Ocean Biomedical (NASDAQ: OCEA) Congratulates Joint Venture Partner, Virion Therapeutics, on Positive Immunogenicity Results from Their Lead Checkpoint Modifier-Containing Immunotherapy, VRON-0200, for HBV Functional Cure, at EASL 2024

Core Insights - Ocean Biomedical, Inc. congratulates its joint venture partner Virion Therapeutics on presenting the first human immunogenicity data for its novel HBV immunotherapy, VRON-0200, at the EASL 2024 Congress [1][2] - The Phase 1b data indicates that VRON-0200 is safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic in most chronically HBV-infected patients after a single injection [2] - The global market for chronic HBV treatments is projected to exceed $6.5 billion by 2032, highlighting the high demand for effective therapies [3] Company Overview - Ocean Biomedical is a biopharma company focused on accelerating the development of discoveries from research institutions [8] - The company is currently developing five promising therapeutic candidates targeting various diseases, including lung cancer and malaria [8] - Virion Therapeutics specializes in T cell-based immunotherapies and has developed a robust pipeline, including VRON-0200 and VRON-0300 for advanced solid tumors [6][7] Product Insights - VRON-0200 is designed to provide a functional cure for chronic HBV infection through intramuscular injection, enhancing T cell responses that are typically exhausted in chronic infections [5] - The treatment aims to stimulate T cell responses in patients with little to no prior HBV immunity, potentially leading to improved viral control [2][5] - Unlike traditional monoclonal antibody checkpoint inhibitors, Virion's approach modifies T cell activation locally, reducing the risk of serious adverse events [2]