driver
- 30 Mar 2006 17:03
potatohead
- 08 Jan 2007 14:57
- 905 of 1180
Scientists find guardian gene's choices crucial to stopping cancer process
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Scientists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have uncovered a novel pathway by which the anti-cancer gene p53 springs into action, protecting a damaged cell from becoming cancer. The gene can either halt the cell's growth or send it spiraling toward certain death. How this choice is made, the researchers say, could have implications for future strategies in chemotherapy drug development.
According to Steven McMahon, Ph.D., associate professor of cancer biology at Jefferson Medical College, who led the work, the p53 gene's or rather its protein's ability to direct a damaged cell to either stop growing or commit suicide depends on turning on separate groups of target genes. He and his co-workers have found that after a cell's DNA is damaged, the p53 protein's ability to bind to the DNA can be affected.
Two enzymes, hMOF and TIP60, can chemically alter an amino acid, lysine 120, at the binding site, in turn influencing p53's decision on which target genes to turn on. The alteration can short-circuit p53's ability to cause the damaged cell to commit suicide, though it can still stop cell growth, suggesting that this change may help explain a mechanism behind p53's choice. They report their findings in the journal Molecular Cell.
"It's been known that p53 can induce cell cycle arrest or apoptosis (programmed cell death) as a way of eliminating developing cancer cells in response to cell damage, but no one has known how the choice is made," says Dr. McMahon. "This work narrows how the decision is made."
The findings could have implications for future drug development strategies. "Most chemotherapy strategies are aimed at getting cancer cells to die," Dr. McMahon says. "Figuring out what pathways p53 uses to cause that versus cell cycle arrest is important. It looks like this new modification that we have identified helps p53 make that decision."
"p53 is such an important player in the cancerous process it's nearly always mutated or inactivated in cancer that continuing to understand more about how it works will likely have significant implications for cancer research," says Dr. McMahon. "We wouldlike to understand the interplay between this newly identified pathway and others involved in p53 and cancer.
"Since p53 can make this decision, this might give some insight into which function of p53 is more important in which tissues," says co-author Stephen Sykes, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania. "For example, K120 (lysine 120) mutations cause tumors in the prostate, but are not so much involved in causing immune system cancers such as lymphomas. That could suggest that p53's potential to cause cell death could be more important in certain tissues than in others. In the future, if someone could develop therapies that could specifically activate p53's potential to drive programmed cell death versus the cell cycle arrest potential, it might influence how a doctor might choose to treat a certain type of cancer.
"This may potentially enable the development of a cancer drug that would stimulate the enzymes to promote this modification driving p53 to apoptosis."
oilyrag
- 08 Jan 2007 15:07
- 906 of 1180
Over 9 million sold out today, only 19,000 I know, price has dropped off considerably over last couple of weeks, the spread has narrowed, only question now is how far will it fall. I reckon 0.15p at least.
seawallwalker
- 08 Jan 2007 16:47
- 907 of 1180
It's punters fed up with ph and his perpetual ramping that has done it.
I describe myself except I took a very small profit.
Bought a bottle of wine though.
smiler o
- 08 Jan 2007 16:57
- 908 of 1180
sww nail on head :)
laurie squash
- 09 Jan 2007 08:51
- 909 of 1180
The sp is moving to match the 0.2p new placing Sareum management did a similar raising yesterday yet got a 40 % increase.
They raised 10% at increased price not a discount.
This level may well hold until some actual news which has been misssing for quite a few months.
potatohead
- 09 Jan 2007 14:38
- 910 of 1180
OSI Pharma update 6pm tonight, dont miss the webcast
potatohead
- 09 Jan 2007 16:01
- 911 of 1180
Bluehorshoe loves ERX
WINGNUTS21
- 10 Jan 2007 07:36
- 913 of 1180
Thanks PH ,essential news on OSI Pharma ,they announced conversion period for there convertible senior notes.How exciting !!!!!
