Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

>IDIX: Are you actively selling into this, or holding the bulk?<

I haven’t sold any IDIX shares.

What some people may have forgotten about IDIX is that it’s a bona fide drug-discovery company, and this is one of the reasons NVS paid big money to acquire a majority stake. As a result, IDIX has always had internally-generated backup compounds in HCV to bring forward in the event that NM283 didn’t work out. This is in contrast to “virtual” biotech companies that have to go out and in-license something new if a drug candidate flops.

The future SoC in HCV will almost certainly include at least one nucleoside/nucleotide, and there are now only two nukes ahead of IDX184 (R7128 and R1626). So this is itself a pretty big opportunity for a company that the market had left for dead.

The HIV opportunity is also compelling, IMO. If the head-to-head trial vs Sustiva (Truvada+IDX899 vs Truvada+Sustiva) works out, IDIX ought to be able to ink a very lucrative partnership deal (#msg-25885594).

Moreover, Tyzeka could still generate significant royalty income for IDIX if NVS can figure out how to position it in the growing HBV arena.

Last but not least, you get $100M+ of cash on the balance sheet with no debt.

What’s not to like?