Hepatitis C

Novartis plans to acquire Regulus Therapeutics for $7.00 per share in cash, or $800 million, the microRNA specialist said Wednesday. The biotech’s share price $RGLS jumped more than 135% in premarket trading, surpassing the buyout price at more than $7.90 apiece. Regulus is based in San Diego, which has become a biotech hot spot. It will be the future home to one of Novartis’ new biomedical hubs, the company said earlier this month. The hub is part of a 10-site, $23 billion investment in American manufacturing and R&D over the coming five years. The deal marks the second acquisition of the year for Novartis. The Swiss drug giant brought one of its former experimental cardio medicines back into its fold, purchasing Anthos Therapeutics for $925 million upfront in February. Novartis was active on the M&A front in 2024 as well, with five small deals. For Regulus shareholders, the deal is split about evenly between upfront and down-the-road payments. The shareholders could get an additional $7.00 per share in cash through a contingent value right, which depends on the approval of Regulus’ lead candidate, farabursen. If this is exercised, the total value of the deal is around $1.7 billion. The deal is slated to close in the second half of this year. Ionis and Alnylam created Regulus as a joint venture in 2007. The biotech then went public via an IPO in October 2012 at $4.00 per share. Over the years, Regulus built up a rich pipeline of pharma partnerships with Sanofi, GSK and AstraZeneca, but the tie-ups eventually fumbled. Sanofi culled a mid-stage program in Alport syndrome after a Phase 2 failure; a clinical hold for a different drug in hepatitis C led to challenges in the GSK pact; and AstraZeneca reneged on rights to a drug for NASH , the fatty liver disease now known as MASH. Now, Regulus is headed toward a pivotal trial for farabursen. The oligonucleotide targets miR-17, and it’s being tested as a treatment for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, the most common genetic cause of renal failure. Phase 1b data in March 2024 led the company’s stock price to skyrocket and an immediate $100 million boon to the company’s coffers via a private placement. In March of this year, Regulus said it had an agreement with the FDA on “key components” for a single Phase 3 trial for potential accelerated approval. Editor’s note: This story has been updated throughout to include additional details.

Novartis will pay $800 million upfront to acquire Regulus Therapeutics, a San Diego biotechnology company that launched nearly two decades ago with plans to make drugs capable of targeting small strips of nucleic acid known as microRNA.Announced Wednesday, the acquisition will hand the Swiss pharmaceutical firm a drug prospect called farabursen, which recently completed a Phase 1b study in people with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, or ADPKD.Per deal terms, Regulus shareholders will receive $7 in cash per share, a premium of more than 100% to the stocks closing price Tuesday. Additionally, Novartis has committed to pay an additional $7 per share via a so-called contingent value right thats linked to the achievement of an unspecified regulatory milestone.Regulus was launched in 2007 as a joint venture between Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, building on a paper published in Nature on how a kind of synthetic oligonucleotide could silence microRNA, which plays a role in genetic regulation.After early successes, such as a 2010 partnership with Sanofi and a 2012 deal with AstraZeneca, the biotech hit setbacks from which it struggled to recover. It also had difficulty finding the right application for its drugmaking technology, trying its hand at a hepatitis C treatment that didnt pan out. Since 2021, Regulus shares have traded below $4 per share.The drug at the heart of its deal with Novartis, called farabursen, entered the clinic in 2022. Farabursen targets miR-17, which researchers have identified as potentially relevant to kidney disease.People with ADPKD have few treatment options, relying on the drug tolvaptan to slow the rate of kidney function decline, as well as pain relievers and blood pressure-lowering drugs.Acquiring Regulus is one of several investments Novartis has made in kidney disease, most notably a $3 billion deal in 2023 for Chinook Therapeutics that netted it Venrafia, which won accelerated approval to treat IgA nephropathy earlier this month. Its also developing Fabhalta, already cleared in IgAN, for several other kidney-related conditions.This is a meaningful addition to our renal portfolio as we continue driving innovation in kidney care, following our recent approvals of treatments for IgAN and C3G, Shreeram Aradhye, Novartis chief medical officer, wrote in a LinkedIn post.The pharma hinted earlier this year that it would continue to be active in dealmaking. Its president of biomedical research, Fiona Marshall, told BioPharma Dive that it was looking for early-stage assets. Novartis previously identified ADPKD as a target in its renal portfolio.So often, its having our own program that makes us really like the project, and then if we see somebody else is doing it better than us externally, well still bring that in, she said in January. '

