Biotech Values

[mcbio]

Pending RIGL TASKi3 results

I went back and listened to today's conference call more thoroughly regarding the TASKi2 results and caught something interesting regarding the upcoming TASKi3 results. Dr. Elliott Grossbard, RIGL's Chief Medical Officer, mentions around about the 22 minute 30 second mark of the call that apparently 1 patient in the TASKi3 trial had to discontinue treatment and be hospitalized for high blood pressure and angina. After a two month follow-up on the patient, it was discovered that the patient had a blood pressure of 200/110. RIGL does not know yet if this patient was in the drug group or control group. Even if this occurred in the R788 group, it doesn't necessarily mean that R788 was the cause of the high blood pressure as elevated blood pressure can be common in RA patients and blood pressure can rise due to many other reasons in general, but this may be a hotly debated topic once the results are released if this was indeed an R788 patient.

Dr. Goddard indicated that the TASKi3 results will be out in 10 days or so. I think it makes even more sense now to wait until the full TASKi3 results are out before adding to my existing position in light of the news today.