Replies to post #121625 on Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

(EXEL/AMGN)—Thanks, Idit. Does your post mean you agree with what I said in #msg-60236713:

I disagree with the implication that Denosumab cannot extend survival and with the assertion that Denosumab is not an “anti-cancer” drug. (I debated the latter point with jq1234 in a prior thread on this board.)

Denosumab might well have shown a survival benefit if patients in the bone-mets-prevention study had remained on drug after bone-met progression. However, when the trial in question was conducted, Denosumab was not yet approved for patients who already had bone mets, and hence the protocol called for patients to be taken off drug upon progression.

I’ve been engaged in a semantic war with EXEL longs about what constitutes an anti-cancer drug, so your joining my side of the debate would be welcome, if this is what you are doing. In my humble opinion, the Exelixites have been unduly disparaging Xgeva to try to make Cabo look better, which is yet another red flag about EXEL, albeit a minor one.

[jq1234]

The results from the Alpharadin (radium-223 chloride) trial #msg-63944830 show that a bone targeted therapy (not an “anti-cancer” drug) can improve OS in CRPC patients with bone metastases.

I'd say Alpharadin is an anti-cancer drug.

Alpharadin, a radiopharmaceutical
whose active ingredient is based
on radium-223. This drug product
is deposited into areas of new bone
formation where it releases alpha radiation,
thereby attacking the bone
metastases.

Xgreva is different.