this has baffled me also. the research i did to see when a small biotech gets partnered or bought out by BP showed that it is in phase 2. BP does not care about phase 1 and phase 3 just means the company could not get a partnership in phase 2. Also, buy outs occur typically after there has been some sort of partnership in place for awhile. BP dips there toes first and sees if there is really something there before the buy out.

However, it seems that in the past few years, BP has changed an is much more conservative. They have gotten burned buy phase 2 drugs too many times and it cost billions to make that mistake. I also feel there is a lot of small biotechs that are born out of ex executives from a BP and they already have the fix on a buy out from day one.

Cytodyn is a garage band and has played this poorly. early on I think they would just get a phone call from BP and the deal would be done. That did not happen and they just kept truck'n along and blew right through the phase 2 window of opportinity and solidly put themselves in the "go it alone" camp. they did not have BP connections and they were looking way further down the horizon. This is good if you want maximum potential, but it is obviously a long bumpy road. the other good thing is they would never have know Leronlimab is a cancer, covid and Nash drug if they has been dealmakers with HIV at phase 2.

I just don't know how BP is so out of the picture on this, they likely are talking to them, but most of the typical signs of a major partnership or buy out seem to no more than theorys or rumor. maybe Nader getting canned is a way to not only get on track with the FDA but also with partners, I hope that is the outcome!