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SkyePharma to report maiden profit in April ? (SKP)     

Slacker - 18 Feb 2003 09:52

Anybody else out there interested in these?

2002 Results are due in April, and they are expected to show a maiden profit.
Last week I opened a small speculative long (spreadbet), but I am looking to add to this position a lot more if we get any sort of resolution over Iraq crisis before the results which should spark a broad market rally from which SKP could really benefit and have a strong run-up.

DYOR etc.


Here is a recent research note from Merrill Lynch (they estimate 0.25p EPS for 2002):


Merrill Lynch FlashNote

7 February 2003

SkyePharma

Newsflow Set To Continue BUY

Reason for Report: Company Update

EPS (Dec): 2001A -1.19p; 2002E 0.25p; 2003E 2.13p
P/E (Dec): 2001A NM; 2002E 180.0x; 2003E 21.1x

Michael Ashton, CEO SkyePharma, gave an upbeat and informative presentation today.

Depomorphine appears on track for US submission in June 03. The two pivotal trials (hip and lower abdominal surgery) have been concluded. To date, the results appear encouraging. Management believe that safety (eg respiratory depression and nausea) is not an issue for the drug.The company is also conducting an additional trial in C section patients which is completing enrollment and should be included in the European submission for Depomorphine later this year. We expect the pivotal trial data for Depomorphine to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Anaesthesiologists in October 2003.

Paxil CR continues to grow (accounting for c.26% of total Paxil scrips in the US). 50% of these Paxil CR scrips are repeat and Paxil CR accounts for c.7% of the total SSRI antidepressant market in the US. Paxil CR is already filed for pre-menstrual dysphoria disorder (PMDD). However, GSK also plans to submit the intermittent treatment of PMDD later this year.

SKP also confirmed that Quintiles plans to present new data for Solaraze at the American Society of Dermatology in March. SKP believes that Solaraze is making in-roads into the actinic keratosis market and appears to be taking market share from Ephedrex (5-FU). Clinical trials in Australia are on track, with SKP planning to submit Solaraze to the Australian regulatory authorities in 2004 (second largest market opportunity after the US).

Enzon has already started to market DepoCyt in the US and SKP expects to see wider usage of the drug by key oncologists in the next few months. Phase IV studies for the neoplastic meningitis indication are on track, with an FDA Advisory Committee meeting (ODAC) scheduled next month.

Overall, we expect the newsflow for SKP to continue and reiterate our BUY recommendation with a price objective of 80p (based on applying the speciality pharma multiple to our 06E EPS of 14p and discounting back agressively at 30% p.a.). Risks to the stock include the general risk of drug development delay and product approval failure.


Fundamentalist - 03 Dec 2003 18:08 - 21 of 202

Another contract tie up, this time with Novartis for one of their asthma drugs, on the back of the depomorphine announcement, has perked the shares up again. Any other holders/opinions out there?

rayrac - 04 Dec 2003 21:13 - 22 of 202

We have one big problem with SKP, a past director, Dr Gonnella, a major shareholder is selling on any rise. So far he has sold millions of shares, trouble is, he has still got 40 million more ready no doubt for the next good piece of news.

Skp have some major products on the market and many more due, but as long as Gonnella is there we have to be patient!

Fundamentalist - 05 Dec 2003 15:14 - 23 of 202

Recent RNS, Fidelity have increased their holding again, they now hold 11.93%. They also hold 5,000,000 6% convertible bonds due 2005.

Fundamentalist - 19 Dec 2003 19:29 - 24 of 202

Ian Gowrie Smith is standing down as chief exec to become a non exec director. Wonder what impact this is going to have - hopefully a positive one as he has never been well liked by the city and been deemed to be holding the share price back! Maybe he is making way before the takeover approach (wishful thinking on my part i believe). Still with the right man at the helm, things could certainly be looking up at SKP (all imho). Share price in US appears not to have reacted to the news!


