Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

[Biostockclub]

Expressing thanks to the many posters who have weighed in on the recent moments of perceived tenuous management of our company. I’ve read and gauged the sentiments which each is entitled to. I will offer mine at this time. Those who do not care for length, reality, or positivity of future outcome may wish to pass.

Teaser: before you exit, I’m going to share something very personal at the end.

So, let me begin by stating as everyone is aware that we did not receive data which were promised by Sept 30 nor did we receive an explanation/ reason for the delay.

We can place the blame with Dr. Missling for missing the deadline and ruining our expectations and our fortunes (not significant change in SP on missed date, down last 2 days along with market also), and call him out as a terrible CEO and the wrong man for the job owing to “habitually missing deadlines”.
Yes, he is the CEO. We can place some of the blame with him. We can also go further upstream, as our drug does, to the real cause, suggesting that Missling’s failure to deliver on dates is a symptom, and the real cause lies in our decision to invest in a company knowing the history of the CEO’s deadline adherence. It’s much more difficult to say that we are the ultimate determining factors in where we set our investment goals and this kind of stewardship is not for us. If we are big enough to do that, we can self-rescue, instead of self-sabotage, and get out of companies which we feel are mismanaged. You can’t say, “I believe in the science but I hate the management, therefore I stay, but I can’t stomach it.” As an adult, you must take the medicine that goes along with commitment. If you are here for the science, learn to live with the deadlines - adjust your terms/expectations to align with them. (Copernicus proved long ago that the world doesn’t revolve around YOU!) Don’t demand that the entire package be perfect or align to you. It’s not and it never will be and that’s life.

Examples from the book of Life:
”I married him, and he’s a good provider, but he snores.” Stay or make that a deal breaker - your call. Life.

“I love my job - great pay, but I hate the commute.” Stay or send out resumes - your call. Life.

There’s a quote: “If you find that you’ve boarded a train that’s going the wrong way, it does no good to run up the aisle in the opposite direction.”

How true. Sit quietly (don’t even complain!) and get off the train at the first stop. You can then catch the right train. Don’t bother the other passengers and agitate yourself. Deal with it as an adult. Only an insane person would do what the quote states. (Also, was it the engineer’s fault? You boarded this train - no one brought you as a hostage. Holding the mirror up to others is prone to human nature more than holding the mirror up to ourselves. We are not so very big and strong when it comes to self management let alone company/ family/ miscellaneous task management.)

Unlike all of you, I am here because I know what I own in this company under current management and deliberately choose to continue to own it. I am not here because I was dragged by Somali pirates, or couldn’t chew through the leather straps restraining me for my electroshock therapy. I have no pearl clutching, fainting couch, smelling salts, weak at the knees drama to be relieved of. I’m wearing big pants - since I was...big enough. And, I’m ok. Cool.

Ok - here comes the obligatory sports analogy...and, why not???

There’s a time out on the field. There’s - a - time - out - on - the - field!
So, everyone takes a break, the game goes a little longer, but, when the game resumes, the ball doesn’t move, the score doesn’t change, the players still wear the same jerseys...the game isn’t over, it’s just a time out.

Does the coach owe you (the ticket buying fan/supporter) an explanation? No. It could range from: the players are lined up wrong for a field goal, to the kicker has the yips, the holder’s hands are wet and he needs a towel, or someone’s jock strap is twisted. It could even be psychological icing. Yeah, when the coach sent the kicking unit on the field - he “promised” you a KICK - not some lousy time out delay! But, what’s more important...that he keep the clock moving, or that the kick is good?
I will concede, if the coach pulls that on the opening drive with 3 quarters and twelve minutes left to play - you might have to talk to him after the game, hell yeah! But, if it’s for the tie, or the win, or the playoffs?? Take the time out. You HAVE TO! Get your players lined up right for heaven’s sake - make it count. That’s your ultimate ULTIMATE goal, which trumps all others. First and foremost: WIN. After that, don’t squander time outs and bungle plays. Keep those to a minimum. But, hey, even professional players line up wrong once in awhile and the coach has no choice but to call T/O. You could assign blame anywhere you want but the bottom line is - a smart, winning coach calls the time out.
And if he does it every time, or doesn’t manage to your desire - see above about assigning fault and moving on. Complaining is never a well-adjusted adult’s answer. On this board, it’s the default “go to”. Get a grip?

Ok, sports analogy box checked.

Now, let me share a story (groan). I know, but I have to. It’s important to me and there’s a treat at the end.
(And I know that secretly, you guys need your Bio fix today, so I’m making it extra Bio-licious! Which will put some over the edge - going for it anyway!)

