Atea Begins Global Late-Stage Trial of Oral Hepatitis C Drug Combo Aimed at Easier, Faster Cure

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 the first patient was dosed in the global Phase 3 C-FORWARD trial evaluating the combination regimen of bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir compared to the regimen of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV). C-FORWARD, the second of two Phase 3 trials comparing this regimen, is being conducted at study sites outside of North America. Atea initiated C-BEYOND, the Company's Phase 3 trial in the US and Canada in April 2025 and continues to enroll patients in that study. In both studies, the regimen of bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir is being administered orally once-daily for 8 weeks (in patients without cirrhosis) or 12 weeks (in patients with compensated cirrhosis) while the regimen of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir is being administered orally once-daily for 12 weeks.

"We are pleased to reach another important milestone for our global HCV program with the first patient dosed in C-FORWARD, our HCV Phase 3 trial being conducted outside North America. Our Phase 3 program is now enrolling patients on a global basis," said Jean-Pierre Sommadossi, PhD, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Atea. "We are focused on the successful development of a potential best-in-class HCV regimen that may make it easier to treat and cure patients infected with HCV. The target profile of our regimen is particularly well suited for both patients and healthcare providers in test-to-treat models of care, which enables seamless diagnosis and treatment for patients infected with HCV."

HCV continues to be a significant global health burden despite the availability of direct-acting antivirals, with an estimated 50 million people worldwide chronically infected with HCV, and approximately one million new infections each year. It is estimated that between 2.4 to 4 million people in the US alone are living with chronic HCV.