active
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
OT: News Flash for Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
WSJ: Regulators to issue final rule requiring pressure monitors by 2008 model year.
April 6, 2005: 6:09 AM EDT
WASHINGTON - Acting to prevent tire failures linked to deadly rollovers of sport-utility vehicles, federal regulators will issue a final rule this week requiring all new passenger cars and trucks to have individual tire-pressure- monitoring sensors by the 2008 model year, Wednesday's Wall Street Journal reported.
Tiny microchip sensors attached to each wheel will signal if any tire falls 25% below the recommended inflation pressure and trigger a dashboard warning light. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated the cost per vehicle to manufacturers at about $70 .
Auto makers must begin phasing in the tire-safety devices into new models in September. All new vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less will be required to come equipped with them by the 2008 model year.
The new requirement is similar to a proposal released in September. It is aimed at giving drivers a better chance of avoiding an accident because of a failing tire, although tire and auto makers continue to debate how low the tire pressure should fall before a warning light is triggered. Tire makers worry the new warning system won't signal low pressure early enough, while auto makers say drivers will ignore warning lights if they come on too often.
An NHTSA spokesman declined to comment on specifics of the new rule.
I think that's dr_dnap?
OT: My other penny stock...
C'mon Harley give us a chance, you only got 2 wheels you need this technology.
Press Release Source: SmarTire Systems Inc.
SmarTire begins shipping enhanced motorcycle product
Wednesday April 6, 9:30 am ET
- New sensor design enables SmarTire system to fit more motorcycle types and rim sizes
RICHMOND, BC, April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - SmarTire Systems Inc. (OTCBB: SMTR - News) today announced that it has begun shipments of its enhanced SmarTire for Motorcycles product. The new product includes a redesigned sensor that enables the system to fit a greater number of motorcycle types and rim designs. The new design also increases substantially the strength of the sensor housing for additional system durability. SmarTire for Motorcycles has also been localized for the French and German market with the appropriate language manuals and system documentation.
ADVERTISEMENT
SmarTire for Motorcycles is an active tire pressure and temperature monitoring system that provides real-time tire information to the rider while the bike is in motion. At a push of the button, SmarTire displays each tire's pressure, temperature and pressure deviation. If the system detects a loss of air pressure or abnormally high tire temperature, a bright warning light automatically alerts the rider to the condition.
"The new sensor design greatly expands our market potential in terms of the number and type of motorcycles and rims," says Nigel Hammond, General Manager of SmarTire Europe Ltd. "We have had very positive reviews of the product since we launched it last year. We have also received many testimonials and reports from the field of the system saving riders from both the inconvenience and danger of a tire problem while riding. With the changes to the sensors and the new documentation for the French and German markets, we are making this important technology available to an even wider range of bikes and riders."
About SmarTire Systems Inc.
SmarTire develops and markets proprietary advanced tire pressure monitoring and technology systems for the global automotive and transportation industries. The U.S. Government, through the TREAD Act, has legislated that all new passenger vehicles must be equipped with tire monitoring systems beginning with a phased implementation in 2004. SmarTire is capitalizing on the rapidly emerging OEM and aftermarket opportunities. The company's vision is to become the preeminent provider of wireless sensing and control systems for vehicles worldwide. Incorporated in 1987, SmarTire has offices in North America and Europe.
A comprehensive investment profile regarding SmarTire Systems Inc. may be found online at www.hawkassociates.com/smartire/profile.htm.
Additional information about SmarTire Systems can be found on the website www.smartire.com. An online investor kit containing SmarTire press releases, SEC filings, current price Level II quotes, interactive Java, stock charts and other useful information for investors can be found at www.hawkassociates.com and www.hawkmicrocaps.com. Investors may contact Randy Halischuk, or Judy Leclercq, SmarTire at (800) 982-2001 email: investor_relations@smartire.com or Frank Hawkins or Julie Marshall, Hawk Associates at (305) 852-2383, email: info@hawkassociates.com.