700202
- 10 Jan 2007 17:04
- 914 of 1180
POTHEAD . DO YOU NOT REALISE PEOPLE ON THIS SITE LAUGH AT YOU, IF YOU ARE HOLDING A SUBSTANTIAL HOLDING ??? YOU ARE NOT DOING YOURSELF OR ANYONE ELSE ANY FAVOURS , I AM HOLDING 5M AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE CAN ONLY WAIT FOR GOOD NEWS FOR OURSELVES AND ALL UNFORTUNATE CANCER SUFFERERS.
laurie squash
- 11 Jan 2007 13:25
- 915 of 1180
20 & 25 million sales just gone through.
Is anyone going to the AGM to ask what ERX are doing for so called shareholder value?
WINGNUTS21
- 11 Jan 2007 15:44
- 916 of 1180
Dont worry Laurie, PH will be going to the AGM to represent the PIs
plm2349
- 12 Jan 2007 02:12
- 917 of 1180
20&25m are not sales but buys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
plm2349
- 12 Jan 2007 02:16
- 918 of 1180
and i should add both the same punter who might he be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
somebody who knows something you dont!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
maestro
- 12 Jan 2007 07:46
- 919 of 1180
eh pot'head..you said buy into this share but held off...is now a good time or should i wait for around 0.15p?
potatohead
- 15 Jan 2007 11:17
- 921 of 1180
hope so, rather disappointed with lack of news
potatohead
- 16 Jan 2007 09:50
- 922 of 1180
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Drugmakers arms races could spur biotech deals
BLOOMBERG NEWS
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Vincent Aita of Kilkenny Capital Management says he picks biotechnology stocks on their potential as takeover targets. The strategy is paying off.
The number of biotech deals, including acquisitions and product alliances, rose 32 percent to 232 last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Vincent Aita Broker who manages about $200 million in health stocks expects to see more biotech acquisitions.
At least four of Aita's holdings, including Serono SA and Kos Pharmaceuticals Inc., were bought by bigger drug makers. Aita, who manages about $200 million in health stocks, is expecting more transactions in 2007.
"There is an escalating arms race,'' Aita said in last week at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. "There are more deals to be had.''
Pfizer Inc., the world's largest pharmaceuticals maker, and Merck & Co. might buy biotech companies to make up for a scarcity of experimental medicines and expiring patents for best-selling products.
On the shopping list are companies with experimental compounds as well as those with new drug-development science and technologies, investors at the conference said.
Last year, the number of biotech deals in North America, including acquisitions and joint ventures, increased from 175 in 2005, and the average premium rose to 33 percent from 23 percent, based on Bloomberg data.
More transactions and higher premiums are likely this year, said analysts, investors and company executives at the conference, the annual meeting where buyers and sellers gather and make deals.
"Premiums are going up,'' JP Morgan analyst Geoffrey Meacham said. "You're seeing a lot of bidding wars.''
Driving the trend are big pharmaceutical companies with billions in cash that need to acquire new drugs to continue to ensure growth.
Pfizer could lose almost half of its sales as a result of generic drug competition with products that have expiring patents.
Pfizer has entered at least six research partnerships since November.
Merck, the fourth-largest U.S. drug maker, could lose $3 billion in sales this year from its top-selling Zocor cholesterol pill because of competition from generic versions.
It signed 35 transactions last year, including the $1.1 billion purchase of Sirna Therapeutics Inc., which is developing drugs based on blocking genes involved in disease.
Merck aims to become "the best biotechnology company,'' CEO Richard Clark said. Its biotech deals totaled $1.4 billion in 2006.
"It's science and technology and potential companies; we're looking at all ends of the spectrum,'' Clark said. "Obviously, it's competitive.''
Eli Lilly & Co., which is offering $2.28 billion to buy its biotech partner Icos Corp., is spending $1.5 billion this decade on building its own biotechnology operations.
