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sunstar, nice post. hope you are right. where's the speculative surge?
croaked protractor,4 letters: UTSW.
geo: agreed FTM was "second to none" on this board regarding the mechanism of action of Bavituximab. He was certainly a source of information for me. Understanding the mode of action (MOA) of a compound--how and why it works--is important, but the critical issue is proven efficacy and safety...and why (under what circumstances)it is sensible for a clinician to prescribe it. In "the early days" I recognized the clinical utility of Bavi (and Cotara), as did several other key posters...that is, that pursuit of this line of investigation and treatment made sense. It did then, and it does now. There is really little more to be said until management finds a way to unblock forward motion. The numbers are there. Many of the "old-timers" are silent now because there is simply not much left to be said. Who was it who always posted, "show us the money!"?
4ourRetirement: "...we seem to be approaching the denouement.."
PPHM stockholders have already approached at least a dozen apparent denouements...
eb: absolutely no "peer-review" status for an editorial in a scientific magazine with peer-reviewed articles. It would be unusual for an editorial to be written by someone with less than "peer" status, however. As you know, editorials are opinions and not facts.
sunstar, another good one!I'm not sure there has ever been a more comprehensive understanding of a mechanism of action in such a short period of time. See what all our hard-earned dollars have paid for?! I mean, most agents either work or they don't, and they sink or survive. Bavi- remains state-of-the-art while remaining on the shelf. Big pharma thinks sooner or later someone is going to parallel or surpass the science. So far, not.
Sunstar: Great summary of anti-PS (Bavi) and PD1. A must-read which deserves prominent and permanent place on the tumor immunology classroom chalkboard. thanks.
biopharm: whoahhh! I think the platform is moving forward in approximate relationship to its worth, but I've said for some long time that if Bavi- is as good as we think it is, who on earth needs a partner? We still don't know how good it is, similar to a game of 5 card stud with scrambled top cards and an unknown in the hole. We'll see. Meanwhile PPHM is providing some seminal research for the public and big pharma for a most nominal price tag.
Sunstar, Roche/Genentech and PPHM are going to play this charade as long as they can. I cannot imagine cheaper human research anywhere than Peregrine and its stockholders are providing for them. We want to help cure cancer and make a profit. Roche wants to make a profit. When the lid is blown off this, PPHM will slide silently into the overarching hegemony of that corporate body (Roche), and we will be lucky to get 1 share Roche/100 PPHM. To counter that eventuality is why we are here...but the results of stockholder voting makes me think we are almost powerless to effect the price of PPHM stock favorably. They can get away with whatever difference greed vs. good taste allows, unless what they are doing is illegal AND patently immoral. In that case we stockholders might come off with a bit more profit in "hush money". We'll see. At this point I can see a break even point as worst case scenario. Cheers all. It seems our investment is safe.
PS. Beat UCLA! This should be one hellofa game. eom
Tidbits gathered at Stanford homecoming this weekend in random conversations: met Thorpe's best friend. He is going to introduce me to Brekken. He thinks it is "going to happen" but is not invested due to conflict of interest, faculty at UTSW, etc. Thinks Thorpe's problem was a myocardial infarction, and almost certainly due to an unsuspected hyperlipidemic situation. Talked with the former Columbia U, and now UCLA "inventor" of the monoclonal AB synthesis recipe who is working on an exciting new treatment with Immugen (not Immunogen). She has not heard of Peregrine, Bavituximab, or anti-PS, and has been in the MAB business for 40 years. The latter is not necessarily a bad thing. The former is not necessarily a good thing. This report is merely an attempt at perspective. The take away: those close to the subject and who know the principals and principles are upbeat, and there are at least some intimately familiar with the field who are not yet familiar with Bavi. That is a lot better than the inventor of the MAB being down on it. She seemed interested. You see, no one person can know it all. So we have some more work to do in that area. More to follow. I still think "it" is going to happen.
hawkfan1, thanks for the airport essay. eom
KU, great post. appreciate the insight. eom
some perspective on Australia meeting: Interview with Kwun Fong http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3621941/
Loof, I'm with you except I have no clue how much money I've lost on PPHm stock, what with the inexorable downward march over the past decade-and-a-half, including reverse split, so cannot imagine making much money on it, even at $10+/share, and would probably not recognize profit if I realize it. Sad but true. Do I think "it" is going to ever happen. Yes, probably. The technology has not only endured but expanded.
the most incredible part of the PPHM story is the silent "factor" that controls its stock price. Talk about master(s) of deception. A modernist view: "It is what it is..."??? Or a better one: "The free market at work". This entire drug approval process is a cruel joke we are playing on ourselves.
