Vir Biotechnology

What Vir Biotechnology does

Vir Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in San Francisco, California, with antibody discovery operations through its wholly-owned subsidiary Humabs BioMed SA in Bellinzona, Switzerland. Founded in 2016 and listed on NASDAQ under the ticker VIR, the company develops therapeutics that engage the immune system to treat and prevent serious infectious diseases and cancer, supported by two core technology platforms: a proprietary antibody and T-cell engager discovery platform that combines natural antibody repertoires from recovered patients with the proprietary dAIsY AI engine for candidate optimization, and the PRO-XTEN protease-releasable masking platform (licensed from Amunix Pharmaceuticals, a Sanofi company) that enables tumor-selective activation of potent T-cell engagers.

The company's most advanced clinical program is the tobevibart + elebsiran combination for chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection, currently in the Phase 3 SOLSTICE/ECLIPSE registrational trial with FDA Breakthrough Therapy, FDA Fast Track, EMA PRIME, and EU Orphan Drug designations. The oncology pipeline consists of three PRO-XTEN-masked T-cell engagers — VIR-5500 (PSMA, partnered globally with Astellas Pharma), VIR-5818 (HER2), and VIR-5525 (EGFR) — all in Phase 1 development. Earlier-stage programs include the CMV-vector-based HIV T-cell vaccine VIR-1388, next-generation COVID-19 antibody VIR-7229, influenza antibody VIR-2981, and HPV therapeutic vaccine VIR-1949. Vir has a historical track record of FDA-approved antibodies including ansuvimab-zykl for Ebola (2020) and sotrovimab for COVID-19 (with GSK).

Vir's business model is partnership-driven: it monetizes assets through licensing and collaboration agreements rather than direct sales, generating revenue from upfront payments, milestones, royalties, and non-dilutive government and foundation grants (BARDA, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation). Recent major transactions include the global Astellas collaboration for VIR-5500 (up to $1.7B total value, $335M upfront/near-term plus $75M equity) and the Norgine exclusive license for hepatitis delta in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand (€55M upfront plus up to €495M in milestones). The company retains US commercial rights for hepatitis delta and is building internal commercial capabilities for direct US launch, while the Brii Biosciences partnership covers Greater China. As of Q1 2026, Vir held $809.3M in cash and investments, reported a $125.7M quarterly net loss, and was led by CEO Marianne De Backer (appointed April 2023).

Name

Vir Biotechnology

Legal name

Vir Biotechnology, Inc.

Website

https://vir.bio

Company type

Public

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Vir Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops antibody-based immunotherapies for infectious diseases and cancer, with a Phase 3 hepatitis delta program and three oncology T-cell engager candidates. The San Francisco-based, NASDAQ-listed firm (VIR) partners with Astellas, Norgine, and others to commercialize its pipeline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

mRNA Therapeutics (vaccines, protein replacement, immuno-oncology) (HLAAADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vaccine Technology Platforms (mRNA, viral vector, protein subunit, inactivated/live-attenuated, VLP, DNA) (HLAAAEAD), Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)

Keywords

• Monoclonal antibody therapeutics
• Infectious disease treatments
• Oncology biologics
• T-cell engager therapies
• Clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Collaboration and License Revenue: Upfront payments, milestone payments, and equity investments from strategic partners. Includes $335M in upfront and near-term payments from Astellas (plus $75M equity investment) for the VIR-5500 license, and €55M upfront from Norgine for the chronic hepatitis delta license in Europe. Q4 2025 recognized $64.1M in revenue from the Norgine transaction.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Non-dilutive funding from agencies and foundations for specific R&D programs. Includes BARDA funding for COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grants for HIV vaccine and HIV cure research.
3. Equity Financing (Public Offerings): Capital raised through public stock offerings to fund clinical development. Recently completed a $172.5M public offering of 20,294,117 shares at $8.50 per share.
4. Royalty and Milestone Payments (Future): Future revenue from licensed products including tiered royalties and development/commercial milestones. The Astellas deal includes up to $1.7B in total potential value including milestones and royalties on VIR-5500 sales in the US.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vir Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops antibody-based immunotherapies for infectious diseases and cancer. Its pipeline includes monoclonal antibodies (e.g., tobevibart), siRNA therapeutics (e.g., elebsiran), and PRO-XTEN-masked T-cell engagers, with its lead program (tobevibart + elebsiran) in Phase 3 for chronic hepatitis delta. The company commercializes through strategic partnerships with Astellas (prostate cancer), Norgine (hepatitis delta in Europe), GSK (sotrovimab for COVID-19), and Alnylam (siRNA), supported by its proprietary dAIsY AI antibody discovery engine and the licensed PRO-XTEN masking platform.

