Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (ENTA)

[willyw]

I don't think the viral rebound phenomenon is that common or too much of a problem. EDP-235 may have even less of a problem with rebound given its high potency and long half-life.
The biggest advantage for EDP-235 is indeed that it doesn't use ritonavir, and that advantage will be greatest in older patients since they are at higher risk for Covid and more likely to be taking other drugs.

https://www.aol.com/news/biden-tests-positive-covid-19-185019908-185837565.html

So both Fauci and now Biden have rebounded. I agree that it may not be a serious problem, but it may pose an opportunity. In the haste to get a drug approved Pfizer didn't try to evaluate a longer dosing period. What if Enanta did a 6 day versus 5 day (or 5 and 6 day cohorts) and there were no rebounds, even in a larger pool? It might help provide a quicker approval nod. Conversely, if Pfizer decided to test a longer duration, IF EUA is over would it be a much longer process? Either way- Enanta *may* have fewer rebounds. --Or perhaps it is merely a feature of covid and peoples immune system reactions.

IF in the process of testing on covid patients the drug was sufficiently differentiated from Paxlovid it really could encourage a more streamlined approval since the world needs it- not only the people, but economies.

Remember when Trump got infected and they pulled out all the stops to save him?

It may be very soon that the Enanta covid antiviral will be the first line of defense. If it is clearly superior I cannot imagine Paxlovid being used on future Fauci, Trump, or Biden like leaders.

As quickly as the virus has been mutating and continuing to pose a threat to people, economies, schools or supply lines it seems that vaccines alone will not provide a solution.

Unfortunately, as we are seeing that vaccines are providing less protection people are either waiting for the new improved versions- or worse yet they are rationalizing getting a booster isn't going to provide any benefit.

Getting to your second point- an approved drug that doesn't use Ritonavir may be more likely to be approved immediately by a doctor or pharmacist- thereby treating more immediately, having lower viral loads, less secondary immune/inflammation reactions, a quicker and more complete recovery. That may be more true for the older or more immune compromised or those with other co-morbidities. That's where we are really seeing the serious health consequences.

In short- there looks like there is a lot of need and potential upside to EDP-235.