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Biotech / Medical : Centocor ( CNTO ) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Douglas Babbin who wrote (862)	12/4/1998 2:59:00 PM
From: FNS	Respond to of 965

Douglas: Re <<I believe it began instead with the allergic reaction patients had when switching from an older Remicade formulation to the new powder formulation for those with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Correct me if I'm wrong.>> Exactly how I feel...and there was a question regarding "impurity" in the first formula, I believe. Anyhow, CNTO CREDIBILITY has been damaged! Now time for management to come clean so to speak and show results...better than expected QTRLY earnings would be a good start. CNTO can not afford anymore screw ups. Godd luck all. FNS

To: Douglas Babbin who wrote (862)	12/4/1998 5:55:00 PM
From: Biomaven	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 965

Doug, The selloff was likely related to some probable hypersensitivity reactions in Crohn's patients retreated after a few years. The concern is whether this means you can't retreat Crohn's patients and, more importantly, whether the same problems are going to show up in RA patients that are receiving repeated infusions. To date, there have been no reported case of this happening in RA patients, but it certainly raises the bar for FDA approval for RA. It is possible that the reaction is likely only for patients who had originally received the original formulation some three years back. It is also possible that giving the drug in combination with methotrexate prevents any such reaction. However, these reactions make it unlikely that doctors will use Remicade off-label for RA until the FDA has blessed it - this gives Enbrel at least a several month lead, which hurts CNTO to some extent. However, my bottom line is that these problems are now reflected in the stock price, and that's why I reentered, albeit with a small position. Peter