Replies to post #224678 on Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

ENTA/ASMB—Under no pressure from the investment community to rush its HBV program (thanks to the ample royalty income from HCV and its further advanced clinical programs in NASH and RSV), ENTA has spent several years selecting its lead HBV candidate, which is the polar opposite of the approach taken by ASBM. In short, I’m pretty confident that ENTA’s HBV CpAM compound will be a good one.

[DewDiligence]

ASMB/ENTA—[JT] seems to be questioning the whole HBsAg theory.

I would say JT is questioning the notion that one can obtain a functional cure in HBV by modulating the immune system, and I share such skepticism (as noted in some prior posts on this board).

If an immune-modulated functional cure is not attainable, it’s bullish rather than bearish for such companies as ENTA and ASBM, who are developing (small-molecule) direct-viral inhibitors.

p.s. HBsAg has little to with this discussion, IMO. It’s more of a disease biomarker than a cause of chronic infection.