Is Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Close to a Cure for HBV?

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARWR) saw its stock price rise from $20 to over $70 last year on the basis of no news. A similar decline occurred in reverse this year -- again on the basis of no material news whatsoever. Massive speculation on the stock may be related to its flagship candidate, ARO-HBV, which has demonstrated in clinical trials to best efficacy against current standards of care for combating the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Is this potentially a functional cure for the condition, or have investors become too hyped on its potential? Let's find out together.

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Hepatitis B is a serious infection of the liver caused by HBV; it's spread via body fluids. The disease affects an estimated 257 million people worldwide, including about 850,000 in the U.S. Its total addressable market is estimated to scale to $3 billion globally by 2024. Although there is a vaccine available, it has no therapeutic effect if it is not given in a timely manner after exposure.

Source Fool.com