– New findings to be presented at the 2025 European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress continue to demonstrate the effectiveness of Livdelzi (seladelpar) in reducing pruritus in people with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) – – Additional presentations will showcase the potential for maintained virologic response following treatment with investigational bulevirtide in people with hepatitis delta virus (HDV) – – Presentations in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) will underscore Gilead’s commitment to advancing scientific research and our understanding of viral hepatitis in the real-world setting – FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) today announced new research to be presented at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress, May 7-10, 2025, Amsterdam, furthering Gilead’s commitment to transform the lives of people living with liver disease. New data to be presented at EASL will include a subgroup analysis from ASSURE, an ongoing open-label study, and an analysis of the Phase 3 RESPONSE trial and the open-label extension. Data will reinforce the effectiveness of Livdelzi® (seladelpar), known as Lyvdelzi® in the European Union, in reducing pruritus (chronic itch), a debilitating common symptom of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Moreover, the results will highlight seladelpar’s ability to deliver a sustained biochemical response regardless of prior treatment history, and as an option for a broad range of people with PBC. “Our focus remains on addressing the areas of greatest unmet need across liver diseases,” said Dietmar Berger, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Gilead Sciences. “Our deep expertise in treating liver disease has delivered the first and only treatment for hepatitis delta and the first treatment for primary biliary cholangitis that has demonstrated statistically significant improvements across both chronic itch and markers of disease progression. Our studies continue to deliver transformational insights and therapies to help foster healthier futures for the millions of people who live with viral hepatitis and those who live with less prevalent liver conditions with remaining high unmet needs.” Key findings from 29 accepted abstracts will include two oral presentations showcasing new data on the critical goal of maintained virologic response following treatment with 2 mg and 10 mg bulevirtide in people living with hepatitis delta virus (HDV). These findings build on the wealth of long-term data for the treatment of chronic HDV. A late breaker presentation on the final results from the pivotal MYR301 Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of 2 mg and 10 mg bulevirtide as monotherapy will reveal long-term response rates, including the proportion of participants with undetectable virus levels two years after treatment cessation. In hepatitis B (HBV), Gilead will present initial results from a Phase 1a study of a novel investigational therapeutic vaccine that shows early promise towards the goal of achieving a functional cure for HBV infection. A separate analysis of real-world data showed that individuals with low-level HBV viremia still have a risk of negative events. Additionally, a retrospective analysis of participants enrolled in two Phase 3 studies evaluating Vemlidy® (tenofovir alafenamide) using a risk score for liver cancer highlights the importance of treatment to help reduce liver cancer risk. Gilead will also showcase real-world data on hepatitis C (HCV), demonstrating the effects of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) against all genotypes of the virus across diverse geographical regions, supporting the global applicability of HCV treatment guidelines. In addition, new real-world insights will show that the choice of DAA for people living with HCV taking other medicines, such as antipsychotics, was associated with reducing the problem of drug-drug interactions. To help raise awareness about HCV and encourage people to get screened for the disease, Gilead will again support EASL’s “Love Your Liver” Campaign at the congress. At the EASL Congress, Gilead, in collaboration with the PBC Foundation and Friends of the PBC Foundation, will also launch “All the Feelings with PBC,” a campaign highlighting the experiences of people living with PBC and emphasizing the importance of listening to and addressing their needs in clinical practice and research. The campaign will feature paintings by Berlin-based artist, Nour Khwies, based on the physical and emotional experiences of people living with PBC: Dilek from Germany, Angela from Scotland, Joana from Portugal, and L. Marie from the United States, whose painting will be painted live at EASL. Key Abstracts at EASL 2025: ID Abstract Title PBC THU-291 Clinical meaningful change of pruritus numeric rating scale in adults with primary biliary cholangitis with moderate-to-severe pruritus THU-286 