Atea Pharmaceuticals to Highlight 2026 Strategic Priorities at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

Core Insights - Atea Pharmaceuticals is advancing its global Phase 3 program for a potential best-in-class regimen for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, with topline results expected in mid-2026 from the C-BEYOND trial in North America and by year-end 2026 from the C-FORWARD trial outside North America [1][6][16] - The company is also initiating a Phase 1 clinical program for its Hepatitis E virus (HEV) product candidate AT-587, anticipated to start in mid-2026 [1][3][12] HCV Treatment Program - The regimen under evaluation consists of bemnifosbuvir (BEM), a nucleotide analog HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitor, and ruzasvir (RZR), an HCV NS5A inhibitor, aimed at addressing challenges with current HCV therapeutics [2][5] - C-BEYOND has over 880 patients fully enrolled, while C-FORWARD is expected to complete enrollment by mid-2026 [6] - The primary endpoint for both trials is achieving HCV RNA below the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) at 24 weeks, assessing sustained virologic response 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12) [7] Market Potential and Provider Insights - The global HCV market is estimated at approximately $3 billion in net sales annually, with about $1.5 billion attributed to the US [11] - A survey of healthcare providers indicated a strong demand for a new treatment option that offers high efficacy, short treatment duration, and low risk of drug-drug interactions (DDIs), as many HCV patients are on multiple medications [10][11] HEV Program Development - Atea's new HEV program targets a significant unmet medical need, particularly for immunocompromised patients, with AT-587 selected as the lead candidate showing potent antiviral activity against HEV [12][13] - The potential market opportunity for HEV treatment in the US and EU is estimated between $750 million to $1 billion [13] Strategic Outlook - Atea aims to build a diversified antiviral portfolio, with HCV as the lead development pillar and HEV as a strategic expansion [14] - The company is focused on disciplined execution and resource deployment to maximize clinical and commercial potential [14][16]