ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Nipent(pentostatin)does have serious side effects: myelosupression, infections due to the immune supression, and life threatening events and fatal toxicities.It is indeed effective.
Ontak is limited to certain receptor uptake, about 50% of the patients. But oral panretin and targretin will not be limited to this group of patients.
Nipent and Ontak are intravenous drugs, Panretin oral will be have some advantages, and maybe Targretin oral (phase II) will come to.
The CTCL market for Ligand will comprise of every stage in CTCL
disease. This drugs, including Nipent, will eventually be used in combination, with maybe even better results.
Market size of $10 million vs $40 million? someone is right and someone is not. Supg is making good efforts for expansion into those $10 millions.
Ligand is organizing for marketing in Europe.
Spain-Latin America is ready to go with Ferrer International.
Maybe is the combined market $40 millions?
Japan and Asia are still out of deals for Ontak/Panretin, this is not by luck, it is strategy. Ligand could get a distribution arrangement with upfront payment (and more chances of profitability), or not.
Supg (Nipent), Ligd (ontak,panretin, targretin), Aronex(Nyotran), and many other companies target this small market leukemias and lymphomas because they are somewhat easier to target and prove response. CTCL is so obvious because is an skin lesion (part of the reason), then the companies will try to expand into other diseases. Similar strategies.
Ontak is one drug, Seragen is a platform technology with multiple applications. Ligand acquired with $40 millions a company that spend $500 millions in research and successful research, they got an approved drug in a completely new field of science: Fusion proteins.
And they obtained Marathon, a manufacturing facility for this technology. Even if not the US alone, but the world market is $40 millions a year they will get their money back in two or three years, after these it is a bargain. Ontak itself has potential for other disorders, and Fusion proteins has potential for many others.
Supergen story, I do not know much about it, I will not comment about their fate. Good luck. |
