Gilead and Merck Advance Quarterly Long-Acting Injectable HIV Therapy with GS-1614 and Lenacapavir Combination

On January 4, 2024, in La Jolla, California, USA, Calibr, the drug discovery division of Scripps Research, announced that Gilead Sciences had exercised its option to exclusively license the institute's investigational Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Translocation Inhibitor (NRTTI) prodrug.

The NRTTI prodrug, known as GS-1614, is a candidate drug developed through the collaboration between Scripps Research and Gilead Sciences, aimed at advancing research into optimal long-acting HIV treatment solutions.

Calibr Designed and Optimized GS-1614 with Support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Gilead Sciences has initiated Phase 1 clinical research of GS-1614 to determine the optimal dosage, safety, and dosing frequency in healthy volunteers.

Gilead Sciences and Merck Collaborate to Develop and Commercialize Long-Acting Injectable HIV Treatment, Exercising Option with Calibr. Under this collaboration, Gilead and Merck will evaluate the combination of GS-1614 (a prodrug of Merck’s islatravir) with Gilead’s novel capsid inhibitor lenacapavir."We are delighted to collaborate with Gilead on this project," said Dr. Peter Schultz, President and CEO of Scripps Research and Calibr. "If successful, this program will represent a significant expansion in HIV treatment options. As Gilead and Merck are researching,Once every three months or longer, which can improve health outcomes by enhancing adherence and reducing the emotional burden and stigma experienced by people living with HIV. This milestone also represents an important step forward in our mission to translate scientific insights and discoveries into clinical trials, creating impact for patients, generating value for research institutions, and supporting further drug discovery and development efforts."

Under this collaboration, Calibr will receive an upfront payment and near-term milestone payments and is eligible to receive development milestones and royalties. Gilead holds the global exclusive license for GS-1614. Additionally, under the collaboration, GS-1614 may be explored in the future as an option for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

GS-1614 is currently a research compound, and its safety and efficacy in people living with HIV have not been established. The ongoing Phase 1a trial aims to determine its safety and long-acting properties in humans.

Calibr was founded on the principle that the creation of new drugs can be accelerated by combining world-class biomedical research with state-of-the-art drug discovery and development capabilities.Using the unique scientific framework of Scripps Research, Calibr has developed a series of drug candidates based on the company's technology and is shaping a new paradigm to advance non-profit biomedical research to impact patients.