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AACR Preview Part 5: Late-breaking abstracts TKMR EXEL PCYC IMMU VRTX

04/03/2013

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In this post I will highlight some of the AACR Late-breaker abstracts that I am watching for, mostly related to clinical trial results. The big trials tend to be saved for ASCO in June, but there should be some interesting data nonetheless.

Full coverage:
Introduction
Preview Part 1 (SNTA, ASTX, NVS, INFI)
Preview Part 2
Preview Part 3 (ARRY, ASTX)
Preview Part 4 (ASTX, ARQL, BPAX)

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LLY: BACE inhibitor Alzheimer's disease data at #AAN13

01/18/2013

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Eli Lilly (click here for all LLY-related content on BiotechDueDiligence) will present phase 1 data on their BACE inhibitor LY2886721 (in development for Alzheimer's disease) at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (#AAN13) on March 18, 2013. Continue reading below for the fulltext abstract.

LY2886721 has a number of competitors, including MK-8931 from Merck MRK and Ligand Pharma LGND. As you'll see in the data below, the Lilly drug is inferior to MK-8931 in terms of the reduction of CSF levels of AB1-40 (alpha-beta 1-40) peptide after 14 days of treatment (maximum  decline of 74% vs. 94%). Of course we have a long way to go before we have any idea if either drug will be effective in treating Alzheimer's disease.



Click here for data from four abstracts on MK-8931 presented at the 2012 AAIC meeting (see where the 94% figure came from...)

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LGND Ligand Pharma partner updates for 3q-2012

12/18/2012

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With 70 partnered development programs, it is a chore to keep tabs on the progress at Ligand Pharma LGND. Continue reading below for a few updates from partner companies disclosed on 3q-2012 earnings conference calls.

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Merck $MRK moves MK-8931 in phase 2/3 for Alzheimer's Disease. $LGND

12/03/2012

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Merck today announced details [link] about the new phase 2/3 (200 then 1700 patients) clinical trial in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s Disease testing the BACE inhibitor MK-8931. This trial will be yet another test of the “amyloid hypothesis” for AD – investors, patients, and researchers will be hoping it goes better than recent trials from Eli Lilly's $LLY solanezumab, and bapineuzumab from Pfizer $PFE – Johnson & Johnson $JNJ – Elan $ELN.

You can find more details on the program in my highlights from a recent Merck R&D day event [link]. Recall that this program is licensed from Ligand Pharma $LGND (well, it arose two mergers ago in a drug discovery deal between Schering Plough $SGP and Pharmacopeia $PCOP). Check the archive of LGND-related posts to see what MRK has said about the program at other events and webcasts. 

Continue reading for the complete info and data from four abstracts about the drug presented at the AAIC meeting earlier in 2012.
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Ligand Pharma $LGND - 2q2012 conference call comments from partners

09/03/2012

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Ligand Pharma $LGND has built a business around a large portfolio of partnerships in which other biotech and pharma companies develop drugs at no cost to LGND. The upside to shareholders from any one deal is lower, but the many "shots on goal" and growing royalties from PROMACTA and KYPROLIS offer a lower risk investment opportunity compared to many biotechs.


Continue reading below for a round-up of notes on LGND-partnered programs from a number of partners from 2q-2012 earnings conference calls.

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Ligand $LGND 1q-2012 partner and ASCO updates

05/14/2012

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ASCO:
Ligand and GlaxoSmithKilne $GSK will present early stage data for the use of PROMACTA (eltrombopag) in chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia at ASCO 2012 in June. Also, partner Merck will present phase 2 melanoma data for SCH727965. Finally, there will be several presentations from Onyx Pharma $ONXX related to carfilzomib. Abstracts will be released May 16th so stay tuned.


First quarter 2012 Partner Updates:

Merck $MRK and Baxter $BAX have partnered programs with LGND that were not discussed on their respective 1q-2012 earnings calls.

Partner Onyx Pharma $ONXX also has the multiple myeloma drug (which utilizes Ligand Captisol formulation technology) up for a FDA panel review and PDUFA date this summer. I have not seen a 1q-2012 conference call transcript or listened to the webcast, but I don't think there have been any material updates while we wait for those fey FDA events.

I speculate that evacetrapib is the undisclosed Eli Lilly $LLY programs slated to enter phase 3 in 2012 that utilizes LGND Captisol technology. As this drug is a member of the troubled CETP inhibitor class, I will carefully monitor to see if this phase 3 program actually begins (and to verify if this is indeed the program partnered with Ligand). With that caveat, here are the relevant excerpts from the conference call:

"We anticipate beginning Phase III trial for evacetrapib, our CETP inhibitor"

Q: "anything to update us on the timing and design of the evacetrapib studies?"
A: "As you know, we communicated our very promising data then in the fall and we are doing extensive planning them for the Phase III trial including interaction with regulators, which we are close to completing. We have also been preparing the CMC material for the trial. So we feel very good about the options we have to start the trial before the end of this year as we have communicated."
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Isis Pharma $ISIS 1q-2012 pharma partner and ASCO updates

05/12/2012

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ASCO
I did not locate any ISIS presentations coming up at ASCO in June 2012, but please let me know if I missed one. Note that partner Oncogenex $OGXI will be presenting and I will cover their data separately on the blog.

1q-2012 pharma partner updates
Keep reading below for information from Biogen $BIIB, Bristol Myers Squibb $BMY, Eli Lilly $LLY, and Sanofi $SNY


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