Precision BioSciences reported initial human data showing its in-vivo gene-editing candidate PBGENE-HBV reduced hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels by 47–69% in all three patients treated at the lowest 0.2 mg/kg dose in the Phase 1 ELIMINATE-B trial. One patient maintained roughly a 50% decline seven months after the first of three planned infusions, and no adverse events above Grade 2 or dose-limiting toxicities were observed, establishing a favourable safety profile. The Durham, North Carolina-based company has begun dosing a second cohort at 0.4 mg/kg and expects to start a third, higher-dose group later this month as it seeks to identify a regimen capable of completely eliminating covalently closed circular DNA, the source of chronic infection. Precision said existing cash should fund operations into the second half of 2027, covering planned Phase 2 work on PBGENE-HBV and a pivotal study for its Duchenne muscular dystrophy programme. Separately, Vir Biotechnology said it has now initiated all three studies in its ECLIPSE registrational programme for chronic hepatitis delta, enrolling the first participant in the Phase 2b ECLIPSE 3 trial that compares the combination of tobevibart and elebsiran with bulevirtide.