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.

Biotech / Medical : Biotransplant(BTRN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Arthur Radley who wrote (1253)	2/22/2002 2:10:22 PM
From: Arthur Radley	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1475

Our Problem Also... Friday February 22, 1:55 pm Eastern Time Xoma Shares Slide as Study Shows Rival May Have Competing Product By: Ellen Sheng Dow Jones Newswires NEW YORK -- Shares of biopharmaceutical company Xoma Ltd. stumbled Friday after a new study showed that Enbrel, a drug from rival Immunex Corp. (NasdaqNM: IMNX - news) , might compete for the psoriasis market. The study, discussed Friday at the American Academy of Dermatology conference in New Orleans , found that 56% of patients treated with Enbrel showed a 75% improvement in their psorasis. Twenty-one percent of patients treated showed a 90% improvement. By contrast, only 5% of patients treated with a placebo showed improvement. The new study puts pressure on Xoma (XOMA), which is currently in Phase III clinical trials, or late-stage efficacy studies, with Genentech Inc. (DNA) to refine its own psorasis drug, Xanelim. Although the Enbrel psorasis study is only in Phase II, Immunex's (IMNX) Enbrel has a head start because it is already on the market. The drug is currently approved as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Doctors who attend the conference would be able to prescribe the drug to psorasis patients even if Immunex cannot currently label the drug for those purposes. Xoma officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment. Psorasis is a chronic, genetic skin disorder. An Immunex spokeswoman said the study will be presented in full at the conference on Tuesday. A third competitor targeting the psorasis market is Biogen Inc. (NasdaqNM: BGEN - news) (BGEN), whose Amevive drug is in Phase III trials. Xoma shares were down $1.28, or 13% to $8.52 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Genentech (DNA) shares fell $1.22, or nearly 3% to $46.48 in the New York Stock Exchange trading.