Skill sets and the right man for the job. Topic.

Some have suggested that, based on this and prior missed deadlines as well as general lack of communication, our CEO doesn’t have the skills to be the right man for this job. Others have expressed the opposite - the science matters most, but maybe the majority is expressing “wrong skill set” as the sun now stands. I’m not here to make excuses. (And some of you might be on the wrong train - just sayin) But, I will admit to being a cult follower of one to the extent that I think our CEO is the right man for this job. I don’t think that he can do no wrong, or that he never makes mistakes. I wouldn’t want to be held to that standard and neither would anyone here. No one would pass that scrutiny.
But, to the extent that Missling has done a lot more with so very little - I give him credit and have faith that he can and will win this game for us like no other CEO we could pick. At least that’s why I stay invested and take full responsibility for my decision. If it fails - that’s on me. How about that for goal setting and consequence awareness? The mature road is the real path because, well, I’m the ultimate manager of my life including all decisions.
The buck stops here.
- H S Truman (well known fact: a rushed job to meet a deadline(!) declared him defeated by Dewey for the US Presidency(!) as a headline...ouch! Let’s not be wrong with the volume turned up to that level?)

Storytime...
There was this fellow who did something amazing. He never interviewed formally for his job, but, if he had, he would have been turned down flat! No candidate more wrong for the job!!!!

You see, he had this gift for being able to express grand notions and evoke great emotion through sound. He was...a composer. What’s more, he was very optimistic and envisioned a world with complete joy. He set out to convey this concept of a beautiful world full of joy, where all men were as brothers, and everything was pleasing, people being drunk with joyful feelings. Could anyone really compose something which would elevate men who heard it to experience this feeling inside? Could he?

It appears he did.

And here’s the catch: had he interviewed to write this joyful opus no one in his right mind would have hired him because he could not hear nor could he speak well - very horrible communication. And, the icing on the cake? What could he have to be joyous about? He loved music and had given his entire life for this muse - worked very, very hard, tirelessly, meticulously. He spent years writing his 6th symphony. (Compare that to Mozart’s gift - knocking out operas just to stay in drinking money). No, Ludwig slaved for hours a day through long winters writing and rewriting each piece. And after he went deaf - more of the same, in total isolation. Isolation even from his younger brother due to shame of his “flaw” and still he envisioned that all men would one day be as brothers while hiding from his. *cue pain & sorrow* Why Joy?

The right man for the job could not hear the music he had scored. Go figure - irony? Tragedy? Or miracle? Dedication, hard work and the need to compose an “Ode to Joy” with a vision of a perfect, much greater world, is what Beethoven set as a goal for himself and set about setting to music.

The least likely result?:
Arguably the most recognizable, most played, most spiritually uplifting, and most pleasing piece of music ever heard, Beethoven’s epic 9th symphony personifies Joy! To this day!

Listening on YouTube is not even close to hearing it live, performed by a world class symphony orchestra - fortunately it is still played today (so many years after his death) in great symphony halls throughout the world by the very finest conductors and musicians. When tickets go on sale, phone immediately because it sells out instantly! We have Maestro Manfred Honeck (Austrian) conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and we (family) are fortunate enough to avail the Rooney’s tickets which are best in house and the Rooney’s are exceptionally good hearted folks. (They have something to do with a local sports franchise, fyi - oh!)
After the performance you realize why you went. Every. single. time. Oh.

In our case, we go because our son, like most people I admire, sets goals for himself. He loves classical music (he goes to every performance the symphony gives) and this was one of the pieces he was waiting his life to see performed live (age 19 that dream came true). Can you imagine, a 19 year age young man having this on his life list? Well, he did.
And even more, he did something which Beethoven never did: he got to hear this. Now, that may not mean much to you, but as we were driving home our son told us that at the debut performance it was quite awkward because when the piece was over, the audience applauded wildly out of their chairs, but, poor Beethoven stood facing the orchestra with his back to the audience - unable to hear the applause. It was at that moment, when a musician in the first row physically turned the maestro around to face the audience, that everyone realized the magnitude of this opus. The composer never heard the music he himself composed or the effect it had on those who had heard it: unbound appreciation and awestruck admiration for the deaf composer who had no reason to be joyful but captured that feeling perfectly and gave it to the world.

People waved handkerchieves to show their approval.

