Wonder who told the Australian press, period? This, in conjunction with the staged release of the news of 2 yr extension, Orphan DD, A3-71 pre-clinical Rett results, is part of a strategic media campaign (very savvy, good thing!). When one considers the timing - the nuisance lawsuit PR's are clear, buzz regarding the upcoming results is hanging in the air constantly...each component taken individually appears inconsequential to the fomenting shorts and they make light of it. Probably will with this too. However, taken all together, demonstrates a pattern of establishing credibility which portends the rollout of a partnership. The partner is known, the data is most certainly known, and when the announcement is made the parties will have lain the media groundwork that this was a wise decision based on pipeline, positive media attention anecdotally, and of course great results. That's why Mac mentioned 4x aricept. The data is known. Big announcements must be eased into slowly...there is a constant drip here - not a deluge - GREAT!, while results hang out there, shorts can only nibble, not bite - very(!) sensible strategy. Remember, the partner wants their shareholders to think this is a wise move as well as AVXL investors (they want a PPS BUMP!) - but they don't know the history of the company as we all do. So we are preparing them for a pleasing event and will receive a handsome welcome.
My opinion only. Btw, the video of the pianist patient makes people in media salivate - talk about human interest??; hope for a devastating disease. Every outlet will pick it up (maybe for a short segment) and it will raise eyebrows.
Post script: many video clips already featuring this in Australia. (See Twitter #Alzheimer's) By Monday, AP will tag it as newsworthy...and so on. Partner announcement coming - depend upon it. (Maybe a few more small surprises to continue to grease the wheels of the deal, then, WHAM!)
Still only my opinion (but let's say with the aid of "performance enhancing drugs"...)
Final thought: who breaks off a merger as Pfizer/Allergen just did suddenly and within the week, one of the two announces a 3B$ buyout of the only other AD drug company in Anavex's class of modality? Either the split was about which company to buy and Pfizer will now buy AVXL (and, knowing this, Allergen wanted to get a jump on the press/spin and therefore said A2-73 has less "specificity"), or Pfizer wanted neither company and some other patent-strapped BP has grabbed it (that narrows it down...)
Confucius: When a wise man points at the moon, an idiot looks at the finger.
