The latest Investing Matters Podcast episode with London Stock Exchange Group's Chris Mayo has just been released. Listen here.
I’m sure Holgate was trying to distinguish between the low-risk re-purposing of a (cheap) anti-inflammatory and the active support for a novel anti-viral.
The fact that the latter is non-Oxford originated just adds, sadly, to the suspicion that some sort of academic ‘closed shop’ is in place.
Well, almost. Cases down 95%.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hygiene-and-immunity-leave-flu-germs-with-nowhere-to-go-xxdb65klt?shareToken=53e225da865c0a31132242266d0e9a2b
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55817918
PIs take on the hedge funds
Quite amusing. :-)
While a JV with ‘big pharma’ is undoubtedly the most likely outcome (ass7ming all goes well with P3) it’s just possible that we’re at a point where the ‘outsource model’ might gain traction with Amazon handling the distribution - and SNG001 being their first rx drug delivered by drone.
But not at $2-3k a pop.
Imho it was good that RM avoided any direct answer over cost of treatment as this is best left to others to determine - in his words it ‘has to demonstrate value for money’ - and what represents value for money in a secondary/tertiary care (life-threatening) situation will not be acceptable in a primary care/community setting where the numbers (and the $$$ bill) rise exponentially.
Also drug prices within the US Managed Care system are generally negotiated separately Provider by Provider, where competition is intense. Often the pharma co may price as a package with other products depending what’s on the contract.
That option’s not available to SNG without a JV partner, but as this is a unique situation where a Government contract may be the best solution, RM’s trying to soften up the market.
Extracts from today’s ‘Wonder drug’ article in The Times:
‘The Principle Trial is hunting for treatments that could be used at home soon after symptoms appear. The aim is to find a medicine that makes an impact during the earliest stages of the disease, preventing severe illness’
and
‘Professor Butler and his team are searching for medicines that work earlier, including treatments that prevent the virus replicating and gaining a foothold in its host’.
and
‘....there’s a big gap, which is worrying. To have only a few potential therapeutics for a nasty disease during a global pandemic - it’s not a great place to be. We need a big push in R&D’ Dr Cammack said.
Anyone know of anything that could help?
Seems like the BOT algorithms are aiming for 5%drop on a non- news day (the Home Trial news really broke yesterday) after a rise. In the absence of any TR1s it’s probably just churning stock till a hint of major news.
My guess is it’ll take about 10m to clear resistance at 170/175 which’ll need better institutional support.
https://shorttracker.co.uk/company/GB00B0381Z20/
Only about 1m shares, but enough to do damage on non- news days.
Rinse and repeat.
Shame they didn’t mention market shares as from memory the mkt leader, John Lewis, had about 9%, and imho Dunelm must be gaining share as JL are in disarray.
So, staying in the game’s important as customer choice becomes more limited.
Looks like ‘Sell on news’ regardless.
Be interesting to see where the sp ends up at the close.
2nd qtr trading update released.
Not sure what the market was expecting but seems a decent performance given the circumstances.
Also note they’ve re-paid the govnt furlough payments.
It seems obvious that RM’s heart’s not in the home trial - yet.
The hospital setting is where the premium price potentially is, so go for that first. However, in the eyes of the medical world, that may consign SNG001 towards the moderate/severe treatment end of the spectrum, allowing other treatments to gain entry earlier on. And bear in mind that cheap old stuff like dexamethasone is waiting for them as standard care now.
In the community, contemplating charging £2k for a treatment comprising a naturally occurring protein in an inhaler/nebuliser, in patient population inbthe millions, perhaps, imho won’t fly.
A government contract for Covid may soak up the cost initially, but longer term (for COPD/Asthma) the price may need to drop a zero...