Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ENTA) saw its shares drop 14% following news that its investigational RSV therapy, zelicapavir, did not achieve the primary endpoint in a Phase 2b study involving high-risk adult patients.
The trial focused on the time it took for four key lower respiratory tract symptoms to improve to a mild level, which represented the study’s main objective. Zelicapavir did not demonstrate a statistically significant effect on this measure.
Despite the setback, Enanta highlighted that the study successfully reached its secondary endpoint, which assessed improvements in the Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGIS) score.
The company also reported that zelicapavir showed a strong antiviral response against RSV in secondary virology assessments. Nevertheless, these positive results were insufficient to calm investor concerns over the primary endpoint miss.
Respiratory syncytial virus is a widespread pathogen that usually causes mild cold-like illness but can be dangerous for infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Developing effective RSV therapies remains a priority for the biopharmaceutical sector.
Enanta said it will continue advancing its pipeline of antiviral candidates targeting multiple infectious diseases, despite the latest trial outcome.
Enanta Pharmaceuticals stock price
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