SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. June 18, 2020 – Aligos Therapeutics, Inc. (Aligos), a private biotechnology company focused on the development of targeted antiviral therapies directed against chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and COVID-19 and therapeutics for NASH, today announced that it has submitted its first clinical trial application for a first-in-human Phase 1a/b study evaluating ALG-010133.  ALG-010133 is a proprietary oligonucleotide S-antigen transport inhibiting oligonucleotide polymer (STOPS^TM) which is thought to act as an aptamer that interacts with specific proteins to decrease viral HBsAg levels, which is essential for enabling functional cure in CHB.

“We are excited to announce the achievement of this important developmental milestone for ALG-010133” said Lawrence Blatt, Ph.D., MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Aligos. “With worldwide disease prevalence in the hundreds of millions, chronic Hepatitis B patients are at significant risk of progression to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, end stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma.  Currently available therapies are given for life and rarely result in a sustained functional cure.  Our goal is to develop a therapeutic regimen that can lead to high rates of functional cure for patients living with chronic Hepatitis B. ”

Aligos’ STOPS program is the first of three classes of compounds in its CHB development portfolio, which also includes a capsid assembly modulator (CAM) and antisense oligonucleotide (ASO).  Initially, Aligos plans to evaluate these in separate Phase 1 studies and then combine them in subsequent studies.