Gilead Sciences partners with Assembly Biosciences for weekly pill to treat genital herpes; 4 million affected in US and Europe.

On Monday, Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) and Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASMB) jointly announced that Gilead has chosen to exclusively license Assembly Bio's herpes simplex virus (HSV) helicase-primase inhibitor programs. This includes the investigational candidates ABI-1179 and ABI-5366 for recurring genital herpes. These programs mark Gilead's first advancements under the ongoing collaboration with Assembly Bio. Genital herpes, triggered by HSV, is a persistent ailment causing painful sores, mental distress, and a heightened susceptibility to contracting HIV. In the U.S. and major European nations, more than four million individuals endure recurrent genital herpes, with HSV type 2 (HSV-2) infections often linked to numerous annual recurrences. Noteworthy is the absence of new HSV treatments approved in the U.S. or Europe for an extended period.