Product overview

Vir Biotechnology operates a platform-plus-program portfolio built on two core technology platforms (the Antibody and T-cell Engager Discovery and Engineering Platform and the PRO-XTEN® protease-releasable masking platform) that together support a clinical pipeline spanning infectious diseases and oncology. The clinical portfolio includes the lead registrational hepatitis delta program (tobevibart + elebsiran), three PRO-XTEN-masked T-cell engagers (VIR-5818 targeting HER2, VIR-5500 targeting PSMA co-developed with Astellas, and VIR-5525 targeting EGFR), marketed antibodies (sotrovimab for COVID-19, ansuvimab-zykl for Ebola), and earlier-stage candidates in HIV (VIR-1388), HPV (VIR-1949), influenza (VIR-2981), and next-generation COVID-19 (VIR-7229), supported by the proprietary dAIsY AI engine and collaborations with partners including Astellas, Norgine, Brii Biosciences, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tobevibart + Elebsiran combination Investigational combination of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody (tobevibart, incorporating Xencor's Xtend Fc technology) and an siRNA (elebsiran) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection, currently in Phase 3 development for patients with chronic HDV, a severe form of viral hepatitis with no approved therapies in the US.
• VIR-5500 Investigational PSMA-targeting PRO-XTEN dual-masked T-cell engager for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), evaluated alone and in combination with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors; partnered globally with Astellas Pharma in a deal worth up to $1.7 billion.
• VIR-5818 Investigational HER2-targeting PRO-XTEN dual-masked T-cell engager being evaluated alone or in combination with pembrolizumab for HER2-expressing solid tumors; currently in Phase 1 clinical development.
• VIR-5525 Investigational EGFR-targeting PRO-XTEN dual-masked T-cell engager being evaluated alone or in combination with pembrolizumab for EGFR-expressing solid tumors; currently in Phase 1 clinical development.
• Sotrovimab Investigational monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19, identified by Vir's antibody platform and engineered for immune engagement; delivered during the pandemic in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline.
• Ansuvimab-zykl FDA-approved (2020) monoclonal antibody treatment for Ebola virus disease (Zaire ebolavirus), derived from Vir Biotechnology's antibody discovery platform.
• VIR-7229 Next-generation COVID-19 monoclonal antibody candidate optimized via AI engineering for increased potency, breadth, and resistance to viral escape; developed with BARDA support for high-risk populations including immunocompromised individuals.
• VIR-2981 Investigational monoclonal antibody candidate with in vitro potent activity against all major strains of influenza A and B viruses, targeting high-risk populations including the elderly and immunocompromised.
• VIR-1388 Investigational HIV T-cell vaccine based on a human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) vector platform designed to elicit CD8+ T-cell immune responses against HIV, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and developed in partnership with NIAID and HVTN.
• VIR-1949 Investigational therapeutic vaccine candidate leveraging Vir's T-cell-based viral vector platform to elicit specific T-cell responses against HPV for the treatment of pre-cancerous HPV lesions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Phase 3 SOLSTICE trial readout for tobevibart + elebsiran combination in chronic hepatitis delta expected to support regulatory approval and commercial launch in US and Europe
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, core and minor.

• NorgineflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 December 2025Exclusive licensing agreement granting Norgine rights to commercialize the tobevibart + elebsiran combination for chronic hepatitis delta in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Norgine paid €55M upfront plus potential milestones and royalties. Generated $64.1M in revenue recognized in Q4 2025.
• Astellas PharmaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Strategic collaboration for the development and commercialization of VIR-5500 (PRO-XTEN masked PSMA-targeted T-cell engager) for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in the United States. Deal includes $335M in upfront and near-term payments plus a $75M equity investment, with up to $1.7B in total potential value including development, regulatory, and commercial milestones plus tiered royalties. Vir retains certain rights outside the US.
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2020Strategic collaboration for the research, development, and commercialization of monoclonal antibodies for coronaviruses. Includes sotrovimab (Xevudy), a SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody that received emergency use authorization. GSK led global commercialization (outside of China).
• Alnylam PharmaceuticalsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize siRNA (small interfering RNA) therapeutics for infectious diseases, including hepatitis B and hepatitis delta. Elebsiran (VIR-2218) is a key product of this collaboration targeting hepatitis B surface antigen.
• Sanofi (Amunix Pharmaceuticals)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2017License agreement with Amunix Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Sanofi in 2022) granting Vir rights to the PRO-XTEN® protein masking platform for development of masked T-cell engagers and other therapeutics in oncology and infectious disease.
• Brii BiosciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for tobevibart and elebsiran. Brii Biosciences retains rights to develop and commercialize these products in Greater China. The two companies are engaged in arbitration regarding the partnership agreement.
• XencorcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicense to Xencor's Xtend™ antibody half-life extension technology, which is incorporated into tobevibart to extend its in vivo half-life and reduce dosing frequency.
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment research partner supporting HIV vaccine development, including the VIR-1388 cytomegalovirus vector-based HIV T-cell vaccine candidate.
• HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerClinical trial network collaboration supporting the conduct of HIV vaccine clinical trials, including those for VIR-1388. HVTN is part of the NIAID-supported clinical trial infrastructure.
• Humabs BioMed SAcoreTechnology or IntegrationWholly-owned subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology based in Bellinzona, Switzerland, focused on antibody discovery and immunology research. Integral to Vir's antibody platform and originally acquired to anchor the company's European research operations.
• Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration supporting antibody discovery and immunology research leveraging IRB Bellinzona's expertise.
• Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for infectious disease research, including HIV and other viral pathogens.
• VIB-Ghent UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaboration providing access to European scientific expertise and research capabilities in immunology and infectious disease.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arbutus Biopharma: Arbutus Biopharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing RNAi therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis delta. It is the most direct competitor to Vir's tobevibart + elebsiran combination, targeting the same HDV patient population with siRNA-based approaches.
• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is the siRNA platform company and Vir's own partner on elebsiran. It is a direct comparable in the siRNA/RNAi therapeutics space, with a commercial-stage franchise (Onpattro, Givlaari, Oxlumo) and pipeline spanning rare diseases and infectious diseases including hepatitis.
• AbCellera Biologics: AbCellera is an antibody discovery platform company partnering with Vir for high-throughput single-cell antibody screening. It is a direct technology and platform comparable, with its own pipeline of clinical-stage antibody candidates across infectious disease and oncology.

Broad incumbents

• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: Regeneron is a large biopharmaceutical company with the VelocImmune antibody discovery platform, analogous to Vir's dAIsY/survivor-repertoire approach. It has commercial monoclonal antibodies (Dupixent, Inmazeb/Ebola) and a deep infectious disease and oncology pipeline, making it a direct platform comparable.
• Moderna: Moderna is a major mRNA-based infectious disease and oncology company. It overlaps with Vir in COVID-19 antibody/vaccine development and broader infectious disease focus, and represents a comparable public biopharmaceutical platform with similar scope of pipeline.
• Gilead Sciences: Gilead is a large biopharmaceutical company with deep expertise in antiviral therapeutics (HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C) and a growing oncology franchise. Its infectious disease franchise and antibody/vaccine approaches overlap directly with Vir's pipeline focus, and a former Gilead R&D leader (Norbert Bischofberger) sits on Vir's board.
• Amgen: Amgen is the pioneer of T-cell engager therapeutics via the BiTE platform (Blincyto) and a major antibody developer. It is a broad incumbent comparable in the T-cell engager space that Vir's PRO-XTEN platform is designed to differentiate from.
• Astellas Pharma: Astellas is Vir's strategic partner for VIR-5500 and a major Japanese oncology biopharmaceutical company. It is comparable as a large incumbent in the mCRPC and T-cell engager spaces, with established commercial infrastructure that Vir is leveraging.
• Roche / Genentech: Roche/Genentech is a global biopharmaceutical leader in oncology and infectious disease antibodies. It is a broad incumbent peer with overlapping T-cell engager development and antibody platform technology.

Emerging players

• Viridian Therapeutics: Viridian Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing engineered monoclonal antibodies for serious diseases, with a focus on Fc engineering. Its antibody engineering approach and clinical-stage positioning make it a comparable emerging antibody platform peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vir_biotech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vir-biotechnology-inc.

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds11 records

Investors11 records

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M&A3 records

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Vir Biotechnology