Adam, Thank you for calling the two Pharmas and confirming that there is a combo-trial in the works for DCVax and PD-1 and that Merck and BMS also confirm that it's not a partnership, which some people on this board think might imply that NWBO, which owns the patent for DCVax, is giving up something. I know you expressed doubt at whether the trial would ever begin, but if we put your information from the big Pharmas together with what Dr. Prins confirmed to a roomful of doctors in March, we know negotiations are complete and the trial will start soon. If this is a Ph I trial, it makes sense that it would happen at UCLA only, no other hospitals. NWBO may not be investing any money because UCLA receives grants from many sources to fund its Ph I trials. But, of course, since NWBO owns DCVax, they (as in we who are invested) stand to benefit if the trial has positive results.
We also know, thanks to another contributor on this board, that NWBO owns the patent for just such a collaboration between immunotherapies. Dr. Prins of UCLA and Dr. Bosch of NWBO are both on the list of inventors, that also include NWBO CEO Linda Powers (who is an expert in writing patent laws; she helped European nations develop their patent laws), and UCLA brain surgeon and DCVax inventor Dr. Linda Liau. It is patent pending, from what I could find, and it was filed Nov. 5, 2014.
Thanks again for your input on this exciting news.
P.S.: Who would the "investigator" be, if not the parties involved?