With all due respect, LP knows with a good amount of certainty where NWBO stands with the trial. She has a very good idea as to whether the trial met the primary and secondary end points.
After all, she has engaged professional statisticians, has PIs and the SAB, all giving her input. They have more data than anyone except those running the trial. She knows whether or not NWBO has met the primary and secondary endpoints by now.
I believe that NWBO knows that either it is an extremely close call or that they failed. LP has stressed the importance, almost to the exclusion of these end points, of a long and fat tail. This is what investors should be looking for she has continually emphasised. It appears that in order to win reg approvals, broad support from the medical community and insurance coverage, she requires a home run here. They are trying to wring out as much tail as they can and I think LP knows that the spring refresh is her last stand. She won't say it in order to be able to play for time for a miracle hail mary touch down pass. If she delays beyond spring refresh 2018 and goes for a fall and/or 2019 data collection or drags her feet on the current refresh, you know the trial is in trouble. This appears to me to be the reason for all the silence and shifting the responsibility for prolonging the trial on the SAB. JMHO