"classic post",2009: "Bavi better than excisional biopsy? When dealing with small tumors, whether benign or malignant, instead of taking "a piece" of the tumor, or a punch biopsy, and sending fragment to the lab, a surgeon attempts simultaneous diagnostic and curative measure by removing the lesion with an adequate cuff of normal tissue around it so that which is sent to the pathologist is the entire problem. There remains no treatment decision. The problem is in the specimen container...solved--cured. What is unique about PPHM's anti-PS program, its selling point, is that it acts as a diagnostic AND treatment tool. Most important, it is safe, efficious, and specific. Bavi's "chemo-attractant properties" calls in the body's immune-mediating cells to cancer which has heretofore been considered "safe", or "self", and evaded immune surveilance. These special body white blood cells attack the cancer which has escaped immune surveilance. In addition to immune-stimulating, chemo-irradiation treatment synergist Bavituximab, PPHM's pipeline includes a double-fisted fully-humanized anti-PS monoclonal antibody (MAB) that targets an exclusive docking site, -PS, an everted lipoprotein on the cell surface of cancer blood vessels, cancer cells, and virally-infected cells, and is capable of carrying contrast agents (and/or tumorcidal agents)on the arm not used for docking to -PS. Mind-boggling. Why isn't this available yet?
dia76ca: fab.
Eyebuystox, thanks. IbuyUr argument. Thanks for setting the record straight
biopharm, GREAT stuff. thanks for your efforts.
bottom line: PHM has established its capacity and know-how to produce a new product for which there is great demand. At this point they are merely "paying their dues" to join the club, amassing more evidence to prove over and over again the obvious. More unfortunate than stockholders are the patients dying earlier than necessary because of FDA rules promulgated to protect them, and because PPHM is under-financed and won't give any of its parts for a below market price. This is not the first exposure to market chicanery for any of us here, but probably one of the most painful. Anti-aminophospholipid MAB therapy is undoubtedly here to stay. Whether PPHM capitalizes on it remains to be seen. The odds still appear pretty good to me. The September anniversary of the PII labeling fiasco one year ago is a painful reminder of how expensive that event was for those holding PPHM stock, and those needing treatment with its product. Unbelievable, this.
Volgoat, I liked the article linked in your post:
http://biotech.about.com/od/Drug-Development/a/Recent-Advances-In-Cancer-Research-Gives-Us-Some-Hope.htm
and wanted to know more about the author. According to the byline on this article in Science and Enterprise, "Zack Fisher helps people understand and leverage biotechnology and its impact on society. He is a freelance writer and is currently a research fellow in biomedical sciences at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. "Here's another article by Zack:
"Science for business people. Enterprise for scientists.
CommentsPosts. Guest Post: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of Biotech Partnerships
Collaborations between biotechnology companies and pharmaceutical companies are a long standing tradition and are traditionally the way things work. There are several known benefits of these partnerships such as increased funding, validation of technology, and the ability to combine resources and infrastructure. Recently, a new approach to biotechnology funding has arisen that doesn’t require traditional partnerships. An increasing amount of biotech companies are seeking to raise their own capital in order to hold on to more of the profits instead of reaping the benefits that come along with pharmaceutical companies in exchange for a cut of the profits. Financial POV One of the biggest issues that gets discussed in the decision to partner up or to just seek investors is the impact either choice will have financially. Partnering has clear benefits initially. Biotech companies have the ability to tap into the rather large pool of financial resources available from pharmaceutical companies. These resources also include their infrastructure and manufacturing expertise.
