Check for Neuroinvestment post on the subject. if I remember well there was a Boston institution doing a similar study and they were hired by AHP to do it. Apparently, they are neutral in the situation despite being paid by an interested party to the issue. The wording and numbers are similar to what Neuroinvestment quoted about 6 or 8 months ago.
Both IPIC and AHP knew this numbers and they still settled the case, something like $80 million$ for IPIC, and some $4 billion$ for AHP. They are blaming obesity for the valvular problems, but many "obese" fen-phen users were not so obese or not at all.
Besides the "new" valvular problems this drugs are well known to cause Pulmonary hypertension: 1 in 40,000. It is a complication with very high mortality and survivors are lung cripples forever to use supplemental oxygen.
My take is that AHP (and maybe IPIC) will try to drag the fight with more data. AHP will not pay as much as news indicates, they are settling to "cost of evaluations" and to "compensation" for damages, that is why money will go to a fund most probably controlled by AHP, a panel will decide case by case. The lawyers will win their part immediately (as usual, example the tobacco litigation). Allegedly affected subjects still can reject the settlement and pursue the company independently.
The drugs will not be market again (in the US)so IPIC will not get any benefit from today announcement.
IPIC has to pay their part in cash or company shares, so either loss of money or dilution.
IPIC hope is good Citicoline results (trial enrollment completed, pending data analysis, should be ready before the end of this year). Pagoclone is their other bet, but not so advance (begining phase III).
My position: this is very high risk, no assurances of good results, better to stay lurking untill data is out. |