LONDON (AFX) - Skyepharma PLC said Ian Gowrie-Smith will step down from his executive role as a chairman to a non-executive role at the company's next annual general meeting in 2004.
This will enable Gowrie-Smith to concentrate on his other business interests, including Triple Plate Junction PLC whose fund-raising and intention to join the Alternative Investment market are being announced today. He is a non-executive chairman of the gold exploration and mining company.
Gowrie-Smith said: "It has been a great challenge to start and then build first Medeva and now SkyePharma. However it is in the earlier stages of a company's development where I believe I can make the greatest contribution."


also, more news re Paxil CR today:



LONDON (AFX) - SkyePharma PLC said a new study has shown that patients with depression who were prescribed GlaxoSmithKline's controlled-release antidepressant, Paxil CR, were less likely to discontinue therapy than patients receiving immediate-release selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Paxil CR is a modified version of Glaxo's SSRI antidepressant and incorporates SkyePharma's Geomatrix oral controlled release delivery technology.

Paxil CR has been available in the US market since April 2002 and SkyePharma receives a royalty on Glaxo's sales.
In the three months to Sept 30 2003, sales of Paxil CR were 110 mln stg, representing 30 pct of the US Paxil franchise.

Fundamentalist - 05 Jan 2004 14:32 - 25 of 202

Yet again Skyepharma have disappointed the city. Again, key deals have failed to be signed and the share price has plummeted 13.5p on the back of the RNS. The year end figures are going to be below expectations due to not signing the contracts in time, though they still expect the contracts to be signed in the near future.

Fundamentalist - 05 Jan 2004 14:43 - 26 of 202

Full RNS:


RNS Number:8370T
Skyepharma PLC
05 January 2004


For Immediate Release 5 January, 2004


SKYEPHARMA PROVIDES END-2003 TRADING UPDATE


LONDON, UK, 5 January 2004-- SkyePharma PLC (Nasdaq: SKYE; LSE: SKP) announces a
Trading Update for the year ending 31 December 2003.


As a result of delays in concluding a number of key deals in 2003, revenues for
the year will be substantially below the #85-100 million range indicated at the
time of the Interim Results in September and below the #70 million achieved in
2002. Milestone payments remain a major source of our revenues, and this
shortfall primarily arises because several key deals that we had expected to
conclude in 2003 are still in negotiation, with finalisation now expected in
early 2004. With revenues below our budgeted revenue target, coupled with
greater than expected research and development costs (arising from delays to
completion of agreements involving the transfer of costs to the partner), the
Company now expects to report a loss for the second half of 2003 albeit less
than the loss we reported for the first half. A number of key deals, potentially
involving total milestone payments of up to $200 million and double digit
royalty income, remain in advanced stage negotiation with multiple potential
partners. We remain confident that these agreements can be concluded on
satisfactory or better terms in the current year. This would have a
correspondingly positive impact on the profit already budgeted for 2004 (which
assumed these agreements were signed in 2003).


The company expects to have cash balances of approximately #20 million at 31
December 2003, marginally lower than as at 30 June 2003, with debt levels
marginally higher than as at 30 June 2003. However cash should increase
substantially in 2004 as the above deals are concluded.


During the second half of 2003, the company signed several new product
collaboration deals. Announced today is a further technology licence deal in the
pulmonary area that was signed with GlaxoSmithKline at the end of 2003. However,
discussions to finalise the major deals that we had expected to be concluded by
31 December remain ongoing. A signed term sheet is in place for one transaction,
which we would anticipate closing within the next few weeks. In addition one of
our pipeline products, due to be filed for approval with the FDA in March, is
currently under advanced review by several potential licensees. Our largest
licensing opportunity is a package of products in the pulmonary field, for which
we are also in advanced discussions with a number of parties. A major clinical
study published in November suggests a substantial increase in the potential
commercial value of the bronchodilator formoterol, both alone and in combination
with an inhaled steroid. Our own combination with the steroid fluticasone is
making very satisfactory progress in clinical development, with a Phase I trial
now completed. We believe that these factors have significantly raised the value
of our inhaled product range and support our stance that the Company should
refrain from entering any collaboration that undervalues this part of our
product pipeline. The Company is so convinced of the potential value of this
particular product opportunity that we have already rejected terms including
milestones of up to $90 million and double digit royalty returns. We remain
confident that we will be able to finalise a deal with an appropriate partner in
the first quarter of 2004.


