As "one of the innate immune pathways that gets triggered post-viral infection," RIG-1 – which stands for retinoic acid inducible gene-1 – was first investigated as a way to attack bugs, Kineta Inc.'s Chief Scientific Officer Kristin Bedard told BioWorld, and Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals Inc. lately has gained attention for its RIG-1 push in hepatitis B virus (HBV).