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Biotech / Medical : VPHM - Viropharma Inc -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: scaram(o)uche who wrote (858)	12/21/2001 5:09:39 PM
From: IRWIN JAMES FRANKEL	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 2557

Thanks Richard for a very thoughtful response. Normally. I think of convertible bonds as more equity if things go well and as debt on the down side accelerating a decline. But VPHM's conversion price is so high (109) that it makes more sense to view it as debt unless things go very well indeed. I view the reimbursement issue from the perspective of an employer. This may sound crass but one of the reasons that I want good medical insurance for my employees is to boost productivity. I can't get a good days work out of sick workers or those who are spending time at the emergency room. So picovir sounds like the kind of medicine that I want practiced. (Return employees to work, keep them from getting secondary infections and from infecting other workers.) I think the economics of that are sound. (The more I say the more crass it sounds. Sorry but I do believe in being productive and that all benefit from that.) The HCV program is now distant enough in time that it is not important to the valuation - the stock will rise or fall on picovir. Thanks again - I do appreciate the time you took, ij

To: scaram(o)uche who wrote (858)	12/28/2001 9:59:51 AM
From: tuck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2557

"4. Soros has sold a few of his shares, probably spooking some investors." >>WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (Reuters) - A group of investors that includes financier George Soros has lowered its stake in ViroPharma Inc. (NasdaqNM:VPHM - news) to 8.58 percent from 10.3 percent, according to a regulatory filing. The group now holds about 1.7 million common shares of the Exton, Pennsylvania-based biotechnology firm. The change was disclosed in a filing made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission late on Thursday. No reason for the change was provided. The group sold 500,000 shares on the open market between Nov. 2 and Dec. 19 at prices ranging from $20.03 to $22.38 a share, the filing showed. ViroPharma shares closed at $22.15 on Nasdaq Thursday.<< Cheers, Tuck