Our latest Investing Matters Podcast episode with QuotedData's Edward Marten has just been released. Listen here.
Nice video to watch shared from the Reddit board
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBvzwIFQfc8
Have a good weekend.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-08-high-virus-lungs-covid-deaths.html
'A buildup of coronavirus in the lungs is likely behind the steep mortality rates seen in the pandemic, a new study finds. The results contrast with previous suspicions that simultaneous infections, such as bacterial pneumonia or overreaction of the body's immune defense system, played major roles in heightened risk of death, the investigators say. Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the new study showed that people who died of COVID-19 had on average 10 times the amount of virus, or viral load, in their lower airways as did severely ill patients who survived their illness.
Our findings suggest that the body's failure to cope with the large numbers of virus infecting the lungs is largely responsible for COVID-19 deaths in the pandemic," says study lead author Imran Sulaiman, MD, Ph.D., an adjunct professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Health.'
Full paper here https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-021-00961-5
Graph b) showing viral loads here - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-021-00961-5/figures/2
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So this paper suggests viral clearance/control is still important even during late stage disease and contributes to mortality. In a cohort of mechanical ventilation patients, 142 patients were given a bronchoscopy procedure to collect lung samples. Deceased patients had 10 times more viral load than survivors. Previously general consensus was viral load during severe Covid stage was lower and there has been a focus on inflammatory/secondary infections. This paper advises anti-viral drugs should be continually used throughout the disease course.
This is obviously good news for SNG001 as it gives a good reason for the drug working in the hospital setting.
Phizer manufacture the interferon Beta powder (Rebif) which is supplied to Dr Mary for his inhaled interferon trials.
Also that paper is from May 2020
https://fnih.org/sites/default/files/final/pdf/Protocol-activ-2-A5401-version3-dated12.22.20.pdf
Here is the US activ-2 trial protocol and if you go to page 216 there is an in depth review by the FDA on viral loads and the rationale to include SNG001 on the trial.
Hopefully puts peoples minds at rest if they have worries about viral loads.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-22177-1
Here is a newer study with a larger sample size using 180 mcg subcutaneous dose of Peginterferon Lambda in outpatients.
Conclusion
In this study, a single dose of subcutaneous Peginterferon Lambda-1a neither shortened the duration of SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding nor improved symptoms in outpatients with uncomplicated COVID-19.
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Yes type 3 interferon is known for its antiviral properties but it clear as a treatment in its current SC format its doesn't work. An inhaled form of type 3 interferon or some form of nasal drops may be beneficial for early stage infection. There is a company trying to develop this but I forget the name.
I wouldn't sell your SNG shares just yet ;)
Channel 4 Documentary based on Drastic research
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2sg_cwu6LY
In the past I have shared research from the DRASTIC group on the Covid origins and the likely coverup. Finally a main stream media channel has taken notice and make a great documentary on this evidence. Well worth a watch as it joins up all the information published by the team and on the balance of evidence you would conclude it more likely a lab leak as opposed to zoonotic.
Watch with an open mind and see what you think is the mor elikely scenario.
Just thinking of the numbers involved in this trial and prophylaxis use of AZD7442 in unvaccinated / immunocompromised at risk patients. Only 25 out of 5197 of participants in the entire trial including the placebo arm actually got symptomatic Covid. Just 3 patients developed severe Covid. We don't know breakdown of age/comorbidites etc.
As a guess I suspect 8 in drug arm and 17 in placebo arm developed symptomatic Covid. (77% efficacy mentioned 2:1 drug to placebo ratio)
Ballpark figures if they use 100k treatments as per trial it will prevent 370 or so symptomatic cases and 44 severe cases. 1/2 million doses means preventing around 1850 symptomatic and 200 severe cases.
So £400 quid a treatment * 1/2 million = £200 million
So bottom line cost of preventing around 1850 symptomatic and 200 severe cases will be £200 million quid.
Any maths people wanna check the workings out? In case ive got something wrong :)
The AZN pre order deal agreement was reliant on FDA approval of the drug from what I read a few months ago. Since then a number of trials have failed for AZN mAbs so I suspect there will be less demand and the pre order agreement will likely change.
People are going a bit overboard with AZN results, they were ok.
For comparison here is Regenerons similar prophylaxis trial results but in a post exposure setting - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2109682
I would be surprised if the USA plumps for AZN mABs when a USA based company has a better alternative for prophylaxis use.
Dumbpunter - 'No mention of icu in the p2, wasn't measured. Breathlessness was.'
Either you are deliberately lying or you are completely misinformed.
