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 : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (839)	9/25/1998 9:35:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 1722

Bristol-Myers Tests AIDS Drug That May Have Once-Daily Dosing Bloomberg News September 24, 1998, 11:52 p.m. ET Bristol-Myers Tests AIDS Drug That May Have Once-Daily Dosing San Diego, Sept. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., the second largest U.S. drugmaker by sales, said early tests suggest its experimental AIDS drug, a new member of the powerful protease inhibitor class, could be effective when taken just once a day. If this proves to be the case in more advanced testing, Bristol-Myers' drug would have a clear advantage over existing protease inhibitors made by Merck & Co., Agouron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Roche Holding AG and Abbott Laboratories. Bristol-Myers could begin testing the drug in people with HIV in 1999. It applied earlier this month to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start extensive testing of the new drug. Protease inhibitors can have annual sales of $400 million to $500 million. ''We're excited,'' said Richard Colonno, who leads research into new drugs for infectious disease at Bristol-Myers. ''It has the potential to be a once-a-day drug.'' Demand for such drugs is strong. DuPont Co. last week won FDA approval of the first once-a-day AIDS drug, Sustiva. So far, it has shipped more than 90,000 bottles. People infected with HIV need simpler regimens than the complex combinations, or ''cocktails,'' of existing drugs they must now take. Protease inhibitors, such as Merck's Crixivan, are taken three times a day. Common drug combinations have people swallowing handfuls of pills five times a day. Missed or improperly taken doses help HIV learn how to resist the drugs. Eventually, some treatments can lose their effectiveness, leaving people with fewer options for fighting the potentially fatal virus. Researchers will present studies on the new Bristol-Myers AIDS drug this week at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in San Diego. Bristol-Myers acquired the drug through an agreement with its original developer, Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG, Colonno said. Bristol-Myers also will present a study that found its experimental hepatitis drug lobucavir was more effective than the leading approved treatment, Glaxo Wellcome Plc's 3TC, Colonno said. The New York-based drugmaker also will present studies of a new antibiotic, Tequin, also known as gatifloxacin. Tequin and lobucavir are both in the last of the three stages of testing required to apply for FDA approval. --Kerry Dooley and Kristin Jensen in San Diego through the New

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (839)	9/25/1998 9:37:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1722

Glaxo Wellcome Cut to 'Hold' at Goldman Sachs; Shares Fall Bloomberg News September 25, 1998, 4:28 a.m. ET London, Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Goldman, Sachs & Co. removed Glaxo Wellcome Plc from its recommended list, effectively cutting the drugmaker's stock to ''hold'' from ''buy,'' said Goldman analyst John A. Murphy. ''This is a quality stock, but we would not put fresh funds into this stock at this level,'' said Murphy. He said the brokerage recommends French drugmakers Sanofi SA and Rhone- Poulenc SA as its current picks in European drug stocks. Glaxo shares fell 101 pence, or 5.6 percent, to 1,697p in early trading. Glaxo, the world's No. 2 drugmaker, ''has been a fantastic performer,'' said Murphy, gaining 65 percent in value since the beginning of 1997. Glaxo, which leads the drug industry in sales of AIDS, asthma and migraine drugs, could face ''difficult'' markets for some of its newer products, said Murphy. Drugs that face competitive or market challenges include Amerge, a migraine drug; Raxar, an antibiotic; its hepatitis B drug lamivudine; and Zyban, a smoking cessation drug, he said. ''Some of the products are in difficult areas, and given the outlook for Asia, the growth expectations are going to be challenging for Glaxo,'' said Murphy. Glaxo is expected to release positive news about its new influenza treatment today at a conference in San Diego. --Dane Hamilton in the London newsroom (44-171) 330-7727/ph