Aligos Therapeutics (NasdaqCM:ALGS) 2025 Conference Transcript

Summary of Aligos Therapeutics Conference Call Company Overview - Company: Aligos Therapeutics (NasdaqCM:ALGS) - Event: Jefferies' London Healthcare Conference - Date: November 17, 2025 Key Points on Aligos Therapeutics and its Pipeline Lead Programs - PEVY/PhosCovir: Lead program targeting hepatitis B, previously known as ALG-000184 [2][3] - ALG-009: A beta thyroid agonist that has completed phase 2A testing, with potential applications in obesity and metabolic diseases [2][20] - Pan-coronavirus protease inhibitor: Currently undergoing a phase 2 study in the UK funded by the MRC [2] Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Insights - Prevalence: Approximately 250 million patients globally, with significant populations in China (70 million), the US (2-2.5 million), and Western Europe (14 million) [3] - Current Treatments: Standard care includes nucleoside analogs and pegylated interferon, but these have limitations, including progression to end-stage liver disease and liver cancer [4][5] - Unmet Medical Need: A study indicated that 4% of patients on nucleoside therapy developed hepatocellular carcinoma over five years, highlighting the need for more effective treatments [4] Mechanism of Action for PEVY - Capsid Assembly Modulators: PEVY is designed to block both the replication of HBV and the establishment of cccDNA, which is crucial for the virus's persistence [8][9] - Pharmacological Improvements: Oral bioavailability of PEVY was increased from 5% to 80% through laboratory modifications [9] - Clinical Results: In early studies, PEVY demonstrated significant reductions in HBV DNA, outperforming standard nucleoside therapies [11][12] Clinical Trial Data - Efficacy: By week 48, 60% of E positive patients were below the limit of quantitation for HBV DNA, and 100% of E negative patients achieved similar results [12][13] - Comparison with Standard Care: PEVY showed a greater log reduction in HBV DNA compared to tenofovir, a standard nucleoside analog [11][13] - Safety Profile: No patients discontinued therapy due to adverse events, indicating a favorable safety profile [15] Future Directions - Ongoing Studies: A phase 2 clinical study comparing PEVY to TDF is underway, with an interim analysis expected early next year [17][19] - Potential for Standard of Care: PEVY is positioned to become the standard for chronic suppression of HBV, especially for patients not eligible for functional cure therapies [19] ALG-009 Developments - Potency and Selectivity: ALG-009 has shown to be significantly more potent than existing beta thyroid agonists, with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile [20][21] - Phase 2b Readiness: The drug is ready to enter phase 2b trials, with promising data on fat reduction in liver disease [21] Additional Insights - Resistance Mechanism: PEVY has shown no emergence of drug-resistant variants in clinical studies, which is a significant advantage over previous capsid assembly modulators [24][25] - Regulatory Considerations: The ability to conduct monotherapy with PEVY is crucial for FDA approval for chronic suppression, differentiating it from previous therapies that required combination treatments [25] This summary encapsulates the critical aspects of Aligos Therapeutics' conference call, focusing on their innovative approaches to treating hepatitis B and metabolic diseases, as well as the promising data from their clinical trials.