Highly encouraging call!IMHO, the call was about as encouraging as anyone could ask for. Overall they did a smooth, practiced job, and they clearly worked at this presentation for quite a long a time beforehand. The content was excellent and well-explained.
The talk obviously focused on the upcoming presentation at ASCO. We learned that they only found out it would be a talk in a symposium a short while back. They hinted they will have very positive results presented regarding that trial. They also took the time throughout the call to set up the context (that is, previous results and their regulatory implications). They indicated there will also be a poster from Richard Vile's group on CAR-T and that they have various CAR-T companies now investigating pela to go with their specfic CAR-T approaches. Noteably, they explained a potential pricing and royalty model for CAR-T which was illuminating.
Matt once again explained a bit more about the process that got them off the mindset of lysis and into the world of I/O agents. He said that as Pfizer looked and the notes from their final meeting on that early trial, they agreed to try and move forward with the steps needed to design and proceed with pela as a potential I/O adjuvant instead of the previous (and frankly somewhat marginal) strategy. Thanks once again to the FDA advice!
They also discussed strategies for pricing of future treatments as an influence on whether they would include a PD 1 (?) agent in their next trials.
Andreww d G explained they had a number of companies interested in either or both of panc and BC in the past but they would not be rushing into a deal just after the ASCO results. They will "proceed methodically" to build the regulatory results.
Taken all together, I am very impressed. I do not expect them to do a deal right after ASCO, but they indicated ASCO results (which are expected to be very positive and are featured in the conference) are seen as crucial for any new partners. It will be in the second half of the year (probably towards the end) before we actually hear about a deal, in my opinion.
I infer from the call that they could have a some kind of low price one indication deal by now, but they are waiting for ASCO and other results to bring forth potential bidders.
We all have to wait a bit more for inflection points, but I cannot imagine a much better situation for ONCY than what was described in the call, relative to where it was 5 years ago.