After 25 Years, Recurrent Genital Herpes Treatment Gains Corporate Partner

In a step toward supporting patients living with recurrent genital herpes, a chronic and stigmatized sexually transmitted infection, Gilead Sciences, Inc. recently announced that it had exercised its option to exclusively license two investigational therapeutic candidates from its partner, Assembly Biosciences, Inc.

This agreement marks the first set of antiviral assets that Gilead will advance under its 2023 research and development collaboration with Assembly Biosciences.

This clinical program targets the sexually transmitted herpes simplex virus (HSV) helicase-primase enzyme. Over four million people in the U.S. and European countries experience recurrent genital herpes.

According to Gilead, no new therapies have been approved for HSV in the U.S. or Europe for more than 25 years.

The candidates, ABI-1179 and ABI-5366, are novel long-acting oral inhibitors designed to potentially offer once-weekly or even monthly dosing for chronic suppressive therapy, with the potential to improve chronic suppressive therapy for recurrent genital herpes.

Positive interim Phase 1b data for ABI-5366 and ABI-1179 demonstrated potent antiviral activity and improvements in clinical outcomes, including a significant reduction in virus-positive lesions. Both compounds also exhibit pharmacokinetic and safety profiles supportive of once-weekly oral dosing.

"At Gilead, we develop novel antiviral therapeutics that aim to deliver meaningful solutions that improve the lives of people affected by serious viral infections. Our research partnership with Assembly Bio has been highly fruitful, and we are excited to continue the clinical development of our herpes simplex virus candidates, "said Jared Baeten, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development, Virology Therapeutic Area Head, Gilead Sciences, said in a press release on December 22, 2025.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades.

As of December 29, 2025, herpes vaccine candidate information is published by Vax-Before-Travel.com.