Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Re: ENTA’s HBV program

…do you think any single-drug regimen has a passing chance of curing hep B?

The probability is pretty low, IMO (if by “cure” you mean a finite course of treatment such as the approved regimens for HCV); however, this viewpoint is actually bullish for ENTA insofar as it implies that the RNAi-based MoAs are not the answer.

I.e., if the RNAI-based mechanisms fail to be cures (by the above definition), then a potent CpAD such as ENTA’s EDP-514 could become (part of) the standard of care. If added to a nuke such as Vemlidy, EDP-514 combination therapy might allow the nuke dose to be lowered, resulting in a safer regimen. (The FDA label for Vemlidy has a black-box warning for lactic acidosis and for enlarged liver with steatosis.)

It’s too early to say much more about EDP-514; however, I like ENTA’s chances in HBV because the company has a proven record in developing safe and effective small-molecule drugs for HCV, as described in #msg-148063823.