ZGEN – It’s wise to be skeptical of biotech PR’s (today’s gem from RPRX is a case in point!); however, I don’t view the non-HCV milestones in the Lambda deal with BMY as unduly suspect. As noted in a previous post, HBV is surely on the table and this could account for perhaps half of the $287M.
Presumably there is no cost to BMY for agreeing to this clause… if they want to run trials for cancer then a payment is possible, but perhaps they have zero intent of ever doing such.
Well, oncology is one of BMY’s specialties, both commercially (Erbitux) and in the development pipeline (Kosan acquisition). I’m inclined to think that BMY’s interest in Lambda for cancer is real, although clearly not the main impetus for today’s deal.
“The efficient-market hypothesis may be the foremost piece of B.S. ever promulgated in any area of human knowledge!”