Seladelpar treatment of patients with primary biliary cholangitis improves the GLOBE score and predicts improved transplant-free survival THU-294 Change in pruritus in patients with primary biliary cholangitis and moderate-to-severe pruritus: A pooled analysis from the RESPONSE and ENHANCE studies THU-274 Efficacy and safety of seladelpar in patients previously treated with fibrates or OCA FRI-318 Evaluation of the potential impact of seladelpar on the pharmacokinetics of midazolam, tolbutamide, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, and atorvastatin HDV OS-066 Predictors of undetectable hepatitis delta virus RNA at 48 weeks after end of treatment with bulevirtide monotherapy in the MYR 301 study OS-070 Achieving undetectable hepatitis delta virus RNA at end of therapy with bulevirtide 10 mg/day with or without pegIFN is strongly associated with post-treatment virologic response in chronic hepatitis delta LBO-004 Final results of MYR301: A randomised Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of up to 144 weeks of bulevirtide monotherapy for chronic hepatitis delta and 96 weeks of posttreatment follow-up HCV WED-276 The SVR10K Hepatitis C study: Final results show 98.9% SVR in 7,000 patients treated with SOF/VEL in Asia, Latin America, Middle East, Nordics, and Southern Europe WED-031 Healthcare resource use (HCRU) and cost impact of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) among HCV patients receiving Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) concomitantly with antipsychotic drugs in the US HBV THU-246 Safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of GS-2829 and GS-6779, a novel arenaviral vectored therapeutic hepatitis B vaccine: results from a phase 1a study in healthy participants SAT-009 Risk of advanced liver disease among individuals with hepatitis B virus infection with low level viremia compared to individuals with no evidence of hepatitis B virus infection WED-296 Impact of long-term tenofovir-based treatment on hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with chronic hepatitis B using the reREACH-B score For more information on the EASL Congress 2025 and Gilead’s presentations, please visit the congress website. About Gilead Sciences in Liver Disease For decades, Gilead has pioneered the way forward to improve the lives of people living with liver disease around the world. The company has helped to transform hepatitis C from a chronic condition into a curable condition. For individuals living with hepatitis B or hepatitis delta, Gilead's focus on advancing medicines drives hope that today’s research will turn into tomorrow’s cures. Beyond viral hepatitis, Gilead is working to deliver advanced treatments for people living with PBC. The commitment of Gilead does not stop there. Through ground-breaking science and collaborative partnerships, the company strives to create healthier futures for everyone living with liver disease. Gilead remains devoted to a future without liver disease. Marketing Authorization In July 2023, the European Commission (EC) granted full Marketing Authorization (MA) for Hepcludex® (bulevirtide) 2 mg for the treatment of adults with chronic HDV and compensated liver disease. Bulevirtide was initially granted a conditional MA from the EC in July 2020 to provide people living with HDV urgent access to treatment. Bulevirtide’s conditional MA license in the UK was converted to a full MA in August 2023, and a full MA was granted in Switzerland in February 2024. In regions where bulevirtide is not approved, including the U.S., bulevirtide 2 mg is an investigational product. In these regions, health authorities have not established the safety and efficacy of bulevirtide. Bulevirtide 10 mg is an investigational product and is not approved anywhere globally. In February 2025, the European Commission (EC) granted conditional marketing authorization for Lyvdelzi® (seladelpar) for the treatment of PBC in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in adults who have an inadequate response to UDCA alone, or as monotherapy in those unable to tolerate UDCA. Lyvdelzi provides an important treatment option for people living with PBC in the European Economic Area (EEA). Gilead is working with health authorities across Europe to ensure people living with PBC who are eligible for Lyvdelzi have access as soon as possible. Continued approval of Lyvdelzi for the approved indication will be contingent on verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s). Lyvdelzi has Priority Medicine (PRIME) designation in the EU, assigned to optimize the development of novel medicines that target conditions with an unmet medical need for which no treatment options exist or where they can offer a major therapeutic advantage over existing treatments, as well as well as Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of people living with PBC. Livdelzi® received conditional approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in January 2025. In the U.S., Livdelzi® obtained accelerated approval for the treatment of PBC by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2024. Livdelzi