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

Beam Therapeutics Inc 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.
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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.