San Francisco, August 3, 2026
AusperBio Therapeutics Inc. and Ausper Biopharma Co., Ltd. announced the initiation of patient dosing in a clinical study evaluating AHB-171, an investigational hepatocyte-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic candidate for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The first-patient-dosed milestone advances AusperBio’s second therapeutic candidate into clinical development and represents the first clinical candidate developed using the company’s proprietary Au-HALO™ liver-targeting delivery technology and siRNA platform. The program expands AusperBio’s pipeline of next-generation oligonucleotide therapeutics as the company works toward developing differentiated treatment approaches capable of contributing to a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
AHB-171 Advances AusperBio’s Chronic Hepatitis B Pipeline
AHB-171 is designed to selectively reduce HBV gene expression and deliver potent and sustained antiviral activity by leveraging AusperBio’s proprietary Au-HALO™ liver-targeting delivery platform. As the first clinical candidate created using this technology, the program provides AusperBio with an opportunity to evaluate both the clinical profile of AHB-171 and the performance of its targeted delivery and siRNA technology in patients with chronic hepatitis B. The advancement also broadens the company’s HBV pipeline beyond its lead clinical program, AHB-137, an antisense oligonucleotide candidate. AusperBio is pursuing differentiated oligonucleotide therapeutics with complementary mechanisms of action as part of its broader strategy to develop next-generation combination approaches for HBV. According to the company, clinical data generated from the AHB-171 program are expected to help guide further development of the candidate while providing important validation of the broader potential of the Au-HALO™ targeted delivery technology.
siRNA Candidate Targets Major Unmet Need in HBV Treatment
The clinical advancement comes as chronic hepatitis B remains a major global public health challenge. Citing the World Health Organization Global Hepatitis Report 2024, AusperBio noted that approximately 254 million people worldwide are living with HBV, with around 1.2 million new infections occurring each year. Existing antiviral therapies can effectively suppress viral replication, but achieving a functional cure remains a significant unmet medical need. AHB-171 is being developed to address this challenge through targeted suppression of viral gene expression. AusperBio believes the candidate’s potential for potent and sustained activity could support future combination strategies designed to move patients closer to a functional cure. The company views AHB-171 as complementary to its existing HBV programs rather than as a standalone expansion, strengthening a pipeline built around multiple oligonucleotide modalities and targeted delivery technologies.
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Au-HALO Platform Reaches Key Clinical Validation Milestone
The dosing milestone is also significant for AusperBio’s broader technology strategy because AHB-171 is the first clinical-stage asset derived from its Au-HALO™ platform. The company has developed a diversified discovery and development engine incorporating its proprietary Med-Oligo™ antisense oligonucleotide technology, Au-HALO™ targeted delivery technology and siRNA platform. These technologies are intended to support the development of differentiated oligonucleotide medicines across multiple therapeutic modalities. AusperBio currently operates in the United States and China and has multiple clinical-stage programs alongside a growing preclinical pipeline. Its initial focus remains chronic hepatitis B, where the company is pursuing what it describes as a backbone-based combination strategy toward functional cure. The initiation of patient dosing with AHB-171 therefore represents both a clinical development milestone for a new HBV candidate and an important test of AusperBio’s proprietary liver-targeting technology in patients. As clinical development progresses, results from the study will be important in determining AHB-171’s safety and therapeutic potential and whether the Au-HALO platform can support additional targeted oligonucleotide programs. The milestone further positions AusperBio within the expanding field of RNA-based therapeutics, precision delivery and next-generation treatments for chronic hepatitis B.
Source: AusperBio press release