In the argument against partnerships, companies are beginning to think more long term. The immediate rewards sometimes don’t outweigh the financial risks involved for the biotech company. In the past few years, we have seen companies such as Pfizer and Roche terminate licensing agreements for various reasons, which has lead their partners’ stocks to decrease in value.
One size does not fit all
There is no perfect solution or one size fits all answer to the partnership debate. Ultimately what it comes down to is whether or not a biotech company feels that they have more to gain from a potential partnership with a pharmaceutical company than they could potentially lose. There have been companies such as Celgene Corporation and Amgen Inc. that have more than proven that it’s possible for a biotech company to achieve success without partnering with a pharmaceutical company.
However, unless there is already a solid pipeline in place, going in alone can be difficult. Calgene was able to achieve success due to the success of Thalomid. That allowed them build their infrastructure for Revlimid. We may begin to see an increase in the amount of companies that follow in their footsteps. The concept of biotech companies forming their own network and essentially doing everything pharmaceutical companies do in partnerships such as setting up manufacturing could be the new wave.
Biotech partnerships will be one of many topics discussed at the Biotech Conference in Israel happening in June. It will be an excellent opportunity to learn about the exhibiting companies that will be networking and sharing information.
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biopharm, do you think it strange we have not heard word one about 2C3 trials in Russia ("a better Avastin"), fully humanized Bavi in Denmark/Germany, Cotara in China for Lung Cancer...etc.etc. If not strange, at least remarkable.
archives: 4/12/04 private email to me from PPHM RB board poster chris: "Man, PPHM reminds me of watching paint dry or grass grow. Someone needs to partner up already...nothing of substance for awhile. Hope all is well. chris
My response: "PPHM trades like a public utility."
Remember, the correspondence was 9+ years ago.
"strong hands" biopharm? Poker, huh. Who blinks,and who dies of cancer tomorrow, next week, next year. A promising new anti-cancer drug stalled inside the red zone...after it scored a touchdown which was called back exactly one year ago. No harm, no foul. Not much. My retirement. Someone else's disease. Why the delay? Shamefully simple. Money. Not split to everyone's satisfaction. However, The genius of true invention is durability and sensibility. Anti-PS medical science is proving to have both. Witness the marked increased interest in that sector in the scientific liteature. Cheers to you all for a great weekend! Thanks for the unending entertainment and enlightenment, worthwhile diversion on our road to fabulous profits.
north40k,VERY important post.Bungler, please post? Let's give north40K a break for his Roman Holiday.
sunstar, nice. thanks. Anti-PS platform has many-tentacled exponential growth potential. I find it sadly ironic that industry is certain something as good or better will inevitably come along, but Anti-PS has not been left in the dust. On the contrary, truly great discoveries fit into all the existing moving parts without a hitch, and seem obvious, inevitable, and comfortable. It has yet to be established how throwing Bavi into the blend does anything but improve results. If there's a problem it is that Bavi is not a hammer against large, established tumors--at leat at this point. I am toying with switching from my hold position to slow accumulation once again. Amazing how much learning and insight this decade-long journey has afforded...in many realms.
sunstar, nice. thanks. Anti-PS platform has many-tentacled exponential growth potential. I find it sadly ironic that industry is certain something as good or better will inevitably come along, but Anti-PS has not been left in the dust. On the contrary, truly great discoveries fit into all the existing moving parts without a hitch, and seem obvious, inevitable, and comfortable. It has yet to be established how throwing Bavi into the blend does anything but improve results. If there's a problem it is that Bavi is not a hammer against large, established tumors--at leat at this point. I am toying with switching from my hold position to slow accumulation once again. Amazing how much learning and insight this decade-long journey has afforded...in many realms.
