>>Data mining has both a positive and a negative connotation. The negative connotation applies when a pivotal trial fails and the sponsor looks around for a way to salvage the clinical program without having to run a new trial. This is what a great many biotech companies do all the time. It hardly ever fools the FDA but it sometimes fools investors long enough to prevent a total collapse of the stock price.<<
That is exacly what ABT did after the FIELD trial failed its primary endpoint and nobody bought it. If you don't hit the primary endpoint then nothing in the secondary stuff is really valid as I see it. Then ABT bought KOSP to get Niaspan, among other things. Jaharis sold KOSP when it looked like Torcetrapib was going to take over the HDL market. I think ABT knew something Jaharis didn't. Now ABT is promoting Niaspan over Tricor and touting outcomes data from HATS and the ARBITER studies.
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