picking up the pieces....except for the stock price, this news is far from a disaster. Bavituximab was thrown into the mix for treating stage IIIB and stage IV untreatable metastatic lung cancer: Stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer defined: cancer has spread from lung primary site to lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the primary tumor and to (a) the heart; (b) major blood vessels that lead to or from the heart; (c) trachea; (d) esophagus; (e) sternum; and/or (f) carina; and/or (g) there may be separate tumors in different lobes of the same lung. Cancer may have spread to the backbone and/or the nerve that controls the larynx. Stage IV non-small cell lung cancerhas spread to the other lung, and/or to lymph nodes, fluid around the lungs or heart, and/or other places in the body, such as the brain, liver, adrenal glands, kidneys, or bones. Bavituximab (unarmed), a mild immunological stimulant which encourages proliferation of specialized white blood cells (monocytes), is added to a combination of two cytotoxic agents which are known to decrease body production of these very cells. It is almost certain that the patients have undergone other immunosuppressive therapy prior to this trial, and are suffering the non-treatment related immunosuppresive effects of advanced cancer. Am I disappointed? Of course. Miracles are what we pray for, but not what we can expect. Suprised? No. What happens when you kick a dead horse (the immune system, not the patient)? Are the results interesting? Yes. Bavi apparently did not cause additional side-effects. Is there hope for Bavi? Of course. Come on! We were in a race that could not be won. And actually have learned from it. Don't give up. Just get realistic. And don't let them give away the technology when all our chins (and portfolios) are dragging on the floor.
