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Biotech / Medical : Ligand (LGND) Breakout! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/16/1997 9:57:00 PM
From: lavalamp	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 32384

Courtney, I am sorry for the problem your Dad is facing. Unfortunately, many of us have undergone these sort of problems. I am willing to listen to your concerns and fears. You have a lot to handle right now, and S.I. can be good for you. I hope the rest of the thread will cut you a small amount of slack and allow Henry to show you that he is not a stock tout but a very educated scientist . I suspect we can show you several sites for discussions about on going Parkinson research. I hope we can help you in some way. Please allow us the opportunity. My best to your Dad.

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/16/1997 10:16:00 PM
From: Andrew H	Respond to of 32384

Courtney, I, for one appreciate your new tone of civility. I am sorry to hear about your father's Parkinson's. I lost my father about a year ago to Brain cancer. There are a number of interesting experimental treatments on the horizon for Parkinson's, and I will put out a call on a couple of threads to see if we can help you find pertinent information. I have reprinted one article below--this treatment is in its infancy, but since your father's disease is early, perhaps it may be useful in a few years. Also, check out post 11280--more info can be found by contacting the GENZL people. Just a couple of comments in regard to Henry's posting on the biotech bash thread and Dale's responses. IMO, Henry does sometimes get carried away in his posting about LGND on other threads, although his intentions are never malicious. I too found it to be an interesting thread with a lot of potential. However, Dale, IMO, responded in a very immature and hostile way. Check his posts again and see what you think. For example: exchange2000.com exchange2000.com >>LONDON - British scientists said today they have developed a technique to repair damaged brain tissue that could led to new treatments for stroke patients, as well as for Alzheimer's disease. The scientists, headed by Professor Jeffrey Gray, expect to start clinical trials on humans within a few years, said Dan Charlton, spokesman for the Maudesley Hospital's Institute of Psychiatry. Gray's team members said they subjected laboratory rats to simulated heart attacks to cause severe brain damage and then injected the rats with brain cells from mice embryos. The rats recovered completely and performed complex tasks, including navigating through milky water to a platform to avoid drowning. The breakthrough, the researchers say, is that the injected brain cells - neuroepithelial stems cells, or NESCs - migrated to the damaged sites in the rats' brains and then adopted the characteristics of the dead cells. ''What makes this innovative is that the cells are laboratory-manufactured and that they migrate to the part of the brain which needs repair,'' Charlton said. Brain cells, unlike cells in other parts of the body, are not naturally replaced. The Maudsley team hopes the technique can be used to reverse degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as brain damage from strokes and heart attacks. In 1995, scientists at the Salk Institute in San Diego reported experiments showing that the memories of brain-damaged rats improved after injections with modified skin cells. The injections increased the brain's supply of acetylcholine, a substance reduced in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The Salk Institute said it was too early to say if their experiments would lead to a treatment for Alzheimer's. At present, relatively small numbers of patients with Parkinson's disease, which causes uncontrolled trembling, have been treated with cells from human fetuses. Gray says his team has also discovered a way of force-growing millions of fetal brain stem cells in the laboratory, dramatically reducing the need for human fetal cells. The technique involves using a cancer gene that switches on below body temperature. ''The ethical news is almost all good,'' Gray told a London newspaper, The Independent. ''All the issues about using aborted fetuses will disappear. ... We can treat a wide range of diseases.'' The researchers first published their findings in June in the British journal Neuroscience and publicized them this week after forming a company, ReNeuron, which will fund continued research and sell the product. The Maudsley team has formed a company in conjunction with Merlin Ventures Ltd., British biotechnology entrepreneurs. Merlin already is financing three British research projects dealing with aspects of cancer, cardiovascular disease and infectious diseases. <<

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/16/1997 10:33:00 PM
From: Flagrante Delictu	Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 32384

Courtney,>> You are constantly referring to inside souces: << You have demonstrated a wonderful command of the written language. You seem to indicate that integrity is important to you. Therefore, kindly demonstrate your integrity to us by referring to the posts that show that Dr. Henry Niman is "constantly referring to inside souces". I for one will judge your reverence for integrity based on your response to my request that you produce the evidence that our beloved Dr. Niman is "constantly referring to inside souces". Bernie McDermott

