Theratechnologies Inc T.TH

From new Sortina Pharma site

[Wino115]

We've known of the Swedish Sortina Pharma folks for a while. I noticed they updated their website and put a bit more info on it. They have zeroed in on two small molecule drugs to try in the lab only for breast cancer samples. They are creatively calling them SORT01 and SORT02. Nice thing is that at least sortilin is getting a bit more press as a prospective target worthy or reserach money.  Recall, their approach is centered around stopping the proliferation of cancer stem cells, which express progranulin and sortilin. So it's different than what THTX is currently doing. They even mention that theirs is best for stopping the transportation of the cancer stem cells

They put up a bit on the market just for advanced breast cancer. Here's their market estimates.

"Market and sales potential for breast cancer

The global breast cancer therapeutic market size was USD 21.58 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 55.27 billion by 2027

• Recently launched products in the segment are priced at > USD 100 000 per year.
• Subgroup of 20% with high risk value, identified by having elevated sortilin and progranulin tumor expression.
• The market size of 20% subgroup is > USD 5 Billion in 2019 projected to be larger than USD 10 Billion in 2027.
• 10 000 patients (1,4% of new BC in US + EU) treated per year would yield USD 1 Billion in yearly sales (priced USD 100 000)."

From Sortina Pharma website.

[Wino115]

This got cut off:  "They even mention that theirs is best for stopping the transportation of the cancer stem cells and is useful in combination with existing therapies. This is that idea of having an "anti-metastatic" drug.  THTX showed this with TH1902 where they did the pre and post-treatment dosage that showed it really stopped the spread of the cancer to the mouse

[qwerty22]

Yep DrugX(orY orZ)+Th1902 would be a great market but the development process would be much longer, bigger and more expensive. Something to look at when you have revenue flowing in from the first approval (a man can dream).

[Wino115]

On the new ability for US Gov to negotiate prices, I haven't dug in to that yet, but my possibly incorrect understanding is that it begins on a set list of very highly prescribed and expensive drugs.   I'm not sure if eventually everything gets swept up in to it or not.  Then again, all may change next year. We are hardly the beacon for good governance these days. 

[qwerty22]

Reports like this. https://endpts.com/eli-lilly-rolls-snake-eyes-as-it-axes-two-early-stage-drugs-including-a-40m-cancer-therapy-from-fosun/ I've seen smaller biotech use the same excuse.

[Wino115]

Interesting to see how it plays out. Could just be firms jettisoning projects that are marginal to the picture. There's counterveiling factors --they're only going after the top pharma script drugs (which makes sense), but some of these specialty areas are high priced and needed. If TH1902 does get to the P3 level, it appears they'll be able to get there without a huge amount of sunk R

[qwerty22]

This might not be all that relevant yet but I've noticed a couple of biotechs blaming the Inflation Reduction Act for their changes in focus. Basically the way I understand it the IRA allows for the gov to negotiate down drug prices for small molecule drugs but not biologics. I know Egrifta had a biologics tag (even though it has many small molecule properties). I'd be curious to know