Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
Some very valid and I think realistic points there Doc.Daneeka. It might take some hard questioning at the AGM to get a sense of what discussions, if any, Synairgen had with big pharma after the deepdive data was presented at the ATS. I assume if any reasonable offer to help fund a trial had been tabled it would have had to have been disclosed? I'm sure there are grey area's to the rules though.
My hope is RM has a strong sense (or maybe even knows) we're going to be admitted onto STRIVE, but if the NIH are dragging their heals (and we have first hand evidence that they can from ACTIV) then the Synairgen team must be quite apprehensive. It might mean why the continuous soft marketing (videos, conferences, LinkedIn statements). Why would you waste resource doing this if you were prepping for a major trial or in the middle of designing protocols.
If we fail to get on STRIVE then I think we're sadly looking at dilution IMO. I have no faith in any UK based PT emerging. Given UNIVERSAL, a Janssen JV could well materialise, but that basically means the SPRINTER trial really did go up in smoke.
I'm still hopeful a viable trial solution will materialise but as Doc.Daneeka alludes to. Govt. Agencies and people in general have short memories when it comes to pandemic preparedness.
GLA
Doc.Daneeka, thanks for your thoughts. Re. "chances have to realistically be around 20-30% now that we are selected". Do you mean you think we have a 20-30% chance of being selected for STRIVE? Seems low given the programme objectives and that we're already in the system so to speak from Activ .
Gunto2022, your point about the time it's taking to announce the second STRIVE agent makes sense / seems logical.
The Shionogi trial needs 1500 participants. How many patients do you think Synairgen would need for each virus? Same again per virus? If SNG001 is trialed for influenza, RSV, covid and parainfluenza viruses etc. We're talking min 6,000 patients?! To gain statically significance it feels like we might need those sorts of numbers. Anyone else have a view?
Also, it's the equivalent of running a trial for four different drugs. Very resource intensive. Could be quite politically sensitive amongst the drug research community, one company receiving soo much help (if this materialises).
Tommy, my reference to gaining authorisation for covid was via a platform trial only.
IMO, a jv of some sort should only be considered by the board once any route to authorisation via a PT has be exhausted. A JV with BP to be considered after that, but none seem to have bitten yet and the ATS presentation was in May. Would Synairgen have had to disclose any jv offers recieved to date?
Also, in terms of authorisation I'd have thought it's step by step. On a risk adjusted basis I'd prefer 100% of a bathtub that should be virtually guaranteed as a start given the learnings / data from The Sprinter trial. The Olympic size swimming pool can wait. Just my views. Interested to hear what others think.
Good luck all
Anyone else worried about Synairgen's strategy at trying to nail all the respiratory viruses in one go? Seems a noble idea but a bit of a red flag. Are they suffering from scientific hubris? They couldn't even get the trial design right to guarantee an EUA (which should have been a slam dunk), now they want to throw all the darts up in the air in one go.
Why not get authorisation for hospitalised covid patients with compromised respiratory function. Once authorised the company could then organically fund further trials or sell the company (realise shareholder value) and let others take on the mantle. Synairgen appear to be going off piste from their covid fund raising objectives. How does everyone feel about that?
A SPAC transaction is highly improbable at this stage. It could be an exit route for Polygon once we have authorisation for covid and if it is looking as if there is a route to commercialisation for the treatment against infections caused by other viruses (the multi- virus strategy).
IMO it is more probable that a private equity or VC fund would put in a relitively low ball offer in the next few months to see if Polygons / other shareholders bite.
This might become increasingly likely if we are not on a trial in c.a. two or three months time.
Let's hope we are on a PT by then or have signed a JV which isn't too dilutive (i.e. not had our pants pulled down).
I'm still hoping we're next to be announced on STRIVE. If we are I think Polygon will be sticking around to see the outcome. I sure as hell will be.
Good luck all x
Good quote that Trinity and very apt! I had a email response when I enquired about Synairgen's strategy last week and was bluntly told Richard Marsden had just delivered it via LinkedIn (in his new year message)!! I haven't managed to summon up the energy to respond. They're either on the brink of something or still throwing darts....
Doc83, an interactive interview would be helpful or even a rns business plan update. I'd like to know if achieving authorisatiin for Covid (inpatient and even out patient) is still the priority (I think it should be) and how it will be achieved. Where are we in terms of probability of acieving funding via a platform trial and estimated timings. Is the multi virus trial strategy to run in parallel or given higher priority? Is this also to be funded via a platform or is it anticipated this will be funded via a joint venture. What is the likely timings for news.
Is it still anticipated SNG001 will be trialed this winter?