Imagine a future where chronic Hepatitis B is no longer a life sentence, but a manageable condition. That future might be closer than we think, thanks to AusperBio. They've just dropped some exciting news from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) The Liver Meeting® 2025 – data that could potentially revolutionize treatment for millions!
AusperBio Therapeutics, Inc. and Ausper Biopharma Co., Ltd. (collectively known as AusperBio), a biotechnology company focused on clinical-stage research, presented compelling 48-week results from two Phase II studies evaluating their drug candidate, AHB-137. These findings, unveiled in a late-breaking poster session at the prestigious AASLD conference held in Washington D.C. between November 7th and 11th, showcase the drug's potential to achieve sustained antiviral responses and a favorable safety profile in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who are already undergoing nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) therapy. That's a mouthful, so let's break it down.
Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) is a long-term infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. HBeAg-negative simply means these patients don't have a specific marker (HBeAg) in their blood, which often indicates a less active phase of the infection, but it still requires management. Nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) are a common type of antiviral medication used to suppress the virus. Now, here's where it gets interesting: while NAs can effectively control the virus, they rarely lead to a complete cure. Patients often need to take them for life. AusperBio is aiming for something much bigger: a functional cure.
The presented data combines results from two Phase II studies (Phase IIa, NCT06115993; Phase IIb, NCT06550128), both of which were multicenter and randomized. This means the studies were conducted at multiple locations and patients were randomly assigned to different treatment groups, increasing the reliability of the findings. The studies focused on HBeAg-negative CHB patients already on NA therapy.
So, what did the studies find? The AHB-137 treatment demonstrated robust and, crucially, sustained antiviral responses 24 weeks after the treatment ended (Week 48 overall). These responses included what they termed a "complete response," defined as HBsAg (another hepatitis B marker) levels dropping below 0.05 IU/mL and HBV DNA (the virus's genetic material) falling below the limit of quantification (LLOQ). They also observed a "partial response," defined as HBsAg levels below 10 IU/mL and HBV DNA below LLOQ. In simpler terms, the drug significantly reduced or eliminated signs of the virus in a substantial number of patients, and this effect lasted even after they stopped taking the medication.
And this is the part most people miss: the 300 mg, 24-week regimen of AHB-137 showed the most promising results. Efficacy was consistent across different baseline HBsAg levels, suggesting that the drug works well regardless of how active the virus was at the start of treatment. Furthermore, AHB-137 was well-tolerated, and no new safety concerns emerged during the off-treatment phase. All this points towards AHB-137 being a safe and effective treatment option on the path for a functional cure for CHB.
Here's a summary of the presentation details:
- Publication Number: 5022
- Date and Time: November 8, 2025, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm ET
- Abstract Title: High Proportion of Participants Achieved Sustained Complete Response 24 Weeks After End of AHB-137 Treatment in HBeAg Negative Chronic Hepatitis B Participants on NA Therapy: Pooled Analysis of Two Phase 2 Studies in China
- Session: Saturday Late Breaking Posters ("5019-5025")
- Authors: A long list of esteemed researchers including Yanhua Ding, Xieer Liang, Yanhang Gao, Dachuan Cai, Xian Yu, Youwen Tan, Haibing Gao, Jidong Jia, Hong Ren, Chongyuan Xu, Shan Zhong, Zhihong Liu, Hong Ma, Wen Wang, Xingbei Zhou, Huaxi Ma, Yi Yang, Xinrui Wang, Fei Kong, Lidan Wang, Di Zhao, Xiao Qiu, Chen Yang, Yeming Pan, Hao Wang, Miao Wang, Chris Yang, Guofeng Cheng, Jinlin Hou, and Junqi Niu.
The full scientific program and abstracts are available on the AASLD website.
About AHB-137:
AHB-137 is an unconjugated antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), designed using AusperBio's Med-Oligo™ ASO technology. ASOs are designed to interfere with the virus's ability to replicate. AHB-137 uses a dual-mechanism of action, meaning it attacks the virus in two different ways for increased effectiveness. This novel drug has shown promising results in preclinical and clinical studies, with data presented at major conferences like EASL, AASLD, and APASL. It has completed a global Phase I study and is currently being evaluated in multiple Phase II studies and a Phase III trial in China, indicating a robust and globally coordinated development strategy.
About AusperBio:
AusperBio is a biopharmaceutical company with operations in the USA and China. They are focused on developing oligonucleotide and targeted delivery technologies to create transformative therapies, initially targeting a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B. Their proprietary Med-OligoTM ASO platform aims to improve current ASO therapeutics through innovative design. By combining targeted delivery conjugation technologies, the Med-OligoTM Platform could potentially treat a wide range of diseases, including viral infections, metabolic conditions, genetic disorders, and immune diseases.
For more information, visit www.ausperbio.com.
Contact Information:
- Media Contact: [email protected]
- Investor Contact:
- Tel: 650-888-1756 (US)
- Email: [email protected]
Now, here's a question for you: Given the promising results, how quickly do you think therapies like AHB-137 should be made available to patients? And what ethical considerations should be taken into account when prioritizing access to these potentially life-changing treatments? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
