Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

GSK’s melanoma cocktail of dabrafenib + trametinib will stymie Zelboraf’s commercial uptake, according to Citi analyst:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/05/28/us-glaxosmithkline-melanoma-idINBRE84R0DY20120528

Two experimental skin cancer drugs from GlaxoSmithKline - each designed to block different pathways used by tumour cells - look set to steal a march on Roche's pioneering melanoma treatment Zelboraf, according to Citigroup.

…Dabrafenib, designed to work in patients with a mutation of a gene known as BRAF, and trametinib, which interferes with a protein known as MEK, have been shown in small-scale tests to curb melanoma with few side effects. Further details on GSK's products will be disclosed at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago next week.

Citi analyst Andrew Baum said dabrafenib was likely to be launched in 2013 and would quickly erode sales of Roche's Zelboraf, given it had fewer skin side-effects and less joint pain, while from 2014 a combination of dabrafenib and trametinib was likely to become the "gold standard" for melanoma treatment.