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/16/1997 10:35:00 PM
From: Hippieslayer	Respond to of 32384

Courtney, You have made some valid points regarding this thread. If anyone uses this thread to make an investment decision then I would love to become your broker! Just send me a signed, blank check. As far as the spat between Henry and Dr. Dale and how the thread was ruined, I'm at a loss on how one person can destroy a thread? If you don't want to respond here, you can e-mail me. Henry is a good source of information with regards to LGND. I can only speak for myself that he is not the reason why I'm an investor in LGND. It's their science as to why I am an investor. FYI, here is a link to an excellent site, if i remember correctly, that was posted by Henry: recap.com You can find a host of info on almost every biotech company. Also, you might want to check out CORX cortexpharm.com. They are working primarily on drugs related to Alzheimer's and schitzophrenia but they might have something in the pipeline for Parkinson's -which my great uncle died of many years ago. They are also close to you, in Irvine, though the 405 in midday can make it seem much farther away. I wish your family the best.

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/16/1997 11:05:00 PM
From: CYBERKEN	Respond to of 32384

Seems like every third co I look into is doing research with a Parkinson's angle. Your idea to brush up on them is excellent, and SI is certainly the place to start. One company of interest with a less-than-active thread is Cocensys (NASDAQ-COCN. I don't own any, but will from time-to-time:::very good early stage CNS work going on there). They just expanded a deal with Warner Lambert, part of which will explore antagonists of the AMPA glutamate receptor. They believe they may find a tool against Parkinson's in this area. The science folks here would be better than me for further clarification, but I'll try to throw you some new leads as much as possible. I can see the possibility of my own daughter engaging in a personal project of this nature in a few short years. Best of luck to you and your Dad.

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/17/1997 6:26:00 AM
From: lwd	Respond to of 32384

OFF TOPIC Courtney: Here's a link to Genzyme's web site. You can search Genzyme Tissue Repair's press releases for info on their Parkinson's treatment, NeuroCell-PD(TM). genzyme.com Also, a link for Medtronics web site: medtronic.com Lisa

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/17/1997 6:54:00 AM
From: lwd	Respond to of 32384

OFF TOPIC Courtney: A link for Guilford's web site: guilfordpharm.com Lisa P.S. I've been following this thread since last spring. My impression is that Henry's really okay. He has always been upfront about his association with Ligand and his financial interest. He debates with intelligence and facts and expects the same of others.

To: Courtney Willfore who wrote (11270)	11/21/1997 2:37:00 PM
From: Cheryl Galt	Respond to of 32384

OFF TOPIC to Courtney - Parkinson's Link --- Medtronic Device Brain 'Pacemaker' Quiets Tremors --- in the quarterly newsletter The Mayo Checkup, Fall 1997 "The first new treatment for disabling tremors in more than 30 years is available at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. The treatment uses an implanted, pacemaker-like device to deliver mild, electrical stimulation to block brain signals that cause tremor. The FDA approved it in August. " The article discusses essential tremor and a 76-year-old Parkinson's patient who was helped at Mayo Clinic by the new procedure. The complete article is on the Mayo Clinic's website, at the entry point mayo.edu ("Mailed four times a year to patients of Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, The Mayo Checkup helps patients stay in touch with new programs and services at the clinic. ") -------------------------------------------- Another article of interest -----to any patients/families seeking access to leading-edge treatments: --- Healthcare Reform: Access is Critical ----- mayo.edu states the Mayo Clinic's position on the related issues of patient access, managed care plans, and healthcare reform legislation. The article encourages readers to "make a difference in this ongoing debate." -------------------------------------------- I hope your Dad's symptoms remain at the early stage for a very L O N G time, giving researchers plenty of time to find solutions and remediation. Congratulations on your pro-active response to this personal challenge. Perhaps your search may even have the side affect of leading you a fulfilling career. ... Regards, Cheryl Galt PS - Please feel no need to respond. As you've noticed, the thread count is in no need of a boost! <G>