The Monkey Press ReleaseThe RVX-208 results detailed in the press release mean exactly what the press release says.
...oral administration once daily of RVX-208 for 28 days increased the levels of serum ApoA-I and HDL-cholesterol. Serum ApoA-l increased by 52 per cent and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased by 95 per cent with RVX-208 treatment. Data collected at day 42 demonstrated a sustained treatment effect.
As somebody pointed out, press release wording is chosen very carefully. It's seems clear that monkeys in the study were not in imminent danger of heart attack. The study, up to the point of reporting, has not assessed plaque or LDL reduction and these may not be part of the study at all. Here's what I take to be the meaning of the press release:
Apo-A1, the primary component of HDL, increased by 52% and HDL increased by 95%. The importance here is that this HDL is functional unlike the HDL produced by other drugs like the CETP inhibitors (Torcetrapib). The CETP HDL consisted mostly of big bags of cholesterol-filled HDL that were unable to unload in the liver and do their job. It is known from the Esperion work and other studies that the HDL produced by increased Apo-A1 is functional HDL.
The increased levels of Apo-A1 and HDL were sustained over the study period meaning that the body did not in some way become unresponsive to RVX-208. Medicine is full of stories where people have great responses for awhile but then the drug becomes ineffective. The Oliver Sacks true story, "Awakenings" with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro is a good example of that. Well, RVX-208 just had a very encouraging study in that regard. The response was sustained.
And most importantly, the drug was administered orally. Apo-A1 was not administered to the monkeys. RVX-208 was administered. Esperion increased Apo-A1 by administering Apo-A1 directly by injection and the results are history, plaque reduction and $1.3 billion. RVX-208 triggers the production of Apo-A1 and the increased Apo-A1, in turn, increases HDL. Only an orally available drug can have real market potential.
So now we know for sure that in the primate of choice for this kind of study, RVX-208, a small molecule drug, did indeed cause the monkeys' bodies to produce a 52% higher level of Apo-A1, that these increased levels of Apo-A1 produced a 95% increase in functional HDL and that the monkeys remained responsive to the drug throughout the study.
That, by any measure, is good news. Yet, the market, today, in its infinite wisdom, chose to drop the share price by 20c.
So what? The important folks who will buy my stock were watching and they, too, just learned a little more about the value of the whole RVX program.
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Coorsman, you're a fool. No really, a real turnip.
Lurking, bully for you, so what...
And the USA is in trouble on many fronts, as we know. When it falls, as all (ALL !!!) great powers do, it won't be pretty. I hope that the citizens have the wisdom, strength and courage to face the problems and solve them sufficiently to keep the Great Lady going for a long time yet. Many of us are worried about that. Too much religion, too much debt, unwillingness to deal with health care and a host of other problems, win-at-any-cost-by-any-means attitude, especially in politics, special-interests in Washington, it doesn't look good. It looks like we're headed down a similar path here in Canada so this isn't USA bashing.
As far as the junior markets are concerned, I certainly don't consider the Pink Sheets and OTCBB to be better policed than our markets. There's absolute crap on both sides of the border. As far as StockHouse forums talking about Canadian problems, well, SH is the largest forum in Canada and only the 5th largest in the USA. I would think that SH discusses Canadian problems far more than USA problems. SH is no measure of the frequency with which Canadian or US companies flaunt or break regulations.