vbi vaccines inc vbiv expanded its hepatitis b hbv partnership with brii biosciences to work on preventing and treating the disease through two license and collaboration agreements brii bio has acquired a worldwide exclusive license for vbi2601 brii179 and an exclusive license for prehevbri in the asia pacific apac region from vbi vbi president and ceo jeff baxter stated “this expanded partnership with brii bio is a strong endorsement for our hbv programs and our contribution to the fight against hepatitis b” vbi2601 brii179 is a recombinant proteinbased hbv immunotherapeutic candidate being evaluated in two phase 2 trials with brii biosciences as part of a possible functional cure for chronic hepatitis b infection prehevbri is the only 3antigen hepatitis b vaccine and consists of the three hepatitis b surface antigens of the hepatitis b virus – s pre–s1 and pre–s2 brii bio will pay vbi an upfront payment of 15 million including an equity investment of approximately 3 million contingent on achieving nearterm milestones vbi is also eligible to receive up to an additional 422 million in potential regulatory and commercial milestone payments and doubledigit royalties in the licensed territories worldwide for vbi2601 and apac excluding japan for prehevbri besides its responsibility for all development regulatory and commercialization activities brii bio will also meet the costs of the two programs in their respective licensed territories beyond the apac region vbi will hold global rights to prehevbri concurrently vbi vaccines commenced underwritten public and registered direct offerings details were not disclosed price action vbiv shares are down 2850 at 173 during the premarket session on the last check thursday