received Breakthrough Therapy Designation, as well as Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of people living with PBC. As part of the FDA accelerated approval, Gilead has committed to AFFIRM, a long-term outcomes study, which has begun in people with compensated cirrhosis. Continued U.S. approval may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s). Regulatory review for Livdelzi is underway in Canada, Australia, and Switzerland. U.S. Indication for Livdelzi® Livdelzi is indicated for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in adults who have had an inadequate response to UDCA, or as monotherapy in patients unable to tolerate UDCA. The FDA approved this indication under accelerated approval based on a reduction of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Improvement in survival or prevention of liver decompensation events have not been demonstrated. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s). Limitations of Use: Use of Livdelzi is not recommended in patients who have or develop decompensated cirrhosis (e.g., ascites, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy). U.S. Important Safety Information for Livdelzi Warnings and Precautions Fractures: Fractures occurred in 4% of Livdelzi-treated patients compared to no placebo-treated patients. Consider the risk of fracture in the care of patients treated with Livdelzi and monitor bone health according to current standards of care. Liver Test Abnormalities: Livdelzi has been associated with dose-related increases in serum transaminase (AST and ALT) levels > 3 x ULN in patients receiving 50 mg and 200 mg once daily (5x and 20x higher than the recommended dosage of 10 mg once daily). Perform baseline clinical and laboratory testing when starting Livdelzi® and monitor thereafter according to routine patient management. Interrupt treatment if the liver tests (ALT, AST, total bilirubin, and/or ALP) worsen, or if the patient develops signs and symptoms of clinical hepatitis (eg, jaundice, right upper quadrant pain, eosinophilia). Consider permanent discontinuation if liver tests worsen after restarting Livdelzi. Biliary Obstruction: Avoid use of Livdelzi in patients with complete biliary obstruction. If biliary obstruction is suspected, interrupt Livdelzi and treat as clinically indicated. Adverse Reactions The most common adverse reactions (≥5%) with Livdelzi were headache (8%), abdominal pain (7%), nausea (6%), abdominal distension (6%), and dizziness (5%). Drug Interactions OAT3 Inhibitors and Strong CYP2C9 Inhibitors: Avoid co-administration with L due to increased Livdelzi exposure. Rifampin: Monitor biochemical response (e.g., ALP and bilirubin) when patients initiate rifampin during Livdelzi treatment. Coadministration may result in delayed or suboptimal biochemical response of Livdelzi. Dual Moderate CYP2C9 and Moderate-to-Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors and BCRP Inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine): Monitor closely for adverse effects. Concomitant administration with Livdelzi may increase Livdelzi exposure. CYP2C9 Poor Metabolizers Using Moderate-to-Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors: Monitor more frequently for adverse reactions as concomitant use of a moderate-to-strong CYP3A4 inhibitor in patients who are CYP2C9 poor metabolizers may increase Livdelzi exposure and risk of LIVDELZI adverse reactions. Bile Acid Sequestrants: Administer Livdelzi at least 4 hours before or 4 hours after taking a bile acid sequestrant, or at as great an interval as possible. Pregnancy and Lactation Pregnancy: There is insufficient data from human pregnancies exposed to Livdelzi to allow an assessment of a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Report pregnancies to Gilead Sciences, Inc., at 1-800-445-3235. Lactation: There is no data on the presence of Livdelzi in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for Livdelzi and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from Livdelzi. U.S. Indication for Vemlidy® VEMLIDY is indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults and pediatric patients six years of age and older and weighing at least 25 kg with compensated liver disease. U.S. Important Safety Information for and Indication for the Use of Vemlidy BOXED WARNING: POSTTREATMENT SEVERE ACUTE EXACERBATION OF HEPATITIS B Discontinuation of anti-hepatitis B therapy, including VEMLIDY, may result in severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months in patients who discontinue anti-hepatitis B therapy, including VEMLIDY. If appropriate, resumption of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted. Warnings and Precautions Risk of Development of HIV-1 Resistance in HBV/HIV-1 Coinfected Patients:Due to this risk, VEMLIDY alone should not be used for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. Safety and efficacy of VEMLIDY have not been established in HBV/HIV-1 coinfected patients. HIV antibody testing should be offered to all HBV-infected patients before initiating therapy with VEMLIDY, and if positive, an appropriate