featured in two presentations at the upcoming American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), The Liver Meeting^®, taking place November 10-14, 2023, in Boston.

At the meeting, one poster presentation will share new preclinical data from the Company’s interferon-α receptor (IFNAR) agonist program in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), currently in lead optimization. Additionally, an oral presentation will highlight data from the Phase 2 study of first-generation core inhibitor vebicorvir (VBR) in combination with nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (Nrtl) and Arbutus Biopharma’s AB-729 in virologically suppressed patients with hepatitis B e antigen negative chronic HBV.

“We look forward to presenting data at this year’s AASLD, The Liver Meeting^®, featuring the exciting progress of our preclinical IFNAR agonist program and its potential to engage the interferon-α pathway with improved tolerability through an oral, liver-focused approach,” said William Delaney, PhD, chief scientific officer of Assembly Bio. “Additionally, we’re pleased to share further insights from the Phase 2 data reported for vebicorvir in combination with Nrtl and Arbutus Biopharma’s AB-729 with the HBV and liver disease scientific community."

Details of the poster and oral presentations are as follows:

Interferon-α Receptor Agonist:

• Poster Presentation: In vitro and in vivo profiling of orally bioavailable small molecules inhibiting hepatitis B virus by mimicking interferon alpha
  Presenter: Marc P. Windisch, PhD, Assembly Bio
  Poster Number: 1474-C
  Date and Time: November 10, 12:00 PM–1:00 PM ET

Vebicorvir, Nrtl and AB-729:

• Oral Presentation: Preliminary Off-Treatment Responses Following 48 Weeks of Vebicorvir, Nucleos(t)ide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, and AB-729 Combination in Virologically Suppressed Patients with Hepatitis B e Antigen Negative Chronic Hepatitis B: Analysis From an Open-Label Phase 2 Study
  Presenter: Scott Fung, MD, FRCPC, Toronto General Hospital
  Session: Hepatitis B: New Therapies for HBV and HDV
  Date and Time: November 12, 8:30 AM ET

Assembly Bio intends to make the presentations available on the “Events & Presentations” page in the “Investors” section of its website at www.assemblybio.com.

About Assembly Biosciences
Assembly Biosciences is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of innovative small molecule antiviral therapeutics designed to change the path of serious viral diseases and improve the lives of patients worldwide. Led by an accomplished team of leaders in virologic drug development, Assembly Bio is committed to improving outcomes for patients struggling with the serious, chronic impacts of herpesvirus, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infections. For more information, visit assemblybio.com. 

Forward-Looking Statements
The 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: Assembly Bio’s ability to maintain financial resources necessary to continue its clinical studies and fund business operations; Assembly Bio’s ability to initiate and complete clinical studies involving its therapeutic product candidates, including studies contemplated by Assembly Bio’s collaboration agreements, in the currently anticipated timeframes; safety and efficacy data from clinical or nonclinical 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; results of nonclinical studies may not be representative of disease behavior in a clinical setting and may not be predictive of the outcomes of clinical studies; 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.

Contacts

Investor and Corporate:
Shannon Ryan
SVP, Investor Relations, Corporate Affairs and Alliance Management
(415) 738-2992
sryan@assemblybio.com   

Media:
Sam Brown Inc. 
Hannah Hurdle 
(805) 338-4752 
ASMBMedia@sambrown.com