Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Re: HBsAg (ASMB/ENTA/JNJ/Roche)

Roche and JNJ probably don't agree with [ASMB’s] assertion as the rich deals they struck to get RNAi drugs for hep b is probably because of the ability of the drugs to lower HBsAg.

For approaches to curing chronic HBV that attempt to harness the immune system, HBsAg may be relevant for the reason outlined by ‘dangerM’ in #msg-151770469.

On the other hand, if one is trying to cure HBV using only a cocktail of DAAs (ASMB's approach), then HBsAg may not matter much, if at all. I.e., if a drug regimen can stop the creation of new cccDNA, infected hepatocytes will eventually die from natural senescence. In the meantime, HBsAg that is generated by integrated HBV DNA (rather than cccDNA) is innocuous insofar as it cannot lead to the formation of cccDNA or newly infected hepatocytes.

p.s. Big companies are not always right when it comes to the MoA of complex diseases, as we’ve seen in spades with Alzheimer’s.