I finally took a position in NBIX at 4 1/4 (actually my son's college account). I like their portfolio, as it seems quite certain that one of their compounds will make it. Other companies with CRF-1 antagonist programs are Pfizer, DuPont-Merck, and Neurogen, among others. Being first in Phase II is a bonus, as is having the receptor patent positions. I hope that NBIX has a stable of backup compounds, but I have no information on this front. I've heard that there are ways around the receptor patent situation, but I figure it could slow down the discovery process. I might disagree a bit with Dr. Neuroinvestment regarding the CRF-1 mechanism, as perhaps it might not be good to shut down completely the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis. Perhaps the hypothalamic paraventricular CRF-1 sites are more directly linked to the situation in depression, and not those in corticotropes. In this regard, Wylie Vale's lab has shown recently in an Endocrinology paper that CRF-1 receptor KO mice can still mount an increase in peripheral ACTH and cortisol in the face of stressors such as systemic inflammation. All in all, CRF-1 antagonists still remain a good mechanism for the treatment of depression.
BJ |
