RE: Sierra Presentation18 Feb 2021 12:24
Progress reports on the Phase 1/2 SRA 737 trials were pointing to promising results in Anogenital and some patients were continuing to be treated at the end of the phase trials last March. So there may have been an opportunity for Sierra to consider applying for a fast track. But what surprised everyone was the quite sudden raft of scientific evidence pointing to promising results in the lab that SRA737 if used in combination with other inhibitors might be a future potential treatment for a range of Cancers. I is clear that this was too big news for a small Pharma like Sierra to simply change clinical direction. I can recall reading somewhere that Sierra had big ambitions to grow the company and develop over time into to a major Pharmaceutical Company. The new scientific findings were potentially a great opportunity to meet their aims but had come at the wrong time. Decisions had already been made to focus on Momelotinib which has taken up most of their financial resources. So, with the ultimate aim of growing the company further, there has been this delay in halting the progress of further trials whilst they absorbed the new scientific findings and tried to work through the complexities of multi drug trials involving potentially up to three Pharmaceutical companies. That complex situation is bound to have contributed to the delays that we have experienced. I have no doubt that there have been considerable talks going on behind the scenes with other pharmas and that initial progress made was enough for the agreed contract amendment that included the reduced milestones. For a small pharma, Sierra does have a very large number of Institutions on board. Is that simply because Momelotinib may pass Phase 3 trials next year and get to market or is it also because they have been made aware of SRA737 as well? We do not know for sure. But there have been signs that things are starting to move, with the Trademark applications, moving premises to be near Gilead, and numerous advertised job vacancies. The initial trials were very well run by Sierra and that bodes well for the future. The combination trials if they are taken forward will need strong management and organisation with maybe up to three pharmas involved. That has taken a lot of planning and negotiation which I now think is coming to a conclusion. I have said before that I think proposals will all be revealed by 31 March but with scientific voices in The Cancer Research institute saying the combination inhibitor findings are an exciting development and may contribute towards the next generation treatments for cancer I am happy to sit and wait if necessary.
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