Phytopharm Share Discussion Threads

[crosswire] 14/2/2013 06:33

The drug showed promise because in preclinical models, CoganeTM reverses the changes in the area of the brain involved in Parkinson's disease by inducing the body's own production of proteins known as neurotrophic factors.

In particular, one of these factors known as Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) has been shown to be particularly effective in re-growing damaged nerves. However because GDNF is a protein, it cannot be given orally because it is degraded in the stomach and intestines, and also does not readily cross the blood-brain barrier.

GDNF can work only when injected into, or when produced inside the brain. Direct injection of GDNF into the area of the brain affected by Parkinson's disease has shown evidence of being clinically effective in restoring the control of movement, but requires complex surgical procedures.

CoganeTM, which can be taken orally, readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and in preclinical models has been shown to stimulate the release of GDNF in the brain and therefore has the potential to overcome many of the difficulties associated with direct administration of GDNF.

[crosswire] 13/2/2013 10:04

News within 2 weeks after 3 yr wait!

Mm's hiding buy's! Wonder why?

--" The last patient completed participation in the CONFIDENT-PD Phase II clinical trial of Cogane(TM) in untreated patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease in December 2012. Results from this trial remain on track to be available in February 2013."

[crosswire] 12/2/2013 16:25

Shares in issue: 346.8m
Free float: 39%



Confidence required

The Confident-PD study has enrolled 408 patients with newly diagnosed, treatment-naive Parkinson's disease at multiple centres across the US and Europe. Dosing should complete by the end of 2012 and, allowing for a four-week follow-up period, Phytopharm expects to announce top-line results in February 2013.

Cogane has the potential to become the first small-molecule, disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson's, and therefore could attract a lucrative licensing deal.

[crosswire] 12/2/2013 13:09

Snippet from trial in USA:

06-20-2012, 11:45 PM #31
sugarvette


Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 8

I have noticed a few improvements since I started on Cogane about 12 weeks ago. I have a faster gait, and my feet don't shuffle so much. And...my right arm swings a little more than it has.

I used to have horrible neck pain...daily. That's almost non-existent now.

Not a lot, but some positive results. I was hoping to have everything vanish, and be back to the me I used to be.

[dr biotech] 12/2/2013 10:25

I'll be honest - I haven't looked into the PD Monkeys for some time. I remember doing it some years ago when I was a holder in OXB and thought Prosavin had potential. I posted a lot then, got a lot of stick for it - the OXB thread is largely scientifically ignorant - but the outcome was sadly predictable.

I've held these longer than I care to remember and my average price is well north of 100p so I am already in the 90% club and only hold these as a potential tax loss (ditto OXB, I am really not going to pay any CGT for my lifetime). It would be great to see a British bio succeed, but I am not holding my breath.

[crosswire] 12/2/2013 06:58

Cambridge Index rises 1.2%

12/02/2013


Phytopharm, up 8.8%, announced that it has traded in line with expectations during the period from 1 October 2012 to 5 February 2013, while also adding that it received approval from the US FDA for its clinical development plan for Cogane.

[xrougetraderx] 11/2/2013 23:05

Be extremely worried....

[gnomet2] 11/2/2013 21:43

Anyway, as the results approach I'm getting excited. Or worried. I'm not sure which.

[gnomet2] 11/2/2013 21:40

Dr Biotech 11 Feb'13 - 12:41 - 369 of 371 0 0

I'm a bit wary about results on monkeys, particularly PD tests. With PD monkeys you chemically kill the dopamine genration with MPTP to produce the PD effects. Its not true PD and any drugs that may restore life to the dopamine area may not work in humans as the original cause of PD may remain and counter and effect the drug has. There have been quite a few successful treatments of MPTP monkeys that have failed in trials.

Still fingers crossed.

Sure – the monkeys don't actually have the disease and underlying causes , but fortunately (for investors) I'm sure the results won't need to be anything like as good as the monkey ones to be successful.

