Biotech Values

[AlpineBV_Miller]

re: Oncology Biomarker Qualification Initiative (OBQI)

I think this is an incredibly important initiative. If biotech companies expect to continue to receive the big dollars for their drugs, they will have to be able to prove they are working as expected almost immediately after they are dosed. Waiting for the disease to progress simply won't cut it.

OBQI will also move the focus in cancer treatment to early detection. This will drive a dramatic shift in the kinds of drugs under development, placing a premium on drugs with very low side effects on an absolute basis (i.e. as in not just low compared to chemotherapy).

"Therapeutic index" will be among the most important two words in oncology next decade.