Here is the P2 Lancet paper that clearly mentions using WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI) in the results - https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30511-7/fulltext
Share Options are becoming a more popular way of rewarding key staff members as it encourages loyalty whilst incentivising employees to reach targets thus aiding the business.
At Grant
There are a number of key milestones throughout any share option process, and the potential tax implications may differ at each stage: When the option is granted, under most schemes there are no initial tax implications.
At Vest/Exercise
At the point that the shares are exercised, there is an income tax & NI charge for you (your employer has to pay NI as well!).
This charge is calculated by reference to the market value of the shares at the time of exercise less the amount due to be paid for the shares. The difference between these numbers is subject to tax and NI at your marginal rate and your employer will complete the calculation and make the deduction via the payroll in the month the shares are exercised.
Hehe same thought had crossed my mind :)
Recent news simplified
a) A big II has increased their holding by at least 10 million shares.
b) 3 Directors have substantially increased their personal share holdings via their options.
c) 0.7% dilution in overall shares.
Some people have sold out on this news others see it as bullish.
Luckily for us wetdream SNG has an international trial and has registrations in USA and EU. SNG board need to be given great credit for recognising early not to rely on the UK govt and have positioned themselves globally.
There are a number of Molnupiravir trials ongoing and on Reddit is one of the drugs we track. The main Merck trial is here https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04575597 and due to finish in October. Initial P2 results were encouraging and crucially according to the company there were no safety signals. Former versions of Molnupiravir were famously abandoned by other drug companies due to its mutagenic properties and birth defects.
Interestingly Molnupiravir struggled to recruit due to falling numbers of SARS-COV-2 infections. Earlier this year a deal was done in India with 5 Indian pharma generics companies to mass produce the drug at vastly cut prices to serve low income countries. The deal ensured the Indian government would give fast track status. A company called Hetero who are making a generic version of the drug have a seperate almost completed P3 trial with apparent decent results and have now applied for an EUA with the Indian regulator.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/covid-hetero-seeks-dcgi-nod-for-molnupiravir-eua-after-phase-3-trial-shows-fewer-hospital-admissions-quicker-recovery/articleshow/84261259.cms
Hetero interim P3 trial results
The interim results from mild COVID-19 patients (N=741) revealed the following encouraging outcomes:
• Earlier clinical improvement (2-point decrease in WHO Clinical Progression Scale) observed in Molnupiravir group compared to SOC (Day 5 (63.43% vs 22.33%; p=<0.0001), Day 10 (78.96% vs 49.49%; p=<0.0001) and Day 14 (81.55% vs 73.22%; p=0.0150))
• Median time to clinical improvement as early as 8 days in Molnupiravir group compared to 12 days in SOC alone group (p=0.0001)
• Earlier SARS CoV-2 RT-PCR negativity observed in Molnupiravir group compared SOC (Day 5 (77.35% vs 26.07%; p=<0.0001) Day 10 (94.03% vs 57.20%; p=<0.0001) and Day 14 (97.01% vs 85.21%; p=<0.0001)).
• Fewer hospital admissions in Molnupiravir group compared to SOC alone (7 (1.89%) Vs 23 (6.22%) p= 0.0027) over 14 days of observation.
• There was no mortality in either groups. All adverse events were non-serious, mild in severity, and none led to drug discontinuation.
Fauci
I too have watched Fauci interviews and its clear he has always been in bed with big pharma and has made clear he wants to follow a similar treatment path to how he approached HIV. He is absolutely looking for a pill in the outpatient setting and as I have said on Reddit im of the opinion Molnupiravir is already a done deal. I am also confident the UK treatment task force will also have its eyes set on this pill.
As for the drug Molnupiravir vs SNG001. The drugs primary target in the treatment course is different.
* Molnupiravir needs to be administered ASAP preferably after a positive PCR test in the outpatient setting.
* SNG001 is targeted inpatients at hospital who require oxygen.
I don't believe there any surprises or shock to SP as most researched investors who are well aware of Molnupi
You are assuming 94% of population have taken the vaccine. According to NYT 59% of the population in Israel are fully vaccinated.
https://twitter.com/RanIsraeli/status/1422291237399302152
'If you are at the age of 60 and above - there is almost no difference between being vaccinated or not. You have the same chances of getting the disease'
Messaging in the main stream media has changed in Israel now the real world vaccine data is out in the wider public. Next is the justification and big push on a 3rd booster dose for over 60's to 'top-up' antibody titers to try and protect from more severe disease knowing they cannot contain spread or achieve herd immunity.
We will soon see similar MSM messaging in the UK and other Western countries admitting vaccines do little to prevent spread and infection. Then a big push for a 3rd dose of vaccine.
Just messaged similar stuff on Reddit. Terrible news for vaccine efficacy and ability to prevent infection/spread.
'In July 2021, following multiple large public events in a Barnstable County, Massachusetts, town, 469 COVID-19 cases were identified among Massachusetts residents who had traveled to the town during July 3–17; 346 (74%) occurred in fully vaccinated persons. Testing identified the Delta variant in 90% of specimens from 133 patients. Cycle threshold values were similar among specimens from patients who were fully vaccinated and those who were not.'
' Five were hospitalized; as of July 27, no deaths were reported. One hospitalized patient (age range = 50–59 years) was not vaccinated and had multiple underlying medical conditions.†† Four additional, fully vaccinated patients§§ aged 20–70 years were also hospitalized, two of whom had underlying medical conditions.'
Interesting on point b) in my post - all the news outlets that reported 'higher viral load' in vaccinated people have removed their news stories. Obvious some higher level government directive has asked to change messaging. Some will claim journalist errors in getting information wrong, some will say its a cover up. Either way I think damage is now done with claims of ADE.
Official messaging is now as per Fauci 'The level of virus in vaccinated persons is exactly the same as the level of virus in unvaccinated persons'
Fauci video - https://twitter.com/Poempieloempie1/status/1420470058980188166
Not just UK offcials that are crap at communication.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(21)00189-0/fulltext
Immunocompromised patients are prone to developing high intra-host diversity. Bamlanivimab rapidly selected Spike mutations at position 484 escape variants in two immunocompromised patients. Such variants were not observed within immunocompromised patients admitted to hospital but not treated with bamlanivimab at our hospital in 2021 (n=69, including 23 patients with multiple samples). Although the US Food and Drug Administration revoked emergency use authorisation for bamlanivimab alone, combination treatment with monoclonal antibodies might also select escape variants in immunocompromised patients.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/10/21-1538_article
We report in vivo selection of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike mutation (Q493R) conferring simultaneous resistance to bamlanivimab and etesivimab. This mutation was isolated from a patient who had coronavirus disease and was treated with these drugs.
Seems to be a pattern here mAbs used to treat immunocompromised patients have an obvious and clinically proven risk of mutating inter host and creating new resistant variants. Suspect etesivimab/Eli Lilly next to lose EUA.
EMA and FDA must now be rethinking the use of mAbs.
No doubt about its been a bad news week for vaccines knocking confidence in the general public. For many of us here there isn't any real surprises but for the general public they were sold on the vaccines being the silver bullett out the pandemic. Generally most Jo public were not aware of the difference between preventing/infection spread and reduction in severe disease.
Recent news
a) Double vaccinated people still get infected by SARS-COV-2 and spread it. Plenty of real world data from various countries showing between 20% and 50% efficacy.
b) CDC in USA (Confirmed by Fauci video) has identified vaccinated people have similar or higher amounts of vial load in the Nasopharynx as unvaccinated. Many scientists worried about first signs of ADE.
c) CDC on points a) and b) have responded by reversing policy on mask mandates and testing for vaccinated people. All vaccinated people now need to wear a mask and do regular testing again. Causing widespread anger in USA.
d) Phizer 6 month trial safety data shows 15 deaths in vaccine arm and 14 in the placebo arm. There was a small signal of elevated cardiac arrest in vaccine group 4 deaths compared to 1 in placebo.
e) Phizer says protection is waning from their own studies now 83.7% efficacy after 6 months and say a 3rd booster shot is necessary. However still claim 97% protection vs hospitalisation/death.
f) There is now a big push for 2nd generation vaccines that target nasal mucosal and upper respiratory tract which produce better protection against infection/spread by targeting areas of intial infection. Stimulating IgA response and related T cells is key, what current IM route vaccines lack.
g) Small Israel study shows 1 in 5 breakthrough cases in vaccinated people lead to Long Covid.
h) Fact checker websites have senior staff who are also on Phizer/Modernas board.
i) Scientists from round the world including CDC and SAGE are very worried they will see a vaccine escaping variant. This due to the high circulation of virus in society infecting a high % of people vaccinated.
j) Vaccine protection from hospitalisation/death in real world setting is still very high. Estimates between 85-95%.
Obviously this is more news based out of the USA and with a very politically charged country this news is being spun to suit agendas of pro vax or anti vax.
These are the facts though and why there are many questioning the vaccines.