I reckon just a 10 -20% improvement over any placebo score will be sufficient. (EDIT In terms of showing a statistically significant difference and a clinically meaningful one). I'd expect the commercial and regulatory performance bars to be set lower than risky and expensive gene therapy treatments.

I think the failures after good monkey results have all? been with gene therapies tested on patients both with long term disease and L-dopa exposure, causing big alterations in brain chemistry and damage/ spasticity at the synapses through intense irregular neuronal firing induced by L-Dopa admin.

It was notable that a sub-group of monkeys treated with OXB's Prosavin performed only half as well when pretreated with L-Dopa just for a couple of months.

Cogane is being tested on earlier stage and L-Dopa naïve patients, so I think there's reason to think they might fare better at reproducing the monkey results..

[crosswire] 11/2/2013 18:29

Big buy from 7th Feb: over a million @ 9.5p

1,221,052 worth 116k

Someone in the know???

[crosswire] 11/2/2013 16:11

30 May 2012



Phytopharm pins hopes on Parkinson's drug

By Mark Wembridge

Phytopharm, the drug developer, has placed almost all its eggs in a single basket following results from studies into two of its compounds this year.


The specialist in neurodegenerative diseases, which on Wednesday reported a widening of interim pre-tax losses from £3.9m to £5.2m year on year, has pinned its future revenue generation hopes on Cogane, a possible treatment for Parkinson's disease.

Cogane's positive pre-clinical results in January were in contrast to its glaucoma treatment Myogane, which was hit with a setback this month after an inconclusive study finding.

With negligible turnover, the shares play on the expectation that Cogane will be a success when its Parkinson's study reports back in February 2013. Although the initial signs look promising, the world of drug development is high risk, and so are stocks.

FT

[dr biotech] 11/2/2013 12:41

I'm a bit wary about results on monkeys, particularly PD tests. With PD monkeys you chemically kill the dopamine genration with MPTP to produce the PD effects. Its not true PD and any drugs that may restore life to the dopamine area may not work in humans as the original cause of PD may remain and counter and effect the drug has. There have been quite a few successful treatments of MPTP monkeys that have failed in trials.

Still fingers crossed.

[annebz] 11/2/2013 12:13

Was the primate called Benedict?

[crosswire] 11/2/2013 12:11

In a non-human primate model of PD it was demonstrated that once daily oral administration of Cogane? for 18 weeks significantly reduced the median parkinsonian disability by 43% and that this reduction was still increasing after 18 weeks.

[crosswire] 11/2/2013 11:13

Pym are so confident about cogane that they have all eggs in one basket!

Roll on results!

[knocknock] 10/2/2013 23:05

Mrs A, best of luck, but ask yourself how many fisherman got drowned plumbing the mirky depths of the UK biotech industry looking for a swift buck?

[mrsapeslaptop] 10/2/2013 23:03

knock knock. Im adding that to my watchlist of bombed out bios I may invest in. not knocking your judgement but the chart is just the sort I love.

[crosswire] 10/2/2013 17:44

"The results from CONFIDENT-PD, expected in February 2013, represent an important milestone for the Group and are eagerly awaited. Initial discussions have been held with potential partners and plans put in place for the next steps in the development of our pipeline assets, be that alone or in partnership with other companies, to ensure that we are well positioned to extract maximum value for our shareholders."

[moneymunch] 08/2/2013 18:54

o/t melodrama....your call, but i would buy Summ more....DYOR GL

All good things come to those who wait.........;-)


an update on the Alzheimers OGA programme, which could also include details of a commercial partner as results are now overdue......

positive data from the current phase 1 C-Difficile trial, results expected anytime now.....

further development and/or funding plans for the phase 2 DMD patient clinical trial, which could include news of a lucrative commercial partner .....

and news of any progress made by Bristol Myers Squibb in identifying drug targets from Summit's Seglin Platform, which could result in milestone payments.....




Nomura Code brokers Note 21/12/12.....

We believe the prospects for Summit's products are better than many other similar staged UK drug development companies that are currently trading on higher enterprise values. While any investment in a pre-Phase II company is high risