Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

LLY’s detailed Solanezumab results—a-beta removal remains an enigma (see bottom):

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/lilly-announces-detailed-results-solanezumab-021500594.html

Patients treated with solanezumab did not experience a statistically significant slowing in cognitive decline compared to patients treated with placebo. This finding represented an 11 percent reduction in decline (p=.095), as measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog14) subscale. The ADAS-Cog14 measures a person's cognitive functions, including memory, attention and language abilities.

The primary-endpoint p-value of .095 was disclosed in LLY’s PR on 11/23/16 (#msg-126758415), so the above info is not the main interest in yesterday’s presentation; rather, the main interest is the a-beta biomarker data:

Changes in plasma a-beta were similar to those seen in previous studies, and the differences between treatment and placebo groups were statistically significant.

Changes in amyloid deposition as measured by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging did not reach statistical significance between treatment and placebo groups.

In other words, Sola was successful at removing a-beta, but not in the locations that matter. This is a curious pair of findings that leaves more questions than answers.