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 : IGEN International -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: James Perry who wrote (383)	6/30/1998 1:00:00 PM
From: xiangheng xu	Respond to of 1025

I outsmarted myself. Sold all of my 2k shares at 37 3/4 yesterday.

To: James Perry who wrote (383)	7/3/1998 12:42:00 AM
From: John Zwiener	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1025

Hi James, that's pretty much how instruments are placed in the US now, you don't pay for the instrument, but you pay for reportable result. Renee, the single plate reader seems to be a 96 well or whatever well plate that is placed in the conveyor and read. A bit like the HTP model, but reads one plate at a time. POC. I've been doing some reading and talking as well as taking stock of what is happening around me. POC is making solid inroads, mainly as POC glucose testing for diabetics as they get their glucose under control and insulin is titrated. Now the MI panel POC seems to be getting attention since this definitely improves care, especially in the first couple of hours of an MI. I think this will become standard in ERs, ICU's, doc offices, and ambulances over the next 5 years. I have been aware of this but did not consider the revenues that may flow this area until a couple of months ago. Now Now I can see other uses that are not considered vital or time urgent (in the sense that a couple of hours makes a difference). In routine testing in a hospital, 8 or more hours goes by before the next round is made to draw blood, process and test it, and then get the result to the doctor. In reality, a day often goes by before it comes to the doc's attention. The problem is perception I think, because a delay doesn't always seem to make that much difference when all things are considered, plus the main thing is that you don't SEE the difference over the timeframe of an illness. Nevertheless, in studies, there is a difference (and if you back away, common sense tells you it makes a difference). Plus, the way things are organized, it's too difficult to keep track of everything, and the labs have delays which frustrate the most careful doc. What am I getting at. Going down the list of immunoassays, I can easily find examples where a rapid turnaround time would lead to a change or modification in therapy on the spot. And get people well and on their way faster. When Igen's POC comes out in a couple of years, I believe it will come with a full choice of tests covering everything, much as in the central lab. (Also, Igen seems to beat it's estimates, so maybe less than 2 or 2 1/2 years). For diagnosis, 7 minutes to rule out one set of differential dx, then 7 more minute with the next set, , to move on to other things, before, or while they are still being admitted, instead of looking at results the next day, and deciding what to do next. If lucky with results, a more specific treatment begins immediately instead of next day. With treatment, many diseases and treatments need to be monitered. What if drug is not reaching theraputic level, or is at a toxic level. A day or more is lost before successfully adjusting treatment, and the disease can make progress in the meantime results in increased chance of decreased outcome and more expense and delay. With toxic levels, it's nice to anticipate the complications for that specific drug. I also think POC will increase the market for immunoassays because of a realization of it's usefulness in rapid turnaround. In all, I think it's fair to at least consider POC as having moderate potential. Not ready to believe a 7 billion dollar potential (bigger than total worldwide sales for central labs), but I can see several billion because half of these sales are for uses indisputably aided by rapid turnaround. for reasons I may go into later, I think Igen will have the advantage in POC and will mainstream POC when it is introduced. By the way, someone keeps buying everytime Igen hits 39, over the last 3 days.