Oak,
SciClone's drug called, Zadaxin, is Thymosin Alpha-1 (Ta1). Ta1 is a natural protein developed by the thymus gland to stimulate the production of T cells that attack a virus or mutant radical cell. In the case of cancer, your body is fighting the radical cells, which in turn leaves less T cells to fight everyday infections. Ta1 boosts the production of T cells and therefore boosts the immune response in your body. It helps you fight the good fight! Maybe the last fight! The big push for Ta1 is as a weapon against the different hepatitis viruses.
Anti-EGFR drugs, such as ImClone's C225, have been found to be thoroughly successful (near 80% efficacy in one study) with radiotherapy but radiotherapy is the last choice when all else has failed. The damage created to healthy cells can, within 5 years, turn the surrounding, previously healthy cells mutated and cancerous. It can buy you 5 years though. Still the big push for ImClone is to prove out efficacy with chemotherapy (toxic but the damage is not reversible, as is radiotherapy). Pretty good results with chemotherapy so far, worthy of marketing approval for IMCL and C225.
SCLN is testing their Ta1 in the PACE chemotherapy trial as an adjuvant drug to boost the immune system in a dual purpose of helping the chemotherapy do its job and lessening the toxic overload to the system.
Both companies drugs will be approved eventually. Time is the factor.
Good trading,
JEB |