I do not know Dr. Missling and Anavex team personally, but I would like to express my thanks for the work they are doing. I believe that they share Beethoven’s fervor to give the world their finest work and settle for nothing less. In the field of CNS disease drug development, where it can be analogized that all are working with a handicap - groping for answers in the dark, or unable to “hear” the body’s response - they have overseen preclinical work, as most others in this field, but they have tediously advanced this work through innovative use of analytics of the data gathered through trials and lengthy OLE’s (something new in this field) and have managed partnerships strategically keeping costs low and dilution minimal, while expanding trials for difficult and awful indications globally. They’ve probably seen some amazing things and some things which did not pan out (we just don’t know for the same reason, I imagine, no one ever saw Beethoven’s rough drafts!?). They’ve recruited a highly qualified team of staff and no matter the outcome, I believe they have given their best efforts in the goal they set to overcome these diseases and this suffering through the most technological tools and processes/methods in this art. (This is analogous to Beethoven hearing his compositions in his head only, I believe. True faith/hope that the resulting sound will be rendered as intended.) I could not guarantee that I would be an investor in this company if it were not for the innovations the company has strategically utilized to strengthen its/our chances of proving the science. Also, the alliances forged with sponsors to help our science get to market at low cost. Again, no matter the time it takes or the outcomes - these efforts to translate the same feeling of “Joy” to those afflicted as Beethoven gave us all - shall, I hope, be rewarded some day and that those responsible shall hear the sound that fills the skies when these diseases are no more, whether through our company or elsewhere.
- Biostockclub. I assume the risk which I undertook in this venture as a capable, understanding adult and am a satisfied customer and I will move on quietly when that can no longer be said.

The entire point of this story is that maybe what our company/CEO are doing should be thought of more as an Art than a Science. Art takes time and is more unpredictable than science. People/health are at stake and not exact. That’s why they say: Scientists Conduct experiments vs Doctors Practice(!) medicine.

An “Ode to Joy” for Anavex and All played on piano by our son - a goal he set for himself. This was not achieved overnight either.
And, the lyrics to the first verse sung in German by a native English speaker with no training - just desire within. It may not sound pure to a native German speaker’s ears however that’s how goals go. We all do our best. We get it. Thank you.
As she says, “Danke”.
(Post script - he was 19 when recorded and has since had a MUCH NEEDED haircut! Made a world of difference! Ahem, Just sayin...)

And, everyone please do yourself a favor and YouTube “Ode to Joy” and give a listen at a relaxing time and realize that while some here feel no joy while awaiting results - the patients have no joy until there is a cure. What would they give to strike piano keys accurately, in tempo, manual dexterity with so little effort? Ours is nothing compared with theirs and they still keep positivity! How dare they? Yes, they dare!
Maybe because they have no choice but we do? And with our neurons intact, we choose misery? How dare WE?

Set lofty goals for yourself, strive to meet them, and stay joyful while doing so. It’s more challenging and rewarding than criticizing those who try - even those who try and fail.

This is piano version, starts slowly, stay with it as the piece was composed to build (not long!) - self taught, can’t read music, no lessons. So try teaching yourself something so beautiful while waiting for results. Or, try learning the words in German, in key, in rhythm, while being recorded. Then, try it with a chorus.

Our son let me know why the best man for the job is not the best candidate in an interview or in meeting lesser milestones or having fewer rough drafts but rather is the one who stirs the passion in others that it can and will be done - magnificently! Bravo!!

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0CYtGo1gvCLbnNLPI2PTPwibw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0DuuTiSCdfmbzOhSc3BmqQXyA

Lyrics - German and English translation. (Sung in video 2)

German

"An die Freude" "Ode to Joy"
Freude, schöner Götterfunken,?Tochter aus Elysium,?Wir betreten feuertrunken,?Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!?Deine Zauber binden wieder?Was die Mode streng geteilt*;?Alle Menschen werden Brüder*?Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt

English

Ode to Joy

Joy, beautiful spark of Divinity [or: of gods],
Daughter of Elysium,
We enter, drunk with fire,
Heavenly one, thy sanctuary!
Thy magic binds again
What custom strictly divided;*
All people become brothers,*
Where thy gentle wing abides.

To the CEO, investors, foundations, trial patients, caregivers :
If you will have contributed half the impact to the field of drug development that LvB contributed to music - that will be remembered and not missed deadlines, and will be priceless to those with diseases. Joy!

A nice world:
All men (mankind) become brothers.
Perhaps, horrible diseases stopped, also!

Everyone enjoy your weekend. Emphasis on joy.
Now, set goals and accomplish them. Make the world better - or run up the aisle in the opposite direction - you choose.
Biostock & son, overjoyed:)

Also please keep in mind investors are not always the “best at their jobs” or infallible. Warren Buffett backs Biogen. I back Anavex.

“Professionals built the Titanic. An amateur built the Ark.”

I yield the floor. *onlookers: finally!*