Replies to post #64391 on NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[flipper44]

I guess you mean Argos AGS-003 for RCC and NWBO's DCVax-L for GBM.

Right now, obviously they are going after different indications, so there is no potential short term competition for markets. Long term, they both want to treat all solid tumor cancers.

From a scientific thesis point of view, it might be argued that ARGOS early on intentionally tied one hand behind its back because they only use their dendritic cell therapy to target strictly memory t-cells. The concern I have, but I could be completely wrong, is that is not enough AND when used in combination with chemoradiation, the latter can interfere with development of fully mature memory t-cells.

ARGOS does have less problem with getting enough tumor material (in their case RNA), but NWBO appears to have worked through quantity issues regarding tumor lysate, MOREOVER DCVax-Direct is not restricted by ex vivo tumor material, and it is does not have to encompass Tumor RNA or Lysate into its manufacturing calculus.

Even though I am not invested in ARGOS, I was hoping their interim at 50% might provide an early halt for efficacy, but that would have required extremely good results. Their final results in their RCC trial are projected for February, 2017, and it may end up better that their trial had more time to mature in a semi masked (parallel) trial.

I am obviously invested in NWBO, and I see their technology bypassing quantity issues, and I
am interested in DCVax-Direct's improvements and DCVax-L's manufacturing enhancements. I also think Dr. Prins and company will then use the whole tumor lysate knowledge gained over tens of thousands of treatments to develop even more efficient therapeutics.

I wish them both the best.

[kabunushi]

Argos recently laid off a dozen technical staff and shut down their program to automate mfg. This was done right after they announced that their VCs were putting up another $60M required to complete the ph 3 trial along with 1-2 phase 2 trials. Prior to that their stated goal was to upgrade from a manual process to automated while their ph 3 trial was ongoing. When asked about it on a cc the CEO said that they only anticipate treating some 600 patients in their first year after approval and only up to double that in 2nd year. If NWBO has completed their automation and especially if they have already started using the latest mfg processes in the vax-l ph 3 trial then would seem to be miles ahead of Argos in how quickly they can expand the number of patients treated, assuming that both get approved. Of course if one treatment proved to be significantly more effective that might trump mfg ability but it does appear that NWBO could be able to move much faster if there is a large demand for the treatment and both treatments work to a similar degree. Of course NWBO has both vax-l and direct as possible weapons.

[austinmediainc]

I ask this because if both get approved this year or next they will probably compete with each other in off label use in other cancers.

Can a trial finish if it hasn't even fully enrolled? Last I checked we were still in a screening hold.....but the good news is the hold has only been going on for a year since they told us they thought it would be cleared up "shortly" and only 5 years enrolling......NWBO is miles and miles and miles behind ARGS.

PS ARGS tabled the move towards automation and laid off in an effort to not dilute shareholders and have enough funds to complete their Phase III. They have hit every timeline they laid out in regards to enrollment completion, first, second and third interim looks. They understand how important finishing the trial is. If they succeed then they will have all the money they need through non-dilutive means to fast track automation. ARGS also has over 100 employees compared to the 12 of NWBO and manage to operate at less.