Antisoma (LSE: ASM.L - news) shares could double if the ovarian cancer drug, R1549, is successful, and halve if it is not says the Independent. Given the probability of success, reckoned to be about 65%, that looks a gamble worth taking says the paper.

Bought back into these the other day after being out for a couple of years looking good for 2007
Was tipped in today's Telegraph see below.

Antisoma
Stock: 25.25p -1p
Questor says Buy

Given that it was founded in 1988, it is not obvious to the outsider that Antisoma is one of the UK's longest established biotechnology companies.

To the external eye, given that the company has no drugs in late-stage phase 3 trials and it has just enough cash in the bank to last for another year or so, its place in the biotech firmament might appear even more surprising.

Earlier this year, Antisoma's shares slumped after Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche handed back its earlier purchase rights to Antisoma's leading drug for lung cancer, known as AS1404, and another drug for breast cancer.

The stock market quickly took fright, prompting fears Antisoma would have to tap investors for more cash to continue with development.

But that was then, and this is most certainly now, and Antisoma is looking a lot less sickly. Its shares have picked up strongly in the past few months as investors have realised the data so far on AS1404 and its other drugs is promising.

Glyn Edwards, Antisoma's chief executive, has said he is talking to other companies about striking a partnering agreement to fund expensive phase 3 trials for AS1404.

Biotech chief executives often say such things, but Mr Edwards is well regarded in his industry and his indication that he is not doing the ground work for a new fund raising has been taken to mean he really is close to an important agreement to replace Roche.

Would-be investors must remember Antisoma is operating in the field of cancer, where there is huge demand for new drugs. If it cracks the market for lung cancer alone, Antisoma's future will certainly look a lot healthier than it does today.

Indeed analysts believe AS1404 could bring in sales of more than $1bn (537m), making it officially a "blockbuster" in modern pharmaceutical parlance.

Roche's withdrawal from its deal with Antisoma heaps all the risk on the British company striking a new deal, but this could be on better terms than the one it would have had with Roche in any case. A slow burner.

17 October 2006, London, UK - Cancer drug developer Antisoma plc
(LSE: ASM; USOTC: ATSMY) today announces that Chief Executive
Officer, Glyn Edwards, will be presenting at the BIO InvestorForum
2006 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, USA.

Mr Edwards's presentation is scheduled for 2pm PDT on Wednesday,
October 18. A webcast of the presentation will be available to all on
Antisoma's website at
http://www.antisoma.com/home.asp

Lifted from the other big board............

Antisoma write up in Investors Chronicle October 20th 2006

Antisoma is trying to get back on track after the shock decision by Roche to end its partnership. The world's leading cancer drug provider dropped breast cancer drug AS1402 (previously known as R1550) and decided not to option AS1404 for lung cancer in June. Chief executive Glyn Edwards believes Roche's decision regarding AS1404 was largely about preferring to back its own drug, Avastin. He is highly confident of delivering a licensing deal on AS1404 before the company's cash runs out next year, and reports plenty of licensing interest.

Analysts say the phase II data from trials of AS1404 in lung cancer suggests it could be more effective than Avastin in extending survival. Data released this week from studies in ovarian cancer is also positive. Nomura Code expects a loss per share of 4.05p for 2007 (loss of 4.55p in 2006).

IC View - The shares have recovered on licensing hopes. But, with cash running low and without a partner on board, they are also risky. That said, a deal could come soon and Antisoma could be an acquisition target. So, for those with the stomach for it, the shares look speculative good value. ENDS.

Ill be buying these in the morning. Looks like a win, win situation.

Annual report and accounts for the year ended 30 June 2006

http://www.antisoma.com/investor_relations/documents/AntisomaARA2006FINAL.pdf

goldfinger
Welcome aboard if you bought.

Antisoma to present at Rodman and Renshaw Healt...

http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/20061102130000H5817.html

UP 6% this is motoring since I bought back in. (31% since 17 Oct 2006 )

Driver, looks interesting :)

smiler
This share always has been interesting I held these years ago if they get a good deal any thing is possible with the sp.

JUST looking at the chart, Wish I got in August 14p !!

LONDON (AFX) - Cancer drug developer Antisoma PLC revealed further positive data from a phase II trial of its experimental tumour-fighting drug AS1404 in non-small cell lung cancer.

The company said in a final assessment of the data, patients who received AS1404, in addition to standard chemotherapy, were found to display a greater delay in tumour progression than previously reported.

Tumour response rates of 31 pct, compared to 22 pct for those who received chemotherapy alone, are unchanged from data revealed in June.

The data are being presented today at a meeting in Prague.

Antisoma announced last year that patients receiving AS1404 in addition to standard chemotherapy survived 5.2 months longer than those receiving chemotherapy alone, while the risk of death was reduced by 27 pct.

