Strategic transformation ongoing, positioning the Company as a focused leader in immunology and inflammatory diseasesHighly differentiated, potentially curative immunotherapy for celiac disease (VTP-1000) in the clinic, with first data expected in third quarter of 2025Proprietary SNAP-TI platform promoting antigen-specific immune tolerance is anticipated to drive multiple future pipeline and partnership opportunities Strategic prioritization of resources expected to provide a cash runway into 2027

OXFORD, United Kingdom and GERMANTOWN, Md., March  20, 2025  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barinthus Biotherapeutics plc (NASDAQ: BRNS) (“Barinthus Bio,” or the “Company”), an immunology and inflammation (I&I) company focused on developing therapies that promote immune tolerance with curative potential, today announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024 and provided an overview of the Company’s business updates.

“We’ve entered 2025 with a refreshed strategic focus on immunological and inflammatory diseases. Following our restructuring, we are strongly positioned to advance our highly differentiated lead asset,VTP-1000, (and the underlying SNAP-TI platform) in patients with celiac disease. Through design innovations enabling greater targeting of disease antigens, intramuscular administration and potentially improved tolerability, VTP-1000 has promise to be a leading therapy for the approximate 80 million people worldwide with celiac disease. We look forward to reporting single-ascending dose Phase 1 data for this program in the third quarter of this year.” said Bill Enright, Chief Executive Officer of Barinthus Bio. “VTP-1000 is based on our innovative SNAP-TI platform, which is differentiated based on its capacity to promote antigen-specific immune tolerance that specifically guides a patient's T cells to suppress unwanted inflammation and restore the natural state of immune non-responsiveness to healthy tissue without affecting immunity against cancer or infections. Given this mild and potentially curative approach to restoring balance to the immune system, we believe SNAP-TI is poised to drive multiple future pipeline and partnership opportunities for the company particularly for autoimmune diseases where broadly immunosuppressive drugs are not optimal."

“Turning to our development candidates designated for partnering, we reported highly encouraging results from two Phase 2 trials in our chronic hepatitis B (“CHB”) program demonstrating that VTP-300 contributed to the achievement of undetectable HBsAg levels in eight participants, with two participants meeting functional cure criteria. Further Phase 2 data are anticipated in the second quarter of 2025, which are expected to strengthen VTP-300’s market positioning as a component of a functional cure for CHB.”

2024 Corporate Milestones
Clinical developments

Celiac Disease (VTP-1000)

In April 2024, Barinthus Bio received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Australian regulatory authorities on an Investigational New Drug application to progress VTP-1000 in a first in human clinical trial in celiac disease.In September 2024, Barinthus Bio initiated the first-in-human, Phase 1 AVALON trial for VTP-1000 in celiac disease. The AVALON trial aims to enroll 42 participants with celiac disease and will be conducted in two parts: the first part, a randomized double-blind placebo controlled single ascending dose, followed by the second part, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled multiple ascending dose and incorporating a controlled gluten challenge to assess the impact of VTP-1000 administration on patients’ exposure to gluten.

Chronic Hepatitis B (VTP-300)

In June 2024, Barinthus Bio presented interim data from the two Phase 2 trials of VTP-300, which achieved 19% undetectable HBsAg levels across both studies, indicating potential rates of functional cure. The majority of patients who were assessed reached very low levels of HBsAg and eligibility for nucleos(t)ide discontinuation.In October 2024, the Company completed enrollment of the Phase 2b HBV003 clinical trial for VTP-300 in CHB.In November 2024

Barinthus Bio reported positive updated interim data from the Phase 2b HBV003 clinical trial for VTP-300 showing that as of the data cut off, eight participants achieved complete HBsAg loss (defined as HBsAg levels below the lower limit of quantitation [