This thread is an alternative to the other thread on Ligand, the one dominated by Henry Niman's extremely numerous and extremely scientific postings.
While I am ingratiated to Henry for his posts and really don't know of someone better informed to speak about Ligand, the endless posting of numerous lengthy abstracts, data, heavily scientific discussions, etc, all by the same person does not create a forum-like atmosphere where someone can quickly come up to speed on a company and their stock.
I hope Henry will participate on this thread as well, but perhaps with an eye towards the cognitive abilities of the non-PhD in life-sciences, and definitely will not use this thread as a de facto bio-sciences library.
What do I know about Ligand? LGND is recommended by both McCamant's Medical Technology Stock Letter (buy up to 14, but this is an old number, likely to change) and Michael Murphy's California Technology Stock Letter (buy up to 14). The stock ran from 11 to 17, beginning at the start of the Robertson-Stephens conference in Dec, and stopping abruptly and turning around the day of LGND's presentation at Hambrecht & Quist in Jan. Since then its dropped back to 15. Anyone know why it sold off the day of their presentation? Anyone know the next relevant conference and or FDA meeting for LGND?
Also, any trading-related info would be very useful. I know that Fidelity Select Biotechnology in Q2 1996 took a very large position; but also that some other fund in the Fidelity family sold 1/2 million shares to Bankers Trust in Q2 1996, BT are traders, not holders of stock, typically. This may somehow be related to the arbitrage possibilities with the ALRIZ warrants (= two LGND 5 yr warrants at 7.125 + 1 ALRI warrant (ALRI symbol for ALRI, holding company for retinoid patent portfolio, will trade on NASDAQ in June )).
LGND has developed a number of molecules (retinoids chiefly) which can combat cancer, diabetes, and obesity by influencing the amount/type of endogenous ligands in the bloodstream. These ligands in turn bind to cell rececptor sites and influence cell behaviour - such as uptake of sugars.
Currently a number of the cancer drugs are in Phase III trials for humans. My question to anyone is :
Isn't the chief danger to FDA approval of LGND's science the various possible
complications in humans of synthetically altered endogenous ligands? Complications
which will only become wide-scale apparent in broad phase III trials : namely,
non-specificity, over-stimulation, & inappropriate residence half-life of ligand in the
blood.
In other words, all has gone well on the high-wire act up to show-time but now all
sorts of unanticipated and/or effects previously removed by isolation can come into
play -- like someone in the audience distracting the performer. |
