Intersting tidbits out of Eln's conference call today:
1. Growth rate of Tysabri was greatest in June (end of quarter).
2. Tysabri is the most closely monitored drug on the market. When my wife goes for her Tysabri infusion tomorrow, the NP will again give her the 3rd degree before the infusion. There is a complete database on all 23,000 patients in the US and many of the 20,000 in the EU. Additionally, there is TIGRIS and STRATA (long term Tysabri studies ongoing). So what's the point?
As of today, almost 3 years into the market, there have been no NEW side effects noted from Tysabri aside from PML.
3. BIIB Avonex sales are not growing and any major price increases are over. ACOR drug will take a few years before providing any lift to earnings. Nothing else coming to market for at least 3 years. Tysabri sales are their only growth engine and the only way to increase their EPS and stock price (especially after the ELN/JNJ move).
4. Tysabri does not adversely effect the peripheral immune system, which could result in nonspecific immunosuppression, a senario that could be the case for other MS drugs under development (see Cladribine and FTY-720).