EYEBUYSTOX: well said. Instead of jumping all over these breast cancer leads the pharma establishment plays hardball. They know sooner or later their bench will outsmart UTSW and Thorpe's creation. Wrong. It appears Bavi and progeny will be around for some time.
volgoat, good stuff. another arrow in Bavi- quiver.
the question is not if there is any "there" there, but rather whether another laboratory is going to be able to "knock-off" the technology, or sumpin' similar....or better. That is the inevitable when negotiations drag out forever. It is a tribute to the tech that they have been able to drag out negotiations for so long. There have been some near-hits in the recent anti-cancer literature, but Bavi continue to advance while so many others have fallen by the wayside. Soon it will be obvious to all...and I'll wish I had bought a load more.
most amazing part of PPHM narrative is how the anti-aminophospholipid (anti-PS, Bavituximab) platform is growing, and is not becoming obsolete. When a "discovery" is deemed obvious, and becomes a part of the background, then it is truly revolutionary. Startling is how the heads of the PPHM anti-PS hydra are budding so fast and growing. The platform grows more and more solid. Unfortunately, as I posted almost a decade ago, PPHM stock trades like a public utility. Ironic, huh.
biopharm, nice posts. appreciate your efforts. At times I think it would have been more profitable for me to be invested elsewhere all these years, and put those gains into PPHM after the first move to $10-15. Cheers! And keep up the good work.
zare2,does anyone know number of PPHM employees now, and actual yearly increases, or are we mostly looking at employment advertisements? I once filled out a long-form employment application for a PPHM position for which I am qualified, and never heard a word of response from the company.
got it, thanks cj. go figure!
cjgaddy,a prince. all that about betabodies...related PPHM patents, and BB pharmacology. Lesson learned: B2GP1 is a compound that must be reckoned with. Is it correct that fully humanized Bavi does not require B2GP1-cofactor to bind to -PS? If true, fully human Bavi packing a cytotoxic payload makes as much sense as betabodies. I can foresee more potential areas for complications/side-effects with Beta-bodies, and, again, I do not see a wide enough cancer kill-zone. Naked Bavi, okay. Throw it in. Beta-bodies, why not. But for large tumors, especially with metastases, we need Cytoxin-bearing missiles like Cotara and humanized Bavi.
cj, does PPHM have patent rights assigned for betabodies? eom
internet forum user, appreciate the research. thanks. eom
Paul and Volgoat, current "chimeric" Bavi half-life is 30 hours (50% excreted in that time). Dosing schedule in trials has been weekly, so assuming a more "steady-state" blood level would be desirable in some applications, such as combo irradiation-Bavi treatment, and even some chemotherapy regimens.
As you know, in some cases Bavi may best be used after chemo, between chemo rounds, or as a primer. Bavi is being used as an immunological stimulant, the same category as BCG vaccine which recruits anti-TB antibodies which also attack some tumors. I can assure you that Bavi as an immunostimulant is Bavi's final, best, or highest use, and although naked Bavi immunostimulant properties are a curiosity and a bonus, the platform is not going to get stuck in that iteration. No question! It has gotten attention in med-scientific circles. Not like Martha Stewart and Sam Waksal dif for ImClone and Erbitux, but Bavi has crashed the MAB clique, and anti-phosphatidyl-this and that is here to stay. Humanized Bavi, then, is not a curiosity that is unneeded. It will probably be dispensed within the decade in a nasal aerosol similar to nasal steroids. And that is huge. "The humanized antibody will also be evaluated as a carrier for therapeutic agents for vascular targeting applications." Dr. Tarran Jones, CEO of AERES, said, "We are delighted to have been able to provide Peregrine with a humanized version of its 3G4 antibody".
It is not in the cards that "chimeric Bavi" is the final and best iteration of the invention, and equally unlikely that PS is going to be the ultimate or only effective target since there are several different aminophospholipid flipped sites on surface membranes of virally n
Of critical importance re Humanized Antibodies: "Monoclonal antibody humanization is important for drugs that are to be administered multiple times. Research antibodies are typically made in mice/of mouse and are called "murine antibodies". Murine antibodies are not ideal for human clinical use because the patient can potentially recognize the murine antibody as foreign and may generate a Human Anti-Mouse Antibody (HAMA) immune response in an attempt to destroy the murine antibody. Monoclonal antibody "humanization" is a technique where specific regions of the mouse antibody not involved in target binding are replaced with human antibody building blocks, resulting in a final drug candidate that is approximately 93% human. The result is an antibody that has the targeting characteristics of the original mouse antibody but does not have enough of a mouse structure to be recognized by the human body as foreign. Therefore, humanized antibodies reduce or eliminate the HAMA response during treatment, making multiple treatments possible.