Core Insights - Atea Pharmaceuticals has initiated a Phase 3 trial, C-BEYOND, for its HCV treatment regimen combining bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir, which aims to address the significant global health burden of HCV infections [1][3][6] - The trial compares the new regimen to the existing treatment of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, with a focus on shorter treatment duration and lower risk of drug-drug interactions [1][4][10] Industry Overview - Approximately 50 million people globally are chronically infected with HCV, with 2.4 to 4 million in the US, highlighting the ongoing need for effective therapies [2][3] - Chronic HCV infection is a leading cause of liver cancer in the US, Europe, and Japan, with new infections outpacing treatment rates [2][3][8] Company Developments - The C-BEYOND trial will enroll around 880 treatment-naïve patients, assessing the efficacy of bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir over 8 to 12 weeks depending on cirrhosis status [4][5] - Atea's previous Phase 2 study demonstrated that the regimen met its primary endpoints of safety and sustained virologic response [6][10] Treatment Regimen Details - Bemnifosbuvir has shown to be approximately 10-fold more active than sofosbuvir against various HCV strains and has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile supporting once-daily dosing [10] - Ruzasvir has demonstrated potent antiviral activity and a favorable safety profile, also supporting once-daily dosing [11]