While every effort was made to bring these deals to completion on appropriate
terms by the 2003 year-end, the Company strongly believes that it is in
shareholders' best interests to conclude the best deal possible for these
critical products. Unfortunately the time required for due diligence and the
final stages of negotiations does not always accommodate the constraints imposed
by a year-end date. Indeed, this restriction has proved a significant impediment
to obtaining the deal terms we feel that our products warrant. We remain
confident that this is only a delay and expect to conclude these agreements in
early 2004.


OUTLOOK FOR 2004

Turning to the current year, we see the outlook as very positive for the
Company. Revenues and cash will be improved by the finalisation of the deals
referred to above that are currently under discussion, augmented by anticipated
milestone payments from deals agreed in prior years. As important, we expect a
further significant increase in our royalty income, which is becoming an
increasingly dominant factor in our revenues and, importantly, also in our
profits. We had already budgeted a profit for 2004 (assuming the agreements
still in negotiation were signed in 2003) and deferral of those agreements to
the current year would therefore have a correspondingly positive impact.


With the completion of the development phase of our growth, we are further
reorganising our R&D operations and some other business functions in order to
align the development base with our projected future R&D activities. Regrettably
this will mean some redundancies but we expect to emerge from this
reorganisation in a leaner and fitter form. This will involve a one-off cash
cost of approximately #3.5 million and some associated non-cash asset
write-offs. These will be taken as exceptional charges in both 2003 and 2004 as
appropriate. Thereafter shareholders should expect to see growth in operating
profits more closely aligned with the future growth in royalty income that we
expect, generated by products such as DepoMorphineTM.


Commenting on the Trading Update, Chief Executive Michael Ashton said: "We are
disappointed that we have not been able to meet the ambitious target we set
ourselves in April of revenue growth in excess of 40%. On the positive side,
royalty income should more than triple for the full year after increasing
fourfold in 2002, fulfilling our expectations. With our main royalty-earning
products Paxil(R) CR and Xatral(R) OD/UroXatral(R) likely to be joined in
2004 by Foradil(R) CertiHaler and DepoMorphineTM, we expect this gratifying
trend to continue in the current year. We cannot stress sufficiently that rising
income from royalties is the key to future sustainable profit growth for
SkyePharma. At our present stage of development, revenues and profitability are
still largely dependent on the level and timing of milestone payments, which by
their nature are very difficult to predict. While we are striving to become
consistently profitable, it would clearly not be in shareholders' best interests
to enter into new agreements with milestone payments that would produce current
profitability if those upfront payments did not reflect the value of our
investment or came at the expense of future royalty streams.


"With our increasing royalty share, the deals currently under negotiation and an
improved cost base, I am excited by the prospects for 2004.


"I can also report that the Company has been in discussion with our partner
GlaxoSmithKline over the royalty rate we receive on sales of Paxil(R)? CR. Legal
advice received by SkyePharma leads us to believe that we are entitled to a
substantial increase in the royalty rate from the date of entry of generic
paroxetine in the US market. If we are unable to reach agreement on this issue,
there is an arbitration procedure in place."


ends


A conference call on this Trading Update will be held today. Michael Ashton,
SkyePharma's Chief Executive Officer, will host the conference call. Investors
and other interested parties may access the conference call at 4:00 p.m. (GMT) /
11:00 a.m. (EST) by dialling +1 (612) 288 0337 for International callers and
(800) 230 1085 for US callers.


