Biotron (ASX:BIT), the biotech company that skyrocketed 750 per cent in the space of a week after promising clinical trial results, will host a scientific advisory meeting with “internationally-recognised” HIV-1 experts in the coming weeks.

Biotron saw its shares move from a measly 2c to a high of 45c — a 2,150 per cent gain — over the course of three weeks in late September and October last year when it announced a “major step” towards curing HIV.

Its flagship drug, BIT225, was “having a unique effect in patients, over and above viral suppression seen with current antiretroviral drugs” in phase II trials of patients with HIV-1, the most common and infectious variety of HIV.

Biotron boss Dr Michelle Miller said at the time the test results were “a major step to the ultimate goal of curing HIV-1 infection”.

Since then, the company’s shares have seen significant easing; at close on Thursday they were trading at 8.1c, an 82 per cent drop on those head-spinning 45c highs.

But in a letter to shareholders on Thursday Miller reminded investors to be patient.

“Development of new drugs is not a fast process,” she said. “The strict international regulatory and safety requirements mean that there are no shortcuts. Similarly, partnerships in the biopharmaceutical industry take time.

“Biotron’s core antiviral programs have all these key elements. We have good relationships with the pharmaceutical companies active in this space and ongoing dialogue on these programs are in progress.”

To that end, Miller revealed the company would host a scientific/clinical advisory meeting” with HIV-1 experts, following an extended deep-dive into the data from the trial.

“Since the completion of the trial, we have been working on understanding exactly how treatment with BIT225 has generated this response,” she said.

“This testing of blood samples is proceeding well and providing key information that is helping us to understand the mechanism behind the results observed in the clinical trial. The results are showing us, and importantly, potential partners, how BIT225 works and how it can be used to eradicate HIV.”

Dr Miller told Stockhead last year that the company was seeking a partner to fund the next stage of trials.

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