This release contains various forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which represent the company's expectations or beliefs concerning future events of the company's financial performance. These forward-looking statements are further qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the effect of competitive pricing, the company's dependence on the ability of third party manufacturers to produce components on a basis which is cost-effective to the company, market acceptance of the company's products and the effects of government regulation. Results actually achieved may differ materially from expected results included in these statements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: SmarTire Systems Inc.
He showed some positives on RB board.
Let's get the revenue up and the rest will take care of itself.... I see why they dropped the Biofrontera deal. If the platform works we're in.
Yes it does.... I'm so excited-finally!!!
Of course, it appears the market is large enough for both, doesn't it?
I like this project better than some acquisition... this drug is already FDA approved and shouldn't take forever to see a completed revenue producing project.
A post we all should read:
http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=DNAP&read=327419
Excuse me everyone just a little giddy this a.m. with all the Gloom & Doom scenarios posted here lately
Feels good to have GOOD NEWS!
Drug is already FDA approved..... so all they have to do is mididfy and AWAY WE GOOOO.
Miss Scarlet I can feel the caffeine
Miss Scarlet I do believe you are on a roll this a.m.!!!
Coffee is good this a,m.?
Here' what respectable people are saying about DNAP and their science....
"Our EPO technology has significant promise as a more powerful and commercially successful application of Erythropoietin," stated BIDMC's Dr. Arthur J. Sytkowski, who holds patents related to the new "Super"-EPO. "We are pleased that DNAPrint has made a commitment to work with BIDMC in expanding the potential for this drug."
The human gene that produces EPO was cloned in 1985, and, in 1989, scientists at Amgen introduced to market a recombinant form under the trade name EPOGEN®, a drug that many credit for the rise of Amgen in the 1990s as one of the world's most successful biotechnology companies ever.
When someone can't ever say something nice about something... leads you to think it's personal.
Wouldn't surpise me if him and dr_dnap are both in the same boat.
Seems to some mean spirited responses toward DNAP even when positive news is released, I wonder why?
It almost seems personal...
Good morning dr_dnap?
easymedicine are you one of their ex-employees?
easymedicine, do I sense panic in you this a.m.?
I'm glad you're OK.... thought that pollen may have gotten you down.
Good morning Miss Scarlet....
I think the bashers are winning at the moment and I'm thankful most are gracious.
easymedicind that's what you guys are here for.... to remind everyone about the things that can go bad
Thanks for the post and I agree cosmiclifeform.
I'm still hoping we can get some of this business...
Info from 10k
Rescue Failed Drugs - A pharmaceutical company may choose to initiate new clinical trials on drug candidates that previously failed. The failure of the earlier trial could have been because the earlier trial was conducted on a broad patient population. We could design a genetic test to predict patient response which would allow a smaller, more clearly defined group of patients to be identified for the new clinical trial; thereby enhancing the drug's efficacy and compliance and improving the likelihood of approval within a targeted group. Although we do believe that pharmaceutical companies can utilize our genetic test to predict patient response, as of December 31, 2004, no pharmaceutical companies have used our products or services for such purpose or achieved such results. Approval may require a physician to use the test to determine if a patient would be within the response group prior to prescribing the drug. We believe that this strategy will lead to more drug approvals and longer product life cycles, improving the return on capital for the pharmaceutical company and increasing the use of our tests.
I think this is where the Co is trying to get a few projects started....
In recent months we have also seen the FDA and Kaiser Permanente, a large health insurance company, teaming up to test and report on Vioxx and its use in patients with compromised health, explicably linking Vioxx use to coronary problems that have resulted in a higher than normal heart attack death rate amongst various high risk people. Vioxx (or products similar to Vioxx known as COX-2 inhibitors) became widely dosed among a broad segment of the population. This has led to speculation by physicians that products like Vioxx might be implicated in the unusually high rate of sudden death heart attacks among their COX-2 inhibitor treated patients. Merck, the manufacturer of Vioxx pulled the product from the market and will limit its use, if it is reintroduced, to a more targeted group of patients, eliminating prescriptions to high risk patients. Although no association has been shown to exist between the inherited genes of an individual with Vioxx or any COX-2 inhibitor, it is our intent to explore large product opportunities such as `pain relief' with COX-2 inhibitors and other drug treatments and attempt to explain variations among people taking the medications with respect to their genetic ancestry, their response to medications and their particular state of health.