A replay will be available shortly after the conclusion of the conference call
by dialling +1 (320) 365 3844 for International callers and (800) 475 6701 in
the US and entering Access Code 716063.


The Company intends to publish its full-year results for 2003 at the end of
March.


SkyePharma PLC develops pharmaceutical products benefiting from world-leading
drug delivery technologies that provide easier-to-use and more effective drug
formulations. There are now nine approved products incorporating three of
SkyePharma's five technologies in the areas of oral, injectable, inhaled and
topical delivery, supported by advanced solubilisation capabilities. For more
information, visit www.skyepharma.com.


Except for the historical information herein, the matters discussed in this news
release include forward-looking statements that may involve a number of risks
and uncertainties. Actual results may vary significantly based upon a number of
factors, which are described in SkyePharma's 20-F and other documents on file
with the SEC. These include without limitation risks in obtaining and
maintaining regulatory approval for existing, new or expanded indications for
its products, other regulatory risks, risks relating to SkyePharma's ability to
manufacture pharmaceutical products on a large scale, risks that customer
inventory will be greater than previously thought, risks concerning SkyePharma's
ability to manage growth, market a pharmaceutical product on a large scale and
integrate and manage an internal sales and marketing organization and maintain
or expand sales and market share for its products, risks relating to the ability
to ensure regulatory compliance, risks related to the research, development and
regulatory approval of new pharmaceutical products, risks related to research
and development costs and capabilities, market acceptance of and continuing
demand for SkyePharma's products and the impact of increased competition, risks
associated with anticipated top and bottom line growth and the possibility that
upside potential will not be achieved, competitive products and pricing, and
risks associated with the ownership and use of intellectual property rights.
There can be no certainty that agreement in respect of the additional royalty
for Paxil(R)? CR claimed by the company will be reached with GlaxoSmithKline, or
that SkyePharma will succeed in the arbitration process or that an increased
royalty will be paid. SkyePharma undertakes no obligation to revise or update
any such forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the
date of this release.


For further information please contact:
SkyePharma PLC +44 207 491 1777
Michael Ashton, Chief Executive Officer
Peter Laing, Director of Corporate Communications +44 207 491 5124

Sandra Haughton, US Investor Relations +1 212 753 5780

Buchanan Communications +44 207 466 5000
Tim Anderson / Mark Court

Red Underwing - 05 Jan 2004 19:04 - 27 of 202

I topped up with these today but sadly missed the best prices in the dip.

The news which followed the trading statement but not seen RNS or AFX should guarantee a move back towards 75p


GlaxoSmithKline Licenses SkyePharma Formulation Technology for Respiratory Drugs

LONDON, Jan. 5 -- SkyePharma PLC (Nasdaq: SKYE; LSE: SKP) today announced a licence agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (LSE/NYSE: GSK) to provide access to one of SkyePharma's proprietary formulation technologies for application to the delivery of respiratory drugs either by breath-actuated dry-powder inhaler or by metered-dose aerosol inhaler. The agreement was signed at the end of 2003 and GSK made an initial payment to SkyePharma on signature. If the patented formulation technology is subsequently incorporated into current or future products by GSK, SkyePharma will also be entitled to an additional payment for each such product and a royalty on eventual sales.

Michael Ashton, chief executive of SkyePharma, said: "Following hard on the heels of the recent FDA "approvable" letter for the Foradil(R) CertiHaler(TM) that we co-developed with Novartis and a subsequent second agreement with Novartis to jointly develop a dry-powder inhaler version of QAB149, a novel long-acting bronchodilator, this new agreement with the acknowledged leader in the respiratory field provides further endorsement of SkyePharma's technology leadership in the important and fast-growing pulmonary delivery market."


Fly by Night

Red

groovyjean - 05 Jan 2004 19:48 - 28 of 202

I'm with you, Red. Keep the faith eh? It was good to see you on sat.

davepyle1 - 06 Jan 2004 13:15 - 29 of 202

Skp will come good...eventually....

leedslad - 16 Feb 2004 19:26 - 30 of 202

anybody out there?. Bought into these last week at 69.