The company claims the result is one of the largest differences in survival ever reported from a trial combining a novel agent with first-line chemotherapy for lung cancer.

At 8.05 am shares in Antisoma were trading 1.25 pence higher at 33.5, valuing the company at 124 mln stg. The stock has more than doubled in the last three months.

Investors are waiting to hear the outcome of on-going licensing talks Antisoma is holding with potential partners for the drug, which are needed to help fund the remaining large late-stage trials.

A phase III trial is due to start next year in lung cancer. The company plans to develop the treatment as a direct competitor to Avastin, Roche AG and Genentech Inc's top-selling cancer drug, which received approval to be marketed as a treatment for lung cancer last month.

Like Avastin, AS1404 has also showed promise as a treatment for other cancers such as ovarian and prostate.

amy.brown@afxnews.com

AGM is today 17th November, 10:00 AM at Cameron McKenna, Aldersgate, should get some sort of statement or announcement.

London, UK: 24 November 2006 - Cancer drug developer Antisoma plc
(LSE: ASM; USOTC: ATSMY) today announces that its Chief Executive
Officer, Glyn Edwards, will be presenting at the Piper Jaffray 18th
Annual Health Care Conference in New York on Friday 1st December.

Mr Edwards's presentation will take place at 10.30am EST. A live
webcast of the presentation can be viewed on Antisoma's website and
available to all parties thereafter at

http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/20061124120200H0014.html

From another board courtesy of Mike111

I took the opportunity to make contact with ASM today, to clarify why GE had not presented at the Piper Jaffray conference on Friday and as I had suspected there was nothing sinister to this. It was a late change to his schedule which prevented him from being there and had he presented he would have gone through the same presentation delivered recently at the Rodman & Renshaw conference.

This did then allow me to address some other points which I have summarised below:

Since releasing the updated trial data on November 8th the company have witnessed sustained / increasing interest from potential licensees for AS1404
They are benefiting from the pipeline challenges faced by the major pharmas and in particular interest from those companies who have had recent issues with their own clinical trial programs
They continue to make excellent progress with negotiations for AS1404 and closure of a deal in 2006 does remain a very real possibility
Given that they have multiple options i.e. more than one interested partner, they remain committed to securing the best overall deal and will ensure that what is signed is in the best interests of all shareholders even if this takes a little longer
Comment was made that whilst ASM have always understood the value of AS1404, potential partners have now come to appreciate and accept this as well
In terms of recent trading in the stock, the company are aware that there has been increased institutional activity, as witnessed by the multitude of larger trades
At this time, they are not aware of any new notifiable interests being taken up
In particular, they have seen an increase in institutional interest from the specialist healthcare funds both in Europe and in the US. Apparently these fund managers have commented to ASM that they perceive the current share price to be low in relation to the value attaching to the companies assets i.e. primarily the value attaching to the trial data for AS1404

The bottom line is that ASM are now very close to closing the deal and at current levels this IMHO rates as a very strong buy no advice intended and DYOR.

London, UK, and Orlando, FL, 11 December 2006 - Antisoma today
announces that it is advancing AS1411 into a phase II

http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/20061211070000H2446.html

Very big volume today also in the Smallcap Index as of today.

Holding(s) in Company
http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/20061212084800H2736.html

Antisoma raises 26.3 mln stg in placing
AFX

LONDON (AFX) - Antisoma PLC has raised 26.3 mln stg in a share placing, to fund continuing ongoing research into its portfolio of experimental cancer drugs.

The company said a placing of almost 74 mln new shares with new and existing shareholders, at 35.5 pence each, was oversubscribed.

The price is a slight discount to yesterday's closing share price of 39 pence.

amy.brown@afxnews.com

ab/slm

Nice bit of money raised, and oversubscribed all good news for ASM.

From the FT today:

Back in good health after Roche move upsets market
By Salamander Davoudi

Published: December 16 2006 02:00 | Last updated: December 16 2006 02:00

Shares in Antisoma, one of the oldest UK biotechnology companies, have had their ups and downs this year but during the past three months have skyrocketed more than 150 per cent. Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical company, last June handed back its purchase rights to Antisoma's key lung cancer drug, AS1404, and the rights to a drug for breast cancer. The markets reacted badly fearing the company would have to raise more funding to continue drug development. But the shares have since recovered on the back of positive data from a Phase II trial of AS1404. Glyn Edwards, Antisoma chief executive, has boosted confidence by indicating he is near to completing an agreement to replace Roche in order to fund the Phase III trials for AS1404. Given the high demand for cancer drugs, the future of the company could be very rosy if the drug is successful. Analysts have forecast that peak sales of AS1404 could be as high as $1bn. The company yesterday raised 26.3m in a placing with European and US institutions. The news sent the shares down 3.8 per cent to 37p - a small irritant for investors who have seen the stock come good. Salamander Davoudi