Benzinga | Sep 27, 2021 10:19AM EDT

Beam Therapeutics' Base Editors Show Encouraging Preclinical Action In HBV Infection

* Beam Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:BEAM) has announced preclinical data for its cytosine base editors (CBEs).

* The data demonstrate the potential of CBEs to reduce viral markers, including hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) expression, and prevent viral rebound of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in in vitro models.

* Related Content: Beam Therapeutics' Formulated LNP Show Tolerance, Early Storage Stability In Animal Studies.

* Edits included the introduction of stop codons to reduce HBsAg and HBeAg and silence the HBV gene and the cccDNA.

* Data findings show that multiplexing two gRNAs designed to introduce stop codons led to substantial, simultaneous reduction of relevant HBV viral markers.

* Dual gRNA cccDNA-targeting CBE led to 30%-60% editing efficiency of the cccDNA without reducing cccDNA levels.

* Combining the base editing reagents with standard antiviral lamivudine resulted in 20% higher base editing efficiency leading to high antiviral efficacy.

* Base editing prevented HBV rebound in long-term infected primary hepatocytes.

* These results indicate that CBEs can introduce permanent mutations in cccDNA and prevent HBV rebound in relevant in vitro models.

* Beam plans to evaluate its base editing approach in relevant in vivo proof of concept models.

* Price Action: BEAM stock is down 0.63% at $94.07 during the market session on the last check Monday.