antiretroviral combination regimen that is recommended for HBV/HIV-1 coinfected patients should be used. New Onset or Worsening Renal Impairment:Postmarketing cases of renal impairment, including acute renal failure, proximal renal tubulopathy (PRT), and Fanconi syndrome, have been reported with TAF-containing products. Patients with impaired renal function and/or taking nephrotoxic agents (including NSAIDs) are at increased risk of renal-related adverse reactions. Discontinue VEMLIDY in patients who develop clinically significant decreases in renal function or evidence of Fanconi syndrome. Monitor renal function in all patients – See Dosage and Administration. Lactic Acidosis and Severe Hepatomegaly with Steatosis:Fatal cases have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogs, including tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). Discontinue VEMLIDY if clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity develop, including hepatomegaly and steatosis in the absence of marked transaminase elevations. Adverse Reactions Most common adverse events in the week 96 pediatric population reported in ≥5% were: nasopharyngitis, headache, COVID-19, pyrexia, diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, cough, respiratory tract infection viral, abdominal pain upper. Overall, abdominal pain upper and metabolic nephropathy were the only study drug–related adverse events, which occurred in > 1 participant, reported in 2.3% (2/88 participants) each. Drug Interactions Coadministration of VEMLIDY with drugs that reduce renal function or compete for active tubular secretion may increase concentrations of tenofovir and the risk of adverse reactions. Coadministration of VEMLIDY is not recommended with the following: oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine, or St. John’s wort. Such coadministration is expected to decrease the concentration of tenofovir alafenamide, reducing the therapeutic effect of VEMLIDY. Drugs that strongly affect P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) activity may lead to changes in VEMLIDY absorption. Coadministration of VEMLIDY with carbamazepine, the tenofovir alafenamide dose should be increased to two tablets once daily. Consult the full prescribing information for VEMLIDY for more information on potentially significant drug interactions, including clinical comments. Dosage and Administration Testing Prior to Initiation:HIV infection. Prior to or When Initiating, and During Treatment:On a clinically appropriate schedule, assess serum creatinine, estimated creatinine clearance, urine glucose, and urine protein in all patients. In patients with chronic kidney disease, also assess serum phosphorus. Dosage:1 tablet taken once daily with food. Renal Impairment:Not recommended in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD; eCrCl <15 mL/min) who are not receiving chronic hemodialysis; in patients on chronic hemodialysis, on hemodialysis days, administer VEMLIDY after completion of hemodialysis treatment. No data are available to make dose recommendations in pediatric patients with renal impairment. Hepatic Impairment:Not recommended in patients with decompensated (Child-Pugh B or C) hepatic impairment. About Gilead Sciences Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer and inflammation. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including Gilead’s ability to initiate, progress or complete clinical trials within currently anticipated timelines or at all, and the possibility of unfavorable results from ongoing or additional clinical trials, including those involving Lyvdelzi®/Livdelzi® (seladelpar), Vemlidy®, bulevirtide, sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, GS-2829 and GS-6779 (such as the ASSURE, MYR301, RESPONSE, SVR10K and any confirmatory studies); uncertainties relating to regulatory applications and related filing and approval timelines, including additional pending and potential applications for seladelpar; the risk that any regulatory approvals, if granted, may be subject to significant limitations on use or subject to withdrawal or other adverse actions by the applicable regulatory authority; uncertainties regarding Gilead’s ability to coordinate access to seladelpar in a timely manner or at all; the risk that physicians may not see the benefits of prescribing seladelpar for treatment of PBC; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors are described in detail in Gilead’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead, and Gilead assumes no obligation and disclaims any intent to update any such forward-looking statements. Hepcludex, Lyvdelzi, Livdelzi, Vemlidy, Gilead and the Gilead logo are registered trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Full Prescribing Information for Livdelzi® and Vemlidy® are available at www.gilead.com . For more information about Gilead, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com , follow Gilead on X/Twitter (@Gilead Sciences) and LinkedIn (@Gilead-Sciences). Blair Baumwell, Media public_affairs@gilead.com Jacquie Ross, Investors investor_relations@gilead.com