"The price of poker has definitely gone up,'' said John Lechleiter, Lilly's president and chief operating officer. "There are too few good assets and too many bidders.''
Amgen Inc., the world's biggest biotechnology company, and Biogen Idec Inc. also are considering acquisitions and alliances.
Since May, Biogen has bought three companies with a combined value exceeding $270 million to reduce its reliance on its biggest product, the multiple sclerosis treatment Avonex.
The company agreed this month to pay as much as $120 million for Syntonix Pharmaceuticals Inc., adding experimental treatments for hemophilia.
The pace of acquisitions "is the most active in our history,'' Biogen CEO James Mullen told investors at the conference.
Premiums over the market price of traded shares also are rising.
They ranged from 21 percent for Swiss drug maker Actelion Ltd.'s purchase of Cotherix Inc., a U.S. biotech company, to 170 percent for AnorMed Inc., which Genzyme Corp. took over in a bidding war with rival Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Genzyme's takeover of AnorMed was last year's first hostile bid by a biotechnology company, said Steven Burrill, CEO of Burrill & Co., a life-sciences investment adviser in San Francisco.
"Premiums are running 50 percent to 100 percent, which means the market is undervaluing the stocks," he said.
driver
- 17 Jan 2007 17:02
- 923 of 1180
From the other side courtesy of Luckypicker
Luckypicker - 17 Jan'07 - 13:00 - 2916 of 2944
just to keep you up to date, I emailed Colin Tefler today
Dear Mr Tefler,
As an investor I would like to come to the AGM on Friday 2nd February, my shares are held in a dealing account, will a print out of my account be sufficient enough to attend the AGM, or do I need something else.
These are the questions I shall be asking yourselves so that your prepared in advance.
1) Where are we with regards to negotiations on ERX3722
2) Why was the market not informed last year that milestones were not going to be hit in the timescale mentioned in last years annual report - Mid 2006
3) Why was the company so keen to give a timescale on milestone payments last year but none this year.
4) What is the name of our product in OSI Pharma pipeline work
5) What is our position with regards to colorectal cancer as I believe reading from BB's news is expected on this
6) What is the company doing to get a broker note out.
7) Are the Directors confident enough with company as to buy a few more shares.
8) How many shares is the company expecting to have on the market in total until it becomes a revenue based company (3bln shares is going a bit far)
9) Is the company doing anything in the very very short term to stop further decline of the shareprice, now .0019p and people clearly still selling.
10) Was Zyzzgy Plc informed of the recent placing and no milestone in advance of the recent results as they sold in advance and at no profit.. I am very suspicious on this front as to why they sold.
11) Website, will this be recreated as its one of the worst I have seen, very difficult to find information, can I suggest a page for pipelines.
Sorry if this looks like a long list, but with the 50% decline in value of my investment I am clearly very very concerned as are many other private investors, not only this, the lack of information is clearly putting off any new potential investors.
Kind regards
Reply
"Colin Telfer"
17/01/2007 12:46
To
cc
Subject
RE: AGM
Dear Mr XXX
Thank you for drawing my attention to your concerns and for sharing in
advance the questions you intend to raise at the AGM.
To attend an AGM you would ordinarily be required to give your name at
the door on the day, which would be checked off against the company
register by an official from Capita Registrars.
As your shares are in a dealing account you are not named on the
register, and will need to bring a letter of representation from the
nominee account holder in order to attend and vote. If you do not have
such a letter of representation then EiRx may at its discretion permit
you to attend as a guest but you would not be able to speak or vote. As
you wish to raise questions for open discussion I would advise you to
request your nominee account holder to provide you with a letter of
representation on their headed paper. For further information you can
contact Capita on 0870 162 3100.
I look forward to meeting you and addressing your questions on the 2nd.
Regards,
smiler o
- 17 Jan 2007 22:14
- 924 of 1180
Thanks Driver, Should be interesting ! :)