Fundamentalist - 16 Feb 2004 20:35 - 31 of 202

Yeah theres a few of us long suffering holders out here. Strap yourself in this one tends to be a rocky ride. If you have researched it well you will be aware of the following:

Ashton steps down as chief exec in March/April when the full yr results are announced (well received by the city).

SKP have a history of disappointing, making statements that they then don't keep - there was supposed to be three announcements prior to dec 31st - only one came hence the disappointing trading statement. The other two announcements need to include the licensing agreement for Depomorphine for Europe.

They still have a large reliance on milestone payments which tends to make both cashflow and profit very lumpy.

Paxil CR, the drug Glaxo produce via SKP delivery system is starting to suffer against the generic competition (sales down 40% in Q4 last year) which make future announcements even more needed than before.

There is a large seller in the market, a former director who is still selling off his shares, and he tends to sell on any peak. This and the fact that the company is seen as a jam tomorrow company and the share price needs a strong trading statement to see significant rises.

Fidelity have slowly been building up a stake recently and now hold 16% of the company

Personally I am a long term holder who believes these will finally take off when the Depomorphine announcement comes and the revenues start to smooth. The company has a lot of good products, a good pipeline and has been touted as a takeover target many times. This will come good, though it may still be a little while away (depending on the results end of march).

Let us know your views

Oakapples - 17 Feb 2004 11:11 - 32 of 202

I have been in and out twice and am back again at 69 looking to an upturn when Ashton goes.

azhar - 19 Feb 2004 00:02 - 33 of 202

I got in 2day at 67.5

azhar - 19 Feb 2004 11:05 - 34 of 202

Some big hefty buys going thru, Any one know whats going on?

Fundamentalist - 19 Feb 2004 13:16 - 35 of 202

Azhar,

hisorically the main big buyer of this stock is Fidelity - they have built up a stake of about 15% over the last six months - if it is them we will get an RNS. If not I would expect it is just private investors. This stock goes through large patches of heavy buying and selling, partly due to fidelity building a stake and partly due to an ex director who is still selling in large chunks.
Don't know if either explain today but worth bearing in mind with this stock.

If neither of these, we can dream and hope someone knows that the Depomorphine announcement is imminent and they are buying in advance of the official notification. More likely is people building up positions in advance of the annual results at end March.

azhar - 25 Feb 2004 14:45 - 36 of 202

Skyepharma PLC
25 February 2004


For Immediate Release 25 February 2004



SkyePharma PLC



PAXIL CR(TM) RECEIVES FDA APPROVAL

FOR ADDITIONAL INDICATION



LONDON, UK, 25 February 2004 -- SkyePharma PLC (Nasdaq: SKYE; LSE: SKP) welcomes
yesterday's announcement by its partner GlaxoSmithKline that the US Food & Drug
Administration ('FDA') has approved an additional therapeutic application for
Paxil CR(TM) (paroxetine hydrochloride Controlled Release) for the intermittent
treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder ('PMDD'). Paxil(R) is a leading
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor ('SSRI') antidepressant and Paxil CR(TM)
is already on the market in the US for the treatment of depression, panic
disorder, social anxiety and for the continuous treatment of PMDD. SkyePharma
developed the controlled release formulation used in Paxil CR(TM) and receives a
royalty on GlaxoSmithKline's sales.



Michael Ashton, SkyePharma's chief executive officer, commented: 'Paxil CR(TM) is
currently our leading source of royalty income. According to IMS market data,
Paxil CR(TM) today accounts for about one in twelve new US prescriptions for SSRI
antidepressants. The intermittent PMDD indication for Paxil CR(TM) should expand
the market opportunity for the product since the original version of Paxil(R)
was never approved for the PMDD indication.''



PMDD is a condition that affects about 5% of menstruating women and is
characterised by severe and disabling mood swings and physical symptoms around
the end of the menstrual cycle. With the new intermittent dosing option, women
suffering from PMDD can take Paxil CR(TM) once a day during the two week period
prior to the onset of their menstrual cycle rather than throughout the month.



In Paxil CR(TM) GlaxoSmithKline's SSRI antidepressant Paxil(R) was reformulated
using SkyePharma's Geomatrix(TM) oral drug delivery technology in which a
multi-layered tablet controls the rate of dissolution and site of absorption of
the drug in the body. Clinical studies have demonstrated that Paxil CR(TM)
significantly reduces the incidence of nausea, a common and troublesome early
side-effect that results in poor compliance with many SSRI antidepressants. The
low drop-out rate for patients on Paxil CR(TM) may increase the likelihood that
patients will obtain the full therapeutic benefit. For example, a study
published in the February 2004 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry on
the use of Paxil CR(TM) in treating social anxiety disorder showed that about
three times as many patients taking Paxil CR(TM) achieved remission compared with
placebo. In addition, the drop-out rate due to adverse events such as sexual
dysfunction was low and comparable to the placebo level.



GlaxoSmithKline launched Paxil CR(TM) in the USA in April 2002. The FDA has
already approved Paxil CR(TM) for the treatment of major depressive disorder,
panic disorder and social anxiety and for the continuous treatment of PMDD.
Paxil CR(TM) offers flexible dosing and is available in three different dosing
strengths: 12.5 mg, 25 mg and 37.5 mg. In 2003, US sales of Paxil(R) and Paxil
CR(TM) were 1.2 billion (US$1.9 billion). SkyePharma receives ongoing royalty
payments on GlaxoSmithKline's net sales of Paxil CR(TM).

azhar - 02 Mar 2004 14:48 - 37 of 202

Skyepharma PLC
02 March 2004


For Immediate Release 2 March 2004

SkyePharma PLC

Sanofi-Synthelabo begins marketing Uroxatral(R)
to US primary care physicians



LONDON, UK, 2 March 2004 -- SkyePharma PLC (Nasdaq: SKYE; LSE: SKP) welcomes
yesterday's announcement by its partner Sanofi-Synthelabo that it is to begin
marketing Uroxatral(R) (alfuzosin hydrochloride extended-release tablets), a
treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia ('BPH'), directly to primary care
physicians ('PCPs') in the United States.



The 10 mg once-daily extended-release formulation was developed for
Sanofi-Synthelabo by SkyePharma and involves SkyePharma's proprietary
GeoMatrixTM oral controlled-release delivery technology. SkyePharma receives a
royalty on Sanofi-Synthelabo's global sales of the once-daily formulation of
alfuzosin (known as Xatral(R) OD outside the USA). Uroxatral(R) was approved
by the US Food & Drug Administration ('FDA') in July 2003. Since its November
launch, Sanofi-Synthelabo has focused on specialist urologists. Marketing to
PCPs will involve a considerable expansion in Sanofi-Synthelabo's detail force
for the product.



Michael Ashton, SkyePharma's Chief Executive, said: 'The US launch of
Uroxatral(R) in November was an important milestone for our GeomatrixTM drug
delivery technology. Initial progress with specialist urologists has been
encouraging and we anticipate a substantial increase in sales now that the
product is to be marketed to the wider general practitioner market. The ageing
population is driving an increase in the incidence of BPH, already a common
condition. Alfuzosin is an effective treatment with a low incidence of
side-effects and the once-daily formulation we developed for Sanofi-Synthelabo
has enabled a significant increase in the market share of Xatral(R) outside the
US. Rising royalty income from Xatral(R) OD and Uroxatral(R) will be a key
part of moving SkyePharma closer to its goal of having the greater proportion of
our earnings derived from product-related revenues.'



BPH (also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy) is a common chronic condition
that typically first affects males in middle age. Thereafter the incidence rises
steeply with age. The urinary symptoms of BPH affect 22% of men aged 50-59 but
45% of men aged 70-80. Currently 8 million men in the USA are affected. Gradual
enlargement of the prostate gland causes progressive obstruction of the urethra.
Patients feel the need for frequent micturition but this results in incomplete
emptying of the bladder. Left untreated, the symptoms may progress, which can
lead to serious health problems including urinary tract infections, bladder and
kidney damage, bladder stones, incontinence and acute urinary retention.



Alfuzosin is not a primary treatment for enlarged prostate but addresses the
urinary symptoms by selectively blocking alpha-1 adrenergic receptors in smooth
muscle of the urinary tract, causing smooth muscle in the bladder neck and
prostate to relax and thereby improving urine flow. Extensive clinical studies
conducted by Sanofi-Synthelabo have demonstrated that alfuzosin has a high
degree of selectivity for urinary tract smooth muscle, resulting in a low
incidence of vasodilatory side-effects such as postural hypotension and syncope
(fainting) that can affect patients treated with competing alpha blockers that
are less selective. In addition alfuzosin has a low risk of sexual side-effects
whereas erectile dysfunction and ejaculatory disorders are well-recognized
side-effects of competing alpha-blockers (and also of alternative treatments for
BPH). Alfuzosin has recently been approved in Europe for a second related
indication, acute urinary retention, and is in late-stage clinical trials for a
US filing for this indication. Alfuzosin is the only alpha-1 blocker that has
been shown in clinical trials to result in a significant decrease in post-void
residual urine volume, a known risk factor for acute urinary retention.



IMS estimates that the US market for treatments for BPH is currently in excess
of US$1.0 billion, two-thirds of which comes from sales of alpha-blockers. The
increase in the average age of the population as the post-war 'Baby Boom'
reaches middle age is expected to drive a significant increase in both the
prevalence of the condition and the size of the market. A 2002 analysis by Theta
Reports estimated that by 2006 approximately 115 million men in the 50+ age
bracket worldwide will suffer from BPH and that even though BPH is not
life-threatening, the rising incidence will drive the value of the global market
to nearly $10 billion.



Sanofi-Synthelabo has marketed alfuzosin as Xatral(R) outside the USA since
1988. Xatral(R) was initially introduced as a three times a day formulation and
subsequently a twice-daily formulation was marketed. Xatral(R) OD, the once a
day formulation developed by SkyePharma for Sanofi-Synthelabo, was launched in
Europe in April 2000 and is now on the market throughout Europe and in certain
territories in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Canada. In 2003,
Sanofi-Synthelabo's global sales of Xatral(R) in all forms were 222 million
including US sales of Uroxatral(R) of 9 million (US$11 million). No version of
Xatral(R) had been marketed in the USA before the introduction of Uroxatral(R)
in November 2003.

Fundamentalist - 02 Mar 2004 14:55 - 38 of 202

Azhar,

These announcements worry me slightly - SKP promised three announcements at xmas time, and it appears we have now had them and they are relatively all very small deals compared to the one that was hoped for - the Depomorphine license. Hopefully they are saving that for the annual results which are due out in 3/4 weeks time but I am concerned that annual results day is going to be disappointment again. i am still holding for the long term because the announcement has got to come, this company will come good, but until we get a big announcement, the delay is weighing heavily on the share price and affecting peoples views of how the company is managed IMHO.

Any views?

driver - 03 Apr 2004 14:46 - 39 of 202

I have been in for years Adding when low, I am beginning to think this stock is
(Pie In The Sky When You Die)

Fundamentalist - 03 Apr 2004 18:39 - 40 of 202

Driver

likewise - been in for years adding several times. the last announcement has bought them another month - the reults have to be released by 29th April (on the 120 day rule) and they desperately want to announce the 3 contracts at the same time. I am holding until further news but will sell on results if the contracts aren't forthcoming.
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