I'd like to bring to your attention BRA on TSE(BIOMF on Nasdaq) if you already haven't got a bead on it. Biomira is an Edmonton based company that has sold off other assets to become a pure-play cancer-vaccine company. They are not looking for a cancer 'cure' but rather a vaccine profile to eliminate cancer risks as well as prolong lives of those affected. Their most promising drug is Theratope which has now started Phase III trials with about 900 patients enrolled that suffer from metastatic malignant breast cancer. Also in the pipeline they have MUC-1 for lung cancer as well as others. Their website is biomira.com if you want further info. The stock has recently increased over 100% in last couple of weeks to $6 + as we head into this weekend. This weekend there is a conference for investors in biotech company's that takes place Dec. 12 in Seattle, this is the preeminent showcase for biotech co's, Biomira is a presenter at the conference. I imagine that despite the already heightened interest in addition to the Businessweek article touting the technology, we will see a better following in the US as well as coverage by more US based analysts. The market for this product is huge and it is a risky investment being a biotech company. After doing your DD hopwever, I think you'll find this story is reaching the end of its long journey. I have been a shareholder for many years and finally I'm seeing the kind of interest that should've been forthcoming a year ago.
The possible profile on this stock when and if Theratope(not including the other drugs in the pipeline) is approved in $200.+ using similar models for Biochem Pharma and Biovail. Biomira's target market is almost eight times larger than Biochem's.
Here is a better description:
Biomira Inc. is a biotechnology company committed to the development of cancer therapeutics based on its proprietary immunotherapy and organic chemistry technologies. Biomira has four lead product candidates, two in clinical trials. The lead candidate, THERATOPE® vaccine, is scheduled to begin a Phase III clinical trial of 900 evaluable breast cancer patients in the last quarter of 1998. The other vaccine, BLP25, began a Phase I trial in the third quarter of 1998. With approximately 200,000 breast cancer cases diagnosed in North America in 1997 and over 2.2 million breast cancer survivors, cancer vaccines have the potential to dramatically improve the lives of thousands of patients.
Biomira researchers discovered one of the reasons the immune system fails to respond effectively to cancer cells. Reported by the scientific journal, Nature Medicine, the Biomira study found that the glycoprotein MUC-1 mucin, which is secreted by 90% of all solid-tumor cancer cells, acts as an inhibitor of T-cells, and that the protein interleukin 2 (IL-2 can completely reverse such inhibition. Both Biomira vaccines are based on these discoveries. Unlike chemotherapy, surgery and radiation treatments that target both healthy and diseased tissue and often cause side effects, Biomira's technology targets only antigens, therefore minimizing toxicity. These vaccines may improve survival and treatment rates so significantly that patients will be able to maintain and tolerate cancer tumors while still leading normal lives. |
