So we really have a broad set of things that we believe will, that can make a huge patient impact in the future that will be entering in the clinic in the next couple of years. Going backwards then to your questions around HPV, in terms of partial cure, I think that this is a, an area that’s what I would say evolving in regulatory science. As you know, the guidelines for the EU and the U.S. are somewhat different. And so right now, that is going to be something we need to follow. As you know, whether or not you could achieve patients who do not require treatment because their DNA is suppressed but their HPV service antigen is still present is sort of a middle ground that people are still unclear on. So certainly that is a fallback position one could always take, but I think the important thing, as you said, is truly to achieve an HPV functional cure, which is, as you defined, loss of surface antigen six months after the end of treatment.
With regard to what the bar is, I actually don’t think 30% is a regulatory bar. I think 30% is a gross estimate of what we would consider clinically meaningful to patients and that obviously always comes with context. What do I mean by that, Patrick? So for example, if you were able to achieve a functional cure of, let’s say, 20% but you were able to do it with a simple set of injections that had very minimal side effects and very well tolerated, I think people would be willing, and patients more importantly, would be certainly willing to give that a try. Because what you’re offering to patients is, I’m going to give you a regimen that is extremely well tolerated that has a one in five chance of really benefiting you. Versus on the other hand, if it is, for example, an interferon containing regimen, I think that the functional cure rate would probably have to be higher because of course then they have to balance the tolerability concerns with the chance of benefit.
So I think 30% is more of a ballpark over the thumb estimate many clinicians will give you. I don’t think it’s a regulatory bar. I think it is a rule of thumb and context is going to really matter.
Marianne De Backer : Thank you, Phil. And Patrick, just to reiterate what we have focused here today is on discussing those preclinical candidates for which we could potentially expect an IND within the next 24 months. Thank you.
Patrick Trucchio : Thank you so much.
Operator: All right, if there are no other questions, I will now turn the call back over to Dr. Marianne De Backer.
Marianne De Backer : Thank you, operator, and thank you all again for your attention today. Vir Biotechnology is a truly vibrant and dynamic company that I believe is poised for significant growth and most importantly for patient impact. I am thrilled to lead Vir into what I believe will be the next transformational trajectory, as we build on the progress that we have achieved so far. I feel confident that we have the internal scientific expertise and the passion to power our mission forward. So thank you all for joining us here today. We really appreciate your time and your interest in Vir Biotechnology. Thank you. Operator, you may end the call.
Operator: This concludes the meeting. You may now disconnect.
