BOSTON, Oct. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVIR) (Atea or Company), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of oral antiviral therapeutics for serious viral diseases, today announced that new data will be presented supporting the combination regimen of bemnifosbuvir, a nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor and ruzasvir, an NS5A inhibitor, as a potential best-in-class regimen for the treatment of hepatitis C (HCV) infection at Th ...

Company Overview - Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing oral antiviral therapies for serious viral diseases [3] - The company has developed a proprietary nucleos(t)ide prodrug platform aimed at treating single-stranded ribonucleic acid (ssRNA) viruses, which are a significant cause of serious viral infections [3] - Atea's lead program is in global Phase 3 development, focusing on a combination regimen of bemnifosbuvir, a nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor, and ruzasvir, an NS5A inhibitor, specifically targeting Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) [3] Upcoming Events - Members of Atea's management team will participate in a fireside chat at the Morgan Stanley 23rd Annual Global Healthcare Conference on September 9, 2025, at 1:05 p.m. ET in New York [1] - A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the company's website, with an archived version accessible for at least 90 days following the event [2]

Core Viewpoint - Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will host a live conference call on August 7, 2025, to report its financial results for Q2 2025 and provide a business update [1]. Company Overview - Atea Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing oral antiviral therapies for serious viral diseases [3]. - The company utilizes a proprietary nucleos(t)ide prodrug platform to develop novel product candidates targeting single-stranded RNA viruses [3]. - Atea's lead program focuses on the combination of bemnifosbuvir, a nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor, and ruzasvir, an NS5A inhibitor, aimed at treating Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) [3]. Conference Call Details - The conference call will take place at 4:30 p.m. ET on August 7, 2025, and will be accessible via telephone or through an audio webcast on the company's website [2]. - Participants can register for the call and access an archive of the audio webcast approximately two hours after the event, which will remain available for at least 90 days [2].

Core Insights - Atea Pharmaceuticals presented results from its Phase 2 study of bemnifosbuvir (BEM) and ruzasvir (RZR) for hepatitis C treatment, achieving a 98% sustained virologic response rate at 12 weeks post-treatment with an 8-week regimen [2][5][8] - The study demonstrated the regimen's safety, low risk of drug-drug interactions, and effectiveness in patients with hepatic or renal impairment [3][9][12] Phase 2 Study Results - The Phase 2 study included 275 patients, showing a 98% SVR12 in treatment-adherent patients and 95% in all patients regardless of adherence [2][8] - Among patients with compensated cirrhosis, the SVR12 rate was 88%, with all achieving undetectable viral levels by the end of the 8-week treatment [6][8] Safety and Tolerability - The combination of BEM and RZR was generally safe and well-tolerated, with treatment-emergent adverse events reported in 43% of patients, mostly mild to moderate [8] - No serious adverse events or treatment discontinuations were linked to the study drugs [8] Drug-Drug Interaction Studies - Phase 1 studies indicated a low risk of drug-drug interactions when BEM/RZR was co-administered with standard HIV treatments [3][10] - BEM was found to be safe for patients with hepatic and renal impairments without the need for dose adjustments [9][12] Future Developments - Atea plans to conduct two Phase 3 trials, C-BEYOND and C-FORWARD, to further evaluate the BEM/RZR regimen against existing treatments [16][18] - The primary endpoint for these trials is achieving HCV RNA levels below the lower limit of quantitation at 24 weeks [17] Market Context - An estimated 2.4 to 4.0 million people in the US are living with chronic HCV, with a significant portion also taking concomitant medications [7][15] - The ongoing need for effective HCV treatments is underscored by the fact that annual diagnoses outpace cure rates [7][15]

Core Viewpoint - Atea Pharmaceuticals has appointed Howard H. Berman, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors, enhancing its leadership as it advances its Phase 3 program for hepatitis C treatment [1][2][3] Group 1: Board Appointment and Strategic Agreement - Dr. Berman will initially serve as a non-voting observer and will become a full voting member at the 2025 Annual Meeting [1] - The appointment is part of an agreement with the Radoff-JEC Group, which has withdrawn its director nominations and agreed to support Atea's Board nominees [2][3] - The Radoff-JEC Group expressed confidence in Atea's potential to create significant shareholder value [3] Group 2: Financial Strategies - Atea's Board has authorized a share repurchase program of up to $25 million, reflecting its commitment to returning capital to shareholders while funding its Phase 3 HCV program [5] - The company is engaged in a strategic alternatives process with Evercore to explore opportunities for enhancing shareholder value, including potential partnerships or acquisitions [6][7] Group 3: Company Overview - Atea Pharmaceuticals focuses on developing oral antiviral therapies for serious viral diseases, leveraging its proprietary nucleos(t)ide prodrug platform [9] - The lead program targets the treatment of hepatitis C virus with a regimen of bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir, which has the potential to disrupt a multi-billion dollar market [2][9]

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]