Irwin, re MAXM
Is it fair for me to contribute to a question directed to PS even if it maybe belongs on the co thread? I’m new around here. If so,
MAXM. I own some and think it will do well, but I certainly wouldn’t make a case that it is underpriced.
The letter to shareholders or annual report did the best job yet explaining the refinements one must make to understand the Phase III melanoma data. You should try to get it.
First, those with liver mets enjoyed a statistically sign improvement in survival over IFN, and the FDA will allow the co to apply for approval for this subset—with priority review. I believe this was a previously acknowledged subset by the FDA so a primary endpoint was made without any shenanigans. But will this limit the label? The entire treatment group, which showed an apparent survival advantage, did not do so with statistical significance. I forget the result (whether sig or not) when results were controlled for the optimal administration (supervised, or monitored for compliance), but I think they were also favorable and significant. In all groups, there was significantly improved quality of life. Patients treated themselves at home, with less IFN I believe. Another lingering issue that I don’t understand is whether patients were getting the “therapeutic” dose of IFN. You should know Rick absolutely reamed the data on Y! when first issued, that ought to be enough to warn one to tread lightly. It was a long, somewhat twisted PR, and I don’t know if the many restatements since have softened his opinion.
The Hep C data is very good, but not total off-the-wall blowouts as some were expecting—though it sure seems like maybe Maximine could go well with everything! Many take comfort in the positive involvement of the liver between the melanoma subset and Hep C. MAXM signed a important agreement with Roche for combined trails with its new branched PEG product. But am I wrong or isn’t enzn, armed with a new patent, now suing roche over this product? Too bad, Roche’s looks better than enzn’s so I hear.
More interesting to me, and just released is the preclinical study on the apoptosis inhibitor for I/R injury acquired in the recent Cytovia acquisition. To me, that one could be really yummy though farther out.
Wilder |
