I’ve been writing too many positive stories lately. They’re ruining my reputation as the Night King of Biotech. This column is a return to normalcy.
First up: It pays to read 10-Qs. Sometimes, you find biotech companies trying to slip alarming nuggets into their quarterly filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Take, for example, Geron (GERN), which used its most recent 10-Q to warn investors about an inquiry from the Food and Drug Administration that puts the continued clinical development of its only drug, imetelstat, at risk.
Geron would likely cease operations if imetelstat was put on the shelf — an alarming risk factor for a biotech company that, while long troubled, still carries a $300 million-plus market value.
About the Author Reprints
Nike
I have no issue with negative perspectives on companies as long as there is back-up as to why. This creep takes pleasure from bashing companies whose efforts are to help sick and needy folks. I have been hoping for a long time that someone investigate whether our friend Adam does this solely for sick enjoyment or if he is a pawn for investment folks who love to press his button and short companies that spend more time on science than they do on rebutting fud from creeps like him.
Adam, I usually like reading your comments, but today’s comments on Kirk and ZIOP seem to be a departure from your usual rigor.
Instead of offering “proof” to support your criticism, you cleverly mischaracterize.
1. Does Kirk claim he’s great?
2. With the Holmes comparison, are you calling Kirk a fraud? Where is the support? The only thing they have in common, to my mind, is a penchant for black sweaters.
3. ZIOP CAR-T efforts going nowhere? ZIOP is “behind?” Why not discuss their programs and then make that conclusion? Why not discuss why you think Cooper’s plans are wrong?
4. ” ZIOP’s not in the discussion…..” What discussions? MD Anderson is routinely rated well in cancer research. NCI’s Rosenberg has allowed them into the tent.
Funny, you say JUNO was once counted out… I bet you were a smug member of that cadre of naysayers.
Bullhorn in one hand, craft beer in the other.
I don’t necessarily dispute what you are saying. It’s your lack of supporting evidence and your crass mischaracterizations that suggest a bias in your work today.
No question you relish your title of “Night King.” The question is why?
Adam F has been criticizing ZIOPHARM and Intrexon heavy for years in a very unprofessional and incorrect manner. He attacked the GBM therapy after just the first death and was proven wrong when they demonstrated that after only one year beat all marketed treatments in overall survival and allowed to skip Phase 2 and proceed to Phase 3 this year. But instead of an apology or correction Adam laughs like a child when Dr Cooper presents that the company will have a random comparator trial for that Phase 3. He also does not get or comprehend the significance of their T cell therapy either which in CarT is about to launch the 2 day admin Point of Care therapeutic into 2018. Dr. Rosenberg is about to start the SBT NeoAntigen TCR trial at NCI soon and many other trials soon too. Also many CD123 target trials are failing and he and Wells Fargo analyst Jim Birchenough got that wrong and Dr Cooper says “he saw it coming” to target CD33 CAR instead- but I am betting that AF will find a way to distort that too?
Well said! Adam is a pud!