Dear BTA Holders. The Serbian order comments are precisely why marketing Relenza for treatment of seasonal flu on prescription from GPs makes sense.
It appears Japan is the only country that pursues this wider use strategy.
If they (WHO/CDC) are concerned about resistance emerging prior to a major 1918 style flu pandemic then the Japan usage blows that thinking out of the water.
(Note: WHO could not get the 2012 Southern Hemisphere H3N2 vaccine target right which is why this strain is currently causing widespread influenza in Australia.)
On a more economic rationalist approach, why would a company (like Biota for example) invest more capital in developing a new influenza antiviral when they are restricted to stockpiling and can't sell it on the open market??
Far better to utilise the existing product for seasonal flu and encourage dvelopment of 3rd and 4th generation antivirals.
It is bizarre that Biota has a US$342m grant from the US government to progress 2nd generation flu antiviral LANI through clinical trials and manufacture and yet BTA's market value sits at about AU$125m.
Presumably the low share price hovering around $0.70 is based on cash flow with no factoring in of pipeline (Hepatitis C, Common cold etc) or the fact that progression of LANI in the US has been derisked particularly as LANI has been trialled successfully and registered for use in Japan.
Management should actively pursue use of Relenza for seasonal flu.
Regards Kangaroo1
BTA Price at posting:
69.0¢ Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
