Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: james paterson who wrote (74495)	8/18/1999 6:45:00 PM
From: Sabrejet	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164684

Now that's a bunch of crap James. Didn't your mom ever tell you don't chase a three legged dog with fleas? Back up the truck at 142??? To what?? You want shares that bad??? Don't worry. When I cover this short, I'll ask them to look for you! And just because you made this statement, I'll wait just an extra point longer to cover! Sabre!

To: james paterson who wrote (74495)	8/18/1999 7:26:00 PM
From: Glenn D. Rudolph	Respond to of 164684

Icos CEO Clark sees acquisitions ahead SEATTLE, Aug 18 (Reuters) - ICOS Corp. <ICOS.O> is actively seeking to buy or partner with smaller drug development companies to keep its product pipeline filled with promising new drugs, Chief Executive Officer Paul Clark said on Wednesday. Shunned by investors caught up in the Internet craze, many fledgling biotechnology companies lack the cash to fund lengthy research and development, so their stocks, or better still their products, can often be bought for a song, Clark said. "The bifurcation in the evaluations of biotechs between the larger (capitalizations), such as ourselves, and the smaller caps, means there are very good values in some smaller caps that actually have products in clinical research. The cost is not that high," Clark said. The company's market value or capitalization is $1.5 billion. Bothell, Washington-based ICOS has not yet marketed any drugs to the public but it has 10 drug applications in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, including a male erectile dysfunction treatment. Like most biotech companies, ICOS has yet to turn a profit, but its potential for big long-term payoffs has attracted several high profile investors, including Microsoft Corp. <MSFT.O> Chief Executive Officer Bill Gates. It also has $68 million in cash and partnerships with big drug companies including Abbott Laboratories Inc. <ABT.N> and Eli Lilly and Co. <LLY.N>. But many smaller drug companies just starting clinical trials have been less fortunate, their stocks languishing with investors turned off by the prospect of waiting five to 10 years for revenues to flow in. That makes some ripe for the picking, Clark said. "Quite frankly I'd prefer to just surgically remove the technology or the product I like as opposed to just buying the company, but if we have to buy it, fine," Clark told analysts at a conference here. ICOS shares closed at $34 on Wednesday, in the middle of its 52-week range of $14 to $48, down $1.19 in Nasdaq trade. Clark, who joined ICOS just two months ago, said his goal is to expand the company into a fully-integrated drug-maker, a process that will include extensive partnerships stretching from research through production and distribution. "If you look at the best (integrated companies), they bring in anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of their top line revenue from some type of external sources," Clark said. "We're going to be placing a lot of emphasis on looking at external opportunities." Clark said his acquisitive interests extend beyond the start-up biotech sphere and while he declined to discuss any specific targets, larger deals are possible. "We don't see the ability to raise cash as a limiting factor for us," Clark said. "We want to keep our own identity, so we're not looking to do anything so large that it would jeopardize that. But if the opportunity is a good one almost anything is within reason." REUTERS Rtr 18:34 08-18-99