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Replies to #84507 on Biotech Values
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stockbettor

10/05/09 6:23 PM

#84555 RE: DewDiligence #84507

MNTA’s Valuation in the Single-Generic Lovenox Scenarios

Does the fact that sanofi announced it generics sub will produce a Plavix authorized generic (and will sell other generics "when appropriate") change your assessment of MNTA's potential value?

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssHealthcareNews/idUSL564810320091005

Sanofi to start selling own generic Plavix-report

PARIS, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA) will start selling its own generic version of its blood-clot treatment Plavix this week through its Winthrop unit, La Lettre de L'Expansion reports on Monday.

The move is aimed at beating other generic drug makers, which are planning to sell their own versions this autumn, the French newsletter said.

La Lettre de L'Expansion did not specify on which markets Sanofi planned to launch the generic version of Plavix.

A Sanofi spokesman said the group's strategy was to sell its own version of generic drugs when appropriate but he had no immediate comment on the timing of a Plavix launch. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Ben Hirschler; Editing by Hans Peters)

For an amusinig translation of the original article, see

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.moneyweek.fr%2Fconseils%2F01766%2Fsanofi-aventis-creation-generique-plavix-contre-concurrence.html


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biomaven0

10/06/09 5:27 PM

#84621 RE: DewDiligence #84507

>>MNTA’s Valuation in the Single-Generic Lovenox Scenarios

This particular analysis seems quite reasonable to me, but I do have one concern with your overall methodology.

In my view, the single most likely outcome is that MNTA's generic gets approved but we are left hanging as to whether other generics will ever receive approval or not. So then you would essentially have a blend between the single generic case and the multiple generic case, and the stock will trade as some blend of the two outcomes. Even though in that scenario MNTA's drug would be the only approved generic (at least for some time), there would always be an overhang of doubt about the possibility of later approvals of competitor drugs that would prevent it reaching the "single generic" range you are projecting.

FWIW, my take on the possibility of an "authorized generic" is that Sanofi launching an authorized generic would be quite unlikely in the "single generic" case but likely in the "multiple generic" case. The reason for this is that in the single generic case there would be duopoly pricing, and Sanofi would have little reason to further undercut the price.

MNTA has been a frustrating stock for me over the years. I was long for a while shortly after they went public, then eventually gave up in frustration, but re-entered after the heparin contamination publication and then stayed in the stock too long. Right now I have a modest net-long option position.

Peter
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DewDiligence

07/23/10 11:52 AM

#99380 RE: DewDiligence #84507

MNTA—Now might be a good time to reread #msg-42166244, but please bear in mind that the analysis there is for a hypothetical best-case scenario that may be difficult to achieve in practice.