Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Re: Clevudine MoA

the company also believes clevudine is unique in having better activity in reducing cccDNA, which could in theory contribute to better sustained response off therapy

I’m skeptical of these MoA claims about cccDNA. Let’s back up: Clevudine was created by a Korean company, Bukwang, who licensed the drug to VRUS but retained the commercial rights in Asia.

In Korea, where HBV is widespread, Clevudine thus has the dual advantages of being marketed by a Korean company and having more years on the market than any second-generation HBV drug. If Clevudine also had a MoA that was far superior to other second-generation nukes in its ability to clear cccDNA, wouldn’t you expect Clevudine to by the leading second-generation nuke in Korea by a wide margin? I would.

But, in fact, Baraclude outsells Clevudine in Korea despite the fact that it comes from a foreign company and it has been on the market for less time than Clevudine.

Something here doesn’t compute, and I think it’s VRUS’ outsized claims about Clevudine’s MoA.