Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

ABUS—Thoughts on AB-729 data?

The new data cut from the trial in question is not that different from the previous data cut reported by ABUS. I.e., of the 9 patients who had previously opted to stop nuc therapy (following a period of combination AB-729/nuc therapy that drove HBsAg to very low levels and an additional “consolidation” period on nuc monotherapy), one patient has now restarted nuc therapy at week 20 post-nuc-stoppage, while 8 patients remain in waiting mode (ranging from 12 to 44 weeks post-nuc- stoppage) to see if they eventually relapse.

If none of these 8 patients relapses in due course, it will be a big deal for AB-729 and for ABUS. However, in the meantime I would submit that ABUS is flogging essentially the same dataset over and over to divert attention from the other failures in its HBV program, such as the discontinuation of AB-836 that was buried deep within yesterday’s PR.