Innovative Molecules has dosed the first patient in its Phase 2a clinical trial evaluating adibelivir for recurrent genital herpes.
The milestone advances the company’s lead programme into proof-of-concept development and moves Innovative Molecules further into late-stage clinical development. The study is designed to evaluate safety, antiviral activity, pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy in patients with recurrent genital herpes.
This is relevant because herpes simplex virus infections remain common and clinically persistent. Existing therapies can reduce outbreak frequency and severity, but recurrent disease continues to create patient burden and there remains room for therapies with differentiated mechanisms, improved suppression or better clinical outcomes.
Adibelivir, also known as IM-250, is an orally available helicase-primase inhibitor. The compound is designed to inhibit HSV replication through a mechanism distinct from currently available nucleoside analogues.
This differentiation is important because nucleoside analogues have been the dominant therapeutic class for herpes simplex-associated diseases. A helicase-primase inhibitor could offer an alternative approach by targeting a different stage of viral replication, potentially supporting new treatment strategies for patients with recurrent disease.
The company said adibelivir has demonstrated potent antiviral activity in preclinical and clinical studies. Its entry into Phase 2a places the programme at a stage where clinical efficacy and dose behaviour in the target patient population become central development questions.
Innovative Molecules is also expanding its virology pipeline beyond HSV. The company is developing a novel antiviral programme targeting Epstein-Barr virus, which it describes as one of the most prevalent and clinically significant human viral infections. That programme is currently in IND-enabling activities.
The parallel HSV and EBV programmes position Innovative Molecules around herpesvirus biology, an area where significant clinical need remains despite decades of antiviral use. EBV is linked to infectious mononucleosis and several malignancy and immune-related disease contexts, making it a relevant target for next-generation antiviral development.
