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Biotech / Medical : Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tommysdad who wrote (416)	5/16/2000 9:27:00 PM
From: Pseudo Biologist	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1169

Thanks for your insights, as usual. BioCentury's story on the deal does mention JNK3 (c-jun-N-terminal kinase 3) as a target being in "preclinical development" and it states that "VRTX said (this target) is associated with neurological disease." Story also says that VRTX "had been working on several kinase subfamilies, including MAPK (p38 and VX-745 to be specific),JNK and ERK, each with a lead compound classes identified." On previous forays by Novartis's (NVS as of last week in the NYSE) predecessors into biotech, who can forget Sandoz's great gene therapy adventure(s)? (also mentioned in BioCentury). Let's see if we can get another trip down memory lane courtesy of biowa the historian -g- Last, it is interesting to compare this $800M biobuck deal with the $600M takeover of another kinase shop, SUGN by PNU/PHA. But maybe this should go to the valuation thread, or is it the new plateau? PB

To: tommysdad who wrote (416)	5/17/2000 12:27:00 PM
From: biowa	Respond to of 1169

td, Thank you for turning the discussion to the kinase pipeline where it belongs. Before we depart memory lane, however, a link to a post on CHIR thread that details where NVS stands today (44% of CHIR). Message 13722104 And, yes when they bought in diagnostics was very promising, but CHIR sold that away last year. As for what Sandoz did in gene therapy, PB, some things are just too awful and we block them from our memories. <g> Little respect for CHIR, much respect for JB and crew at VRTX (though they still have to get a blockbuster through to market successfully). biowa (NOT one of the ten best biotech investors)