Replies to post #160466 on Biotech Values

[jq1234]

I'd follow NVS INC280 development closely to see if they deviate from Roche's MET development model, especially what combination they would try. At this point, it seems they are following Tivantinib as monotherapy in HCC. I would assume they saw activity in HCC from ph1, which is good for Tivantinib in HCC.

[caravon]

Novartis is running 5 Ph2 c-MET inhibitor INC280 clinical trials.
All trials are open label with ~60 pts each covering both Asia and EU/US population.

NVS is a good company. It knows how to run clinical trials.

ARQL management is too busy rewarding themselves with bonuses for their incompetence and greed.

[mcbio]

INCY/ARQL

I haven't been great at following this space, but it seems to me that time is not the essence in determining who is ahead in the MET field. Rather, the company that best executes on identifying the population to test will win the day.

Well, as jq noted, they seem to be pursuing similar strategy as ARQL (monotherapy in HCC) and they are well behind in it. I will concede that they presumably have the better partner in NVS (vs. Daiichi Sankyo for ARQL), but I like where ARQL is right now already having begun to enroll patients in the pivotal P3 HCC trial after the positive P2 HCC results (http://investors.arqule.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=679317 ).