I pray Mr. Gabriel and Co. can sign a few deals in this area as I feel it would relieve our cash flow problems in the near term.
More good news from the 10k...
We continue to develop our relationship with the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida and have expanded our co-development of technologies using our proprietary technologies to study the relationship with medication treatment of cancer cells and genetic inheritance of specific genes that may affect a person's ability to respond to medications such as Taxol or Taxotere and other such medications used to treat cancer. We have seen several companies, including Celera and Genaissance; make public statements regarding the use of medicines and relationship to inherited markers. We will continue to explore, develop and test new approaches to problems that heretofore have been classified as the result of a drug treatment program gone awry. We believe generally that under each drug interaction can be found a series of genetic markers that may be linked to inherited markers, markers that we can track and identify, and prior to drug treatment, providing the patient, the doctor and the health care institution tangible savings in capital and patient aggravation. To date, no pharmaceutical company, health care provider or other government or state agency has used our technology to separate patients by drug response.
Interesting...
The FDA continues to have an overriding influence in the pharmaceutical market and its movements. Healthcare payers and government officials, however, including Congress, are recognized forces in the market. Increasingly, pharmaceutical companies must validate a drug's efficacy and cost effectiveness in order for it to remain on lists of approved, reimbursable drugs of healthcare payers (pharmacy benefit managers, managed care, Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurers). For example, Pfizer agreed in 2002 to provide disease management services (defined as all secondary activities involved in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases, beyond primary therapeutic treatments)to Florida Medicaid recipients in order to have its full slate of drugs on the State Medicaid program's formulary. A formulary is a list of FDA approved drugs, tests and devices, compiled by States, Medicare and Medicaid or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), hospitals and medical centers that specifically tells doctors what they are allowed to order and what is covered under their reimbursement programs. Physicians can of course prescribe outside the formulary, allowing the patient to pay full price for the medication or treatment or test. Unlike most of Europe, Canada, and Japan, where pharmaceutical prices are controlled by the governments and through competitive bidding with the government agencies, the U.S. market remains unregulated and free from government controls of prices and approved medicines. The Pfizer deal with the State of Florida could be the forerunner of similar initiatives by payers and pharmaceutical companies to increase drug prescriptions and reduce drug costs through increased diagnostic accuracy. Using a genomics test to determine the most appropriate drug and dosage can lead to reduced health plan costs, while genomics testing can predict a patient's drug response and minimize the high cost related to adverse drug reactions. At present, no health care provider, pharmaceutical company or government agency has used our products or services for this purpose.
altarboy40, they are definitely headed that way fast...
According to Dr. Janet Woodcock, Deputy Director for Operations at FDA, "FDA's efforts will bring us one step closer to 'personalizing' medical treatment." She added, "We hope ultimately to bring pharmacogenomics . . . to every healthcare professional's prescription pad for the benefit of their patients and U.S. consumers." Personalized medicine, according to the FDA, will eventually replace "the standard hit-or-miss approach to treating patients."
Soon after the FDA announcement, the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC), of which DNAPrint is a member, issued its own release applauding the guidelines as "paving the way to a new generation of diagnostics and therapeutics." The agency noted "that our members are looking forward to additional protocols, specifically those on the co-development of pharmacogenomic diagnostics and therapeutics and on the use of micro-arrays in DNA analysis.
From the vantage point of the future, today's FDA announcement is likely to be regarded as a milestone in drug discovery and development that will help lead to a new generation of medicine and healthcare, that of tailoring treatment to the individual based on his or her genetic and molecular makeup".
That's funny easyman51.... just what I need >>>>>another blow to my fragile ego
Here's where some of my hopes are placed:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050202/flw015_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050223/flw017_1.html
I think theirs a chance for us to receive 2 patents this year.
Patent Applications
We have filed claims for international and domestic patent protection. The patents, if issued, will help ensure protection of our bioinformatics platforms, analytical software, genome maps and genetic classifiers in forensic, consumer products, and pharmacogenomics applications. The most significant patent applications cover the bioinformatics platforms and genome maps. Other applications describe the mathematical process of finding complex genetic information and the actual processes that find the gene variants responsible for specific complex genetic traits.
Two of our patent applications, 'Compositions...Pigmentation' and 'Compositions...Statin', have entered National Phases and are pending review and we believe, approval in the U.S. and designated countries. The pigmentation patent is important because it includes the methods and compositions for determining skin shade, eye color or any other pigmentation application. Our Statin patent application includes the use of method for determining a person's ability to respond favorably to a particular Statin. We have covered all Statins and the use of our AIMs and any assay developed that might use those markers in the development of the assay.
I think DNAP is trying to work with Big Pharma on resurrecting some of their blockbuster drugs sitting on the sidelines. Hopefully they will get a contract shortly.... what is 5 million investment in DNAP to get VIoxx back to the market?
Problem
In recent months we have also seen the FDA and Kaiser Permanente, a large health insurance company, teaming up to test and report on Vioxx and its use in patients with compromised health, explicably linking Vioxx use to coronary problems that have resulted in a higher than normal heart attack death rate amongst various high risk people. Vioxx (or products similar to Vioxx known as COX-2 inhibitors) became widely dosed among a broad segment of the population. This has led to speculation by physicians that products like Vioxx might be implicated in the unusually high rate of sudden death heart attacks among their COX-2 inhibitor treated patients. Merck, the manufacturer of Vioxx pulled the product from the market and will limit its use, if it is reintroduced, to a more targeted group of patients, eliminating prescriptions to high risk patients. Although no association has been shown to exist between the inherited genes of an individual with Vioxx or any COX-2 inhibitor, it is our intent to explore large product opportunities such as `pain relief' with COX-2 inhibitors and other drug treatments and attempt to explain variations among people taking the medications with respect to their genetic ancestry, their response to medications and their particular state of health.
The Solution
http://www.dnaprint.com/2003/pressreleases/pr_12_09_02.htm
I'm holding millions and I'm down big time but still have hope.
Hey dr_dnap, I don't suppose you're still holdiing?
Thanks easymedicine.
Enjoying seeing me in misery?
Well I'm definitely down here big time... so be happy!
Forgive me frogdreaming, I don't like the way that sounds....
could you please share your thoughts on the statement?
What's your opinion on this statement?...
FDA rules regarding pharmacogenomics testing are evolving, and management believes that a 510K filing may not be required in order to perform the service. We are seeking additional guidance from the FDA on this issue.
frogdreaming, I know things are not moving as fast as I thought or hoped..... at least they are still moving.
I like....
Statins and Ace Inhibitors
We are developing a test, STATINOME(TM), for the cardiac drug market. Statins are drugs used to treat patients at increased risk of heart disease. Approximately 50% of the U.S. population is at risk of heart disease as a result of high cholesterol and related hormonal and other chemical imbalances. While Statins have demonstrated effectiveness at cholesterol reduction, reportedly decreasing incidence of heart disease by 10.3% from 1990 to 1994, adverse reactions from statins can include liver damage, kidney failure and a form of advanced muscular degeneration. Approximately 2-5% of patients must discontinue statin use due to these adverse side effects. If accepted for commercial use, we believe STATINOME(TM) will reduce substantially, the risks associated with adverse response.
Our current study includes two adverse side effects associated with statins, liver and adverse muscular response. These two side effects comprise most of the side effects associated with statins. We have identified numerous markers associated with these potentially life-threatening responses. We have performed initial research in conjunction with a group of physicians to study and classify patients taking statins. The research combined liver toxicity studies with our AIMs to determine and identify patient response.
After the liver studies, we conducted research on the second adverse side effect, adverse muscular response. We have obtained hundreds of DNA samples from individuals who have experienced adverse muscular (myopathological) response to the two statin drugs currently on the market, Lipitor and Zocor. We screened these samples at over 12,000 AIMs spread throughout the human genome. The 12,000 AIMs represents an increase of 11,000 over our original screenings.
We will continue to evaluate the data we have already received and seek clinical patients to develop a comprehensive retrospective test. Our goals are to broaden our products' reach across all statins, not just Lipitor and Zocor, and to evaluate all potential toxic side effects relating to AIMs/SNPs.
In addition to statins, we are focusing on coronary diseases and cardiac disorders and the associated drugs to treat those diseases. Among the most widely used treatment protocols are a set of compounds known as ACE Inhibitors. These compounds along with other medications are used to treat cardiac patients. While statins are used to treat patients before they express a cardiac problem, ACE inhibitors are used to treat patients after they express a cardiac problem, including a heart attack or angina. ACE inhibitors show a wide range of toxicities among patient groups, and we suspect their application to a broad patient group can be stratified, providing patients a higher rate of efficacy in treatment at reduced toxicities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I like....
OVANOME(TM)
Our scientists are working on a genomic-based diagnostic tool to match ovarian cancer patients with the most suitable form and dose of chemotherapy, particularly, Taxol-treated patients. Currently, cancer patients, especially women with breast and uterine cancer are treated with anti-cancer drugs whose efficacy is known in terms of population averages. In reality, individual cancer patients exhibit unpredictable and unique responses to virtually all commonly used chemotherapeutic compounds. Individual genetic differences have long been suspected to play a role in this variable drug response. For cancer patients, decisions about treatment regimes are often fateful, and second chances at treatment are usually unsuccessful. A better understanding of the relationship between genes and related chemistries and drug response can replace the current trial and error process of chemotherapy treatment. This new drug prescription strategy can help guide physicians and patients toward the optimal treatments at the outset of therapy.
We have completed our initial phase of research and development on a test to determine genetic predisposition for response to the Taxol-Carboplatin drug combination. The Taxol-Carboplatin drug combination therapy is a treatment for breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancers. In FDA clinical trials the Taxol-Carboplatin drug combination therapy demonstrated efficacy in only 60-70% of patients. In preliminary trials, our therapeutic response tests were 95% effective in distinguishing Taxol-Carboplatin responders from non-responders.
We had previously identified a number of SNPs and certain AIMs associated with variable Taxol/Carboplatin response in ovarian cancer patients. The markers were useful for stratifying ovarian cancer patients into two groups: patients that will respond to Taxol as intended, with essentially no risk of non-response, and patients that carried a 50/50 risk of not responding. Since these results were obtained, we have expanded our screen by an additional 11,000 AIMs/SNPs, and we are still evaluating this data. After this data is evaluated and integrated with our previous data, the next step is to blindly challenge the predictive power of the markers and methods on other ovarian cancer patients that have been treated or are being treated with Taxol/Carboplatin. We intend to extend these trials to other Taxol derivatives and combinations to improve the overall market penetration of our test.
We are identifying the next clinical group to establish a data set of patients whose test information can be reviewed by the FDA either in a filing for a 510K device application or as laboratory testing service provided to physicians. A 510K is an approval from the FDA that allows the sale of a diagnostic test in the United States. FDA's review and approval process normally takes one to two years from the start of the clinical trials to final approval. The length of a clinical trial averages a year or more. The data obtained from the trial will form the basis for a 510K filing. Once trials are completed, the data is compiled, the report is written and finally the 510K is submitted for FDA review and approval. FDA rules regarding pharmacogenomics testing are evolving, and management believes that a 510K filing may not be required in order to perform the service. We are seeking additional guidance from the FDA on this issue.
Initial research results will be the basis for our continued development. We must expand our studies and address other aspects of drug treatment performance that will likely be required before OVANOME(TM) could be used in the clinic to assist chemotherapy decisions.
We are developing a clinical trial for OVANOME(TM). We must validate our research findings further through a clinical trial in order to commercialize OVANOME(TM). The trial will use our test to predict trial participants' responses to the Taxol and Carboplatin drug therapy. Our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hector Gomez, will lead the clinical development process and expects to enroll 250 patients in the trial. Currently, we have enrolled 100 new patients into this trial for 2005 and expect to add additional patients later in the year. We are also exploring other clinical relationships to increase our patient sample enrollment. We do not anticipate meeting with the FDA until our trials are completed.
I likee.....
Contract Genotyping
Contract genotyping is the process of reading a genetic sequence and identifying differences in the sequence letters. For example, in comparing diseased tissue with normal tissue, we are able to see the differences in the sequence letters. This information helps researchers understand how human differences are expressed at the gene level. They can then search for and develop preventative treatment and effective therapeutic courses to alleviate disease symptoms.
We use our laboratory capacity to provide university research laboratories and other private companies with contract genotyping services. We perform all of the work in our facilities to protect our customers' intellectual property and trade secrets. We retain no intellectual property and do not contribute our intellectual property to this screening service. We performed approximately $268,000 of contracted genotyping services during 2004 with approximately five customers, up from approximately $219,000 in 2003.
Growth Strategy for Contract Genotyping
We continue to pursue customers within the contract genotyping market. To date, our customers have come to us either through client referrals or our general website. In the future, we plan to concentrate our genotyping services on specific diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, and heart disease. By concentrating on specific diseases, we hope to develop an expertise that will attract customers in those areas requiring external assistance and additional research capacity. Through this strategy, we will continue to build our reputation as a reliable and cost effective supplier of high quality data using our UHT SNP machine.
I like.....
Growth Strategy in Consumer Products
Without a significant investment in sales or marketing, we have generated considerable interest in ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) 2.5. We have sold, on average, 4 ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) tests per day during 2004. An average of 2.5 of those test sales have come from our website and 1.5 tests per day from our distributors. Sales of ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) for 2004 were approximately $435,000. We do not currently have specific information on the average price. However, in general distributors, pricing is $99 and customer pricing is $158. This was for ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) 2.0 only. ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) 2.5 has a market price of $219.00 and our average distributor price is $164.25. Our EURO-DNA(TM) 1.0 price is an additional $130 to our consumer and $97.50 to our distributors. Sales of EURO-DNA(TM) 1.0 were approximately $4,000 during 2004.
Promotional efforts to date have been fruitful but sporadic. We have been featured on or in ABC's Prime Time Thursday, the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, The New York Times, Miami Channel 10 WPLG, UPI, US News and World Report, Popular Science Magazine, Tampa's Fox Channel 13 News, Germany's ZDF News Channel, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation and The Sarasota-Bradenton Herald Tribune KTTV Fox 11 in LA, ABC Tampa, Howard Stern's radio show, PBS WEDU Sarasota, USA Today, and Dallas Morning News.
In order to build consistent sales, we have begun to implement formal sales and marketing plans, including advertising and promotional campaigns. Implementing these plans results in increased expenses for personnel, advertising, promotion, and the collateral materials associated with these programs.
We have entered into a license agreement with Pearl Street Software. It will provide a link within their new release of Family Tree Legends software allowing our customers to upload their ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) results to a secure web page. Other family members will have the ability to add their test results, too. Together, family members can "pool" their results and create and construct agenetic family tree. Beta site tests were conducted, and we launched the service in late 2004, there is no charge for the service and in addition we also constructed a `geo-political' database where individuals can enter their ANCESTRYbyDNA(TM) results and add their self-reported family origins, comparing this origin to other similar origins. This allows individuals to search geo-political areas for similar DNA values, perhaps helping a genealogist, narrow their search for ancestral links.
Our paternity sales continue to grow and during 2004 we recorded $26,000 in sales.