Enyo Pharma gets a $24M funding boost for hep B cure candidate

[chihep]

http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/enyo-pharma-gets-24m-funding-boost-hep-b-cure-candidate/2016-02-03

The new French biotech Enyo Pharma has raised a good chunk of money in its first round of financing as it looks to start human testing for a potential hepatitis B cure.

The company, which was founded in 2014, raised €22 million ($24 million) in Series A financing, led by venture capital firm Sofinnova Partners, with the money coming from an international investors' syndicate composed of Morningside Ventures and Bpifrance, through its Innobio fund.

.....The company says its main candidate EYP001, in combination with currently approved viral polymerase inhibitors--i.e., Gilead Sciences' ($GILD) curative hep C drugs Harvoni and Sovaldi--is expected to cure hep B after a 6-month treatment.

Current medicines are not curative but simply manage the disease. This means any new drug which could eradicate the condition would be highly successful....

...."We have a number of scenarios in mind outside of this funding route," she said. "... It's clear we need to find the next Sovaldi for hepatitis B. I think there is scope for a Big Pharma company to get involved. It's an exciting field and drug and the goal of curing hepatitis B is a hot one, and we know Big Pharma firms are interested in the area."....

.....The new funds raised will be used to accelerate the deployment of the biotech's programs, and help it begin Phase 1 clinical trials for EYP001 in Q3 and Q4....

[studyforhope]

Certainly not inhibitors of the hbv polymerase. But sovaldi is an inhibitor of the hepatitis c polymerase, also contained in the combo harvoni. I agree the statement is very misleading.

[Jatashankar]

these news give a lil smile to everyone :)

[chihep]

I attached the link found this information.

http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/enyo-pharma-gets-24m-funding-boost-hep-b-cure-candidate/2016-02-03

Probably, the source was incorrect.
Thank you for clarification.

[StephenCastlecrag]

"....The company says its main candidate EYP001, in combination with currently approved viral polymerase inhibitors--i.e., Gilead Sciences' ($GILD) curative hep C drugs Harvoni and Sovaldi--is expected to cure hep B after a 6-month treatment."

This statement was not part of the official press release and in my opinion is definitely wrong(Harvoni & Sovaldi are not polymerase inhibitors).