IDM Pharma, Inc. (IDMI)

[tzm]

There has been a lot of speculation on the boards lately about the potential partnership/buyout, but I think that what is lost in the debate is the historic significance of the approval of L-MTP-PE/Mifamurtide. I wonder if anybody on this board really knows what the hell L-MTP-PE is or where it comes from? Here's some info:


<<<There have been many attempts during the past five decades to use immune modulators to enhance endogenous immune responses to various cancers, including ostersarcoma. The most common form of non-specific immune stimulation involves Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), which has been evaluated with equivocal results in several cancers. Another approach has been specific vaccines that target tumor cells. For example, Onyvax-105 is an allogeneic osteosarcoma cell vaccine that elicits immune responses. A positive effect on survival, however, has not been demonstrated by Onyvax-105. MTP is a synthetic lipophilic analog of muramyl dipeptide, which is a component of the cell wall of BCG. Laboratory studies have shown that MTP stimulates an immunologic response.>>>

http://professional.cancerconsultants.com/oncology_bone_cancer_news.aspx?id=41522

So L-MTP-PE is made from the cell wall of the tuberculosis vacine, Bacille Calmette-Guerin? Whaaat?

Those that want to learn more should start at wikipedia just because it's simple, non-technical, and interesting. Search "Bacille Calmette-Guerin". Here's the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_Calmette-Gu%C3%A9rin

The whole article is interesting and you've gotta love the story of how BCG goes from Tuberculosis Vacine to Osteosarcoma Immunotherapy but go to "Other Uses" on the wiki page and you'll see that BCG has ties to other cancer treatment such as bladder and colorectal cancers.

I bring up all this history as a way of showing just how historic the pending EMEA approval will be. L-MTP-PE was a rising star at one point but faded quickly after the sponsor shelved the data. I wonder if they realized that L-MTP-PE fights microscopic pulmonary metastases regardless of the primary tumor sight?