The latest Investing Matters Podcast episode with London Stock Exchange Group's Chris Mayo has just been released. Listen here.
Aug. 24, 2018 7:43 AM ET|About: AstraZeneca Group plc (AZN)|By: Douglas W. House, SA News Editor
The China National Drug Administration has approved AstraZeneca's (NYSE:AZN) LYNPARZA (olaparib) for the maintenance treatment of recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, the first targeted therapy approved there for the indication.
The company is co-developing the PARP inhibitor with Merck (NYSE:MRK).
Just bought in as part of my inheritance tax portfolio
AstraZeneca said Wednesday results from a recent study showed its drug to improve lung function in patients with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was not more effective than alternative treatments. The 24-week AERISTO Phase IIIb trial was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of the company's disease treatment, Bevespi Aerosphere, compared with umeclidinium and vilanterol. 'The primary endpoints were peak change from baseline in FEV1 where non-inferiority and superiority were measured and change from baseline in trough FEV1 where non-inferiority was measured,' the company said. AstraZeneca said the results were 'inconsistent' with a previous trail that had demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the treatment to improve lung function. 'The efficacy and safety of Bevespi Aerosphere has been established by the Phase III PINNACLE trial programme involving more than 5,000 patients. The performance of Bevespi Aerosphere in AERISTO is inconsistent with previous data,' said Dr Colin Reisner, Head of Respiratory, Global Medicines Development. 'Bevespi Aerosphere is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency with a regulatory decision anticipated in the second half of 2018,' the company added. Story provided by StockMarketWire.com
when Affimers are proven to be totally safe in humans which should be sometime in 2019
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That's not going to be achieved by 2019.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phases_of_clinical_research
The placing was to be able to fund a phase 1 trial. At the rate of current cash burn Avacta would run out of money before the trial was completed.
Trials are risky as share holders of Prothena found to their costs
Now read on:
“The entire process of developing a drug from preclinical research to marketing can take approximately 12 to 18 years and often costs well over $1 billion.” That is assuming that the trials are a “clinical success”.
It all seemed so promising for Prothema before the Phase III trial…
“We have just heard from Prothena that the Pronto trial, investigating NEOD001 in AL Amyloidosis, has not met its primary endpoint. This is an extremely disappointing outcome and one which has surprised the company, with a much bigger and more significant placebo effect being observed than anything seen in prior trials would have suggested. As a result, Prothena has announced that it will halt all spending on NEOD001 immediately, including the termination of the ongoing Vital study, which had been due to read-out next year.”
Well in May 2015 there was a placing at £1.25 (market price just a month or so previously was 63p) and the shares rapidly advanced to £1.48, but since then it has been a consistent erosion of the price. In analyst briefings they obviously tell a very good story.
What would worry me if I was holding these shares is the question of why, if the technology is so good and will return billions, they have not been bought by one of the big pharma groups.
I do have substantial holdings in AZN, GSK, MRK JNJ , ABBV, ABBT and others but as I said in my first post not in AVCT and have no plans to do so
I have been "monitoring" this share for at least 5 years. In those days the share price was the equivalent of about £3.00 (3p but there was a 100:1 share consolidation).
They have interesting technology BUT they are not unique.
I've rated it a "Strong Sell" but what I really mean is NEVER BUY.