$10 Billion Deal, page-5179

Biotron will become a target for take-over or major partnership thanks to their HIV and/or HBV success, and somewhat necessary for phase 3 HIV to begin. This is typical of Biotechs at this stage of their drug development life cycle, and MM has indicated as much. Nothing new here.

Regarding COVID-19, only if their compounds prove successful, will COVID influence any new partnership. Naturally of course, if one of their compounds was to be successful, Biotron will likely be taking their pick from the many large pharma lining up with offers. But all this is a sudden new twist to their main game, and as such there is not much more to say about it until the first nCoV results are known.

Since there has been mention of CSL, the only known relationship until now is that they are two of four Australian companies working on nCoV, and not necessarily together. Probably not in fact, apart from sharing some common data provided by the Doherty Institute, and possibly now NSW Health.

Before now, I'd never suggest that CSL is interested in Biotron, but if their future success comes to maximum fruition, then it wouldn't be wise to say never. But apart from that, there is not much more to comment on between the two as far as I can see.