Pete, the MtTA took place with a backdrop of Biogen seeking the "holy grail" of M/S, nerve sheath remyelination. You effect remyelination and you revolutionize M/S treatment and render much of that current drug market obsolete. Since Biogen derives most of its revenue from its M/S drugs the MTA was/is a pivotal event. Meanwhile, Biogen is proceeding with a hugely expensive 2700 participant P3 for Aducanumab for AD. That participant population has been moved way left to pre and mild Alzheimer's and will not read out until 2020. A successful ANAVEX 2-73 P3 for AD torpedoes Aducanumab in the Bermuda Triangle of Amyloid Beta and Tau.
This is why Biogen faces IMHO a critical decision over the ANAVEX partnership. It has more to win or lose than any other Bio/Pharma but, if they hesitate or play hardball there are others I believe in the wings.
Little more DD on the subject from a July post.
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Plex, Me too. Given apparent positive results of the MTA and the negative results (see my post from earlier this month the subject) of Biogen's remyelination drugs, I think we might just see a joint ANAVEX/BIOGEN PR on the subject of collaboration/partnership in further testing of 2-73 for M/S.
A mixture of conjecture, hope and DD.
------ (from a 2 July post. Correction. Opiicinumab was in a P2 trial)
Here is some DD on the MTA with Biogen.
Anavex announced the signing of the MTA with Biogen in Sep of last year. It was to consist of an OPC assay which if successful would lead to an "in vivo remyelination study". At that time Biogen had two remyelination drugs, BIIB061 which was in preclinical P1 and BIIB033 Opicinumab (anti-LINGO) in P2. In April of this year Biogen chose BIIB033 over BIIB061 and dropped that drug from its pipeline. Meanwhile, Opicinumab has been in P2 testing its remyelination capabilities on 82 patients with optic nerve demyelination. The initial results have been poor(see below). This may explain the delay in reporting on the 2-73 remyelination results, especially if they are good. An effective remyelination drug would set the entire M/S drug world on end and literally force Biogen into a partnership as it makes most of its current revenue from its M/S drugs. I think it would also see 2-73 as a usurper of its efforts with Aducanumab and the newly acquired BMS anti Tau drug in the Alzheimer's arena.
IMHO the quietness belies what may be going on behind closed doors. Anyone know if Dr. Missling has been making any trips to Cambridge, Mass? A little mystery over the holiday.
Have a great 4th...is this a great country or what!!
Pete, if Biogen has taken 2-73 and used it in conjunction with any of its MS drugs, if not all, and used it as a cocktail for 12 or so patients and it proved beneficial to them, all Dr. M needs to do in discussions with Biogen on a licensing/royalty agreement is say, "Roche."
Biogen had a major disappointment recently regarding their anti-lingo drug expected to restore mylen. It seems possible they are waiting for the Plus patent before teaming with us. If the patent is broad enough and allows linking A273 with drugs other than aricept, it seems that's what will bring them on board with us, hopefully a sizable initial lump sum and 50/50 partnership for MS. Stranger things have happened.
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