Benitec Biopharma to Host Industry Forum Breakfast Event at the 2026 Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinical and Scientific Conference on March 10, 2026, Highlighting Continued Progress for BB-301, the Only Clinical-Stage Therapeutic in Development f

HAYWARD, Calif., March 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Benitec Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: BNTC) (“Benitec” or “Company”), a clinical-stage, gene therapy-focused, biotechnology company developing novel genetic medicines based on its proprietary “Silence and Replace” DNA-directed RNA interference ("ddRNAi") platform, is hosting an Industry Forum Breakfast and presentation on Tuesday, March 10, at the 2026 Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Clinical and Scientific Conference. The presentation will highlight the key clinical results observed to date for OPMD Patients enrolled into the BB-301 Phase 1b/2a Clinical Treatment Study (NCT06185673) and the potential for BB-301 to transform the treatment landscape for patients with OPMD.

Benitec Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jerel A. Banks, M.D., Ph.D., will share an updated presentation detailing the significant, durable, improvements in dysphagic symptom burden and swallowing function experienced by the patients treated with low dose BB-301 and high dose BB-301. The full presentation can be viewed here.

Conference attendees who are registered for the 2026 MDA Clinical and Scientific Conference are eligible to attend the Industry Forum event. Live stream is also accessible via the MDA online platform for virtually registered participants.

Details regarding the BB-301 Industry Forum Breakfast and Discussion are as follows: 
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. ET
Location: Hilton Orlando, Key Largo Room, 6001 Destination Parkway, Orlando, Florida 32819
Presenters: Jerel A. Banks, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Benitec Biopharma; guest presentation by the OPMD Association

About OPMD 
There are currently no approved therapies for OPMD, a rare autosomal-dominant degenerative muscle disorder, that impacts nearly 15,000 patients in North America, Europe and Isreal. OPMD is caused by a mutation in the poly(A)-binding protein nuclear 1 (PABPN1) gene; PABPN1 is a ubiquitous protein that controls the length of mRNA poly(A) tails, mRNA export from the nucleus and alternative poly(A) site usage. OPMD is a debilitating progressive disease that weakens the pharyngeal muscles, causing severe swallowing difficulties (dysphagia).¹ Progressive dysphagia impacts 97% of OPMD patients and is a severe, life-threatening complication of OPMD which can lead to chronic choking, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia and death.

About BB-301
BB-301 is a novel, modified AAV9 capsid expressing a unique, single bifunctional construct promoting co-expression of both codon-optimized Poly-A Binding Protein Nuclear-1 (PABPN1) and two small inhibitory RNAs (siRNAs) against mutant PABPN1 (the causative gene for OPMD). The two siRNAs are modeled into microRNA backbones to silence expression of faulty mutant PABPN1, while allowing expression of the codon-optimized PABPN1 to replace the mutant with a functional version of the protein. We believe the silence and replace mechanism of BB-301 is uniquely positioned for the treatment of OPMD by halting mutant PABPN1 expression while providing a functional replacement protein. BB-301 has received Orphan Drug Designation from the EMA and Orphan Drug and Fast Track Designations from the FDA.

About Benitec Biopharma Inc.
Benitec Biopharma Inc. (“Benitec” or the “Company”) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the advancement of novel genetic medicines with headquarters in Hayward, California. The proprietary “Silence and Replace” DNA-directed RNA interference platform combines RNA interference, or RNAi, with gene therapy to create medicines that simultaneously facilitate sustained silencing of disease-causing genes and concomitant delivery of wildtype replacement genes following a single administration of the therapeutic construct. The Company is developing Silence and Replace-based therapeutics for chronic and life-threatening human conditions including Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD). A comprehensive overview of the Company can be found on Benitec’s website at www.benitec.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information set forth herein, the matters set forth in this press release include forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Benitec’s plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates, the timing of the completion of pre-clinical and clinical trials, the timing of the availability of data from our clinical trials, the timing and sufficiency of patient enrollment and dosing in clinical trials, the timing of expected regulatory filings and other regulatory steps, and the clinical utility and potential attributes and benefits of ddRNAi and Benitec’s product candidates, and other forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including unanticipated developments in and risks related to: the success of our plans to develop and potentially commercialize our product candidates; the timing of the completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials; the timing and sufficiency of patient enrollment and dosing in any future clinical trials; the timing of the availability of data from our clinical trials; the timing and outcome of regulatory filings and approvals; the development of novel AAV vectors; our potential future out-licenses and collaborations; the plans of licensees of our technology; the clinical utility and potential attributes and benefits of ddRNAi and our product candidates, including the potential duration of treatment effects and the potential for a “one shot” cure; our intellectual property position and the duration of our patent portfolio; expenses, ongoing losses, future revenue, capital needs and needs for additional financing, and our ability to access additional financing given market conditions and other factors; the length of time over which we expect our cash and cash equivalents to be sufficient to execute on our business plan; unanticipated delays; further research and development and the results of clinical trials possibly being unsuccessful or insufficient to meet applicable regulatory standards or warrant continued development; the ability to enroll sufficient numbers of subjects in clinical trials; determinations made by the FDA and other governmental authorities and other regulatory developments; the Company’s ability to protect and enforce its patents and other intellectual property rights; the Company’s dependence on its relationships with its collaboration partners and other third parties; the efficacy or safety of the Company’s products and the products of the Company’s collaboration partners; the acceptance of the Company’s products and the products of the Company’s collaboration partners in the marketplace; market competition; sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution requirements; greater than expected expenses; expenses relating to litigation or strategic activities; the impact of, and our ability to remediate, the identified material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting; the impact of local, regional, and national and international economic conditions and events; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

References:

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dysphagia/symptoms-causes/syc-20372028
   
   

Media Contact:
Audra Friis
Sam Brown Healthcare Communications
(917) 519-9577
audrafriis@sambrown.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Irina Koffler
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
(917) 734-7387
ikoffler@lifesciadvisors.com