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Biotech / Medical : Vivus: into single digits -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: BigKNY3 who wrote (115)	3/5/1998 9:37:00 PM
From: MissLil	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1016

Interesting post. The big issues always are, "Is the product any good?" and "Can management negotiate the rapids to pull it through?" I still think there's a reasonable chance that Vivus will get it together over the next year or two but I'm concerned about the 1Q predicted loss. Also, it seems that there has been some delay in the MCA plant approval. Sooner or later this will get worked out but meanwhile there's a lot of capital tied up. Is this your read too? What do you think about the marketing and the refill numbers? Another thing I've noticed is that it seems as though the stock will go up or down a few days before an announcement. Is there any reasonable explanation of this? Or is it my imagination?

To: BigKNY3 who wrote (115)	3/5/1998 11:26:00 PM
From: Cacaito	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1016

BigKNY3, Viuvs ad campaign for consumers will change and that is the end. I do not think they were idiots, they decided to go for some extra exposure, like the superbowl mess. Vivus should learn from Pfizer. The Feb/98 issue of CNS Spectrum (International Journal of Neuropsychiatric Medicine), usually sent free to another friend (a psychiatrist) is dedicated to Parkinson's Disease. It has a full article on "Impotence in Parkinson's Disease". It said that there are "600,000 male Parkinson's patients in the USA, and one third of these are impotent". The author, Abraham Liebermann, Executive Director of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center, Barrows Neurological Institute, Phoenix Arizona, still does not call it ED. Between pages #48 and #51 there is a Pfizer's Zoloft tow pages ad. Of course, he goes on and presents the treatments for this very particular condition (Parkinson's and ED is complex subject). The alternatives are given, Muse is never mentioned by name. There are references to prostagladin E injections (plus the priapism and penile pain). Then he really mess up: "Vasomex? contains phentolamine in a small pellet and is inserted into the urethra with an applicator. It is as effective as an injection of phentolamine. Prostaglandin E is usually more effective with fewer side effects than papaverine; however is more expensive". The last paragraph is title Sildenafil (surprised?)"that is not yet FDA approved, oral and potent, may be effetive in Parkinson's Disease" (could he at least add impotence or ED in this phrase, it badly sound as a treatment for PD, not ED.) Talking about subtle women voices in the ads. The quality of the article is very poor in many aspects, how this Executive director puts himself in the position of writing such a bad piece most probably in a rush. He also claims to use sometimes other treatments for ED like: garlic, snails, crayfish, mustard, vitamin E....... He forgot to include a french cajun restaurant in the list. But not only he does not mentioned Muse (approved by the FDA and proven very safe) but he writes about "Vasomex" a "phentolamine pellet for the urethra". But he does know well sildenafil and the Viagra brandname not yet FDA approved. Nicely put at the very end of the article. This is a Pfizer masterpiece, of course Pfizer will never violate the FDA guidelines, they have the experience Leland does not. No wonder Leland went out and talk about the massive competition from Pfizer. BigKNY3, I am not arguing the PFE investment, neither the company itself, neither viagra effectiveness or approval, just the relevant part about the misinformation spread. That someone like this "Executive Director" could talk about Parkinson's and ED so irresponsibly, a disease were many drugs are use and is very complex and be so easy on sildenafil with not a single mentioned of any side effects is horrible. This is an example of the worse out there. I hope your small Vivus investment pays as well as PFE in the last few years.