Avid Bioservices Inc (CDMO)

[Protector]

jakeDG, thanks for the link.

But AstraZeneca needed a home run here, and it's claiming a bunt. Getting to home base now--at least in lung cancer--will evidently depend significantly on its success with combos.

Good development for PPHM. here is AstraZeneca with a drug of the same quality and performance range as Opdivo and KeyTruda, but because they were NOT with the first ones now suffer the less URGENT character and hence no accelerated approval.

Normal because as said before all these PD-1/PD-L2 drugs perform in a same range and since TWO are approved a 3rd, 4th etc brings no revolution to the table.

The same will be true for the NEXT PHASE. That is the second generation IO with combo's. Here also the PD-xx remain performing in the same range BUT the one that will be first approved in combination with Bavi will again lower the need for a 2nd, 3rd, 4T such combination with another PD-xx.

What may not be so obvious is that PPHM has, willingly or by chance or at least without considering that aspect, chosen a PD-L1 that will for long not be able to be on the market (as explained in the article) and therefore when approved as a Bavituximab combo, CANNOT be sold ALONE.

There will just not be an approval for Durvalumab alone AND when AstraZeneca gets there the others, Opdivo/Keytruda will have taken in their market position and there will be an EXTRA effort needed to dislocated them from there in the SINGLE IO drug approach.

So YES all will be about combo's and the first COMBO for each disease will make the single drug IO solutions obsolete, unwanted and largely underperforming. So INVESTING NOW in the combo's is the way to go for BP's with PD-xx. With AstraZeneca in place with Bavituximab there is no absolute need for PPHM to do this all over with the competing PD-XX and hence if a BP approaches them they should say: OK? but pay for the complete trial + a profit for PPHM.

In the end, without Bavituximab combo's they will ALL be played HOME. I figure they realize this already but they still have to take that DIFFICULT, BP-UNLIKE and COUNTER-STRATEGIC decision to jump on the train while paying the full ticket price. BP isn't used to that, they prefer the breadcrumb approached, but here they have been played in the corner. In the end that is where it will all come to and the lasts ones will pay more and have larger delays because PPHM will field its power as of a 2nd BP singing a deal.

That is were the GO is given. That is why the PPHM PR said : NO EXCLUSIVE COLLABORATION and the AstraZeneca PR said: PARTNERSHIP.

AZ wants to others to stay away, PPHM wants them to come, at PPHM terms.