Replies to post #109344 on Biotech Values

[biomaven0]

I find it hard to see how VEGF-Trap-Eye can effectively compete with off-label Avastin

Well the first issue is how well it can compete with Lucentis. Basically comparable efficacy, but once every two months instead of once a month is a significant advantage. I am sure injections into the eye cannot be pleasant, aside from the cost and hassle of 12 trips a year to the doctor instead of 6.

Lucentis does about $3 billion annually world-wide, so having an advantage over Lucentis is not trivial.

Further, it's easy to justify Avastin vs Lucentis given comparable efficiency and the cost-savings. It becomes a bit harder when you have to tell the patient that the cheaper drug requires twice as many injections.

Peter

[genisi]

Next year, data from the National Eye Institute Lucentis-Avastin Trial ( http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00593450 ), should increase Avastin's 65% share of US procedures for wet AMD.

[DewDiligence]

REGN’s VEGF-Trap-Eye slides from Bascom Palmer webcast on 2/13/11 (94 pages):

http://investor.regeneron.com/common/download/download.cfm?companyid=REGN&fileid=440864&filekey=8beb55ed-1aa6-43db-8783-ea5c0c4c78de&filename=REGN_Angiogenesis_Final%20021311.pdf