Biotech Values

[ghmm]

Since a couple people mentioned ENCY lately thought I would post on the PH market.

There seems to have been an interesting NIH meeting a couple days ago that didn't receive much press (that I saw anyway)
http://www.strategicresults.com/ph/index.html

It had a number of the big names in PH and what seemed like (I wasn't there and am just judging based on comments from the website) some interesting presentations.

On was by Dr. Nazzareno Galiè http://www.strategicresults.com/ph/galie.html
on "What have we learned and what do we need to know about the treatment of pulmonary hypertension"

In the summary it mentions one of the things lacking is head-to-head studies between the three types of therapies (Prostacyclins, ET Antagonists and PD5's) as well as combination studies. While we are starting to get combo studies as it'll probably be nearly impossible to recruit Placebo controlled studies with several treatment options approved it would be interesting if a company would do a head-to-head study. I don't have access to hard data but it appears there are at least as many patients on Revatio/Viagra as on Tracleer and so I'd image a fair amount are just taking it (Revatio) as a single agent. I would think a head-to-head study against it, especially at the recommend dose 20mg tid would stand a good chance of showing better efficacy (especially in 6 minute walk) based on what Tracleer and Remodulin have done in other studies. OK, I guess the trial would have to be quite large to show statistical significance but I wonder if it would have a dramatic increase on acceptance on one over the other?
I am a United shareholder and was thinking along the lines of a head-to-head with their Oral Prostacyclin (down the road). Perhaps small investigator studies are the best way to go?