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 : Agouron Pharmaceuticals (AGPH) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Oliver & Co who wrote (3811)	2/11/1998 6:09:00 PM
From: Peter Singleton	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 6136

fyi, a couple of AGPH-related points on the Reuters article on the BMY / Chiroscience MMP deal... _ of course the product dropped was Thymitaq, not AG3340, AGPH's MMP. Roche however discontinued support of AG3340, along with several other products / research initiatives they had rights to _ AGPH has some persuasive arguments that 3340 is new generation of MMP, similar to the claims of BMY and Chiroscience. _ and for Henry's benefit : ) most of us probably know that Glycomed was acquired by LGND a couple of years ago (95?) ... mostly for their cash, rather than for their product technology. Galardin completed PIII quite awhile ago for a niche application, and has been languishing, available for partnering, since then. Not the strongest technology asset in LGND's portfolio ... which is admittedly very strong. "Bristol-Myers and Chiroscience believe the two drugs represent a new generation of MMPs, reducing or eliminating side effects such as joint pain which have been seen in similar treatments drugs under development. The current MMP race leader is British Biotech Plc , whose inhibitor Marimastat is in late-stage trials against a range of cancers including pancreatic and small cell lung cancer. British Biotech shares were down 1-1/4 at 98-1/4. Other competitors include Germany's Bayer AG AG, whose BAY-129566 is in Phase II trials, while U.S. group Glycomed Inc and Japan's Sankyo Co Ltd have a joint product, Galardin, in late stage, or Phase III, development. Last month F. Hoffmann-La Roche and Agouron Pharmaceuticals Inc AGPH of California dropped work on an MMP inhibitor because they said it wasn't sufficiently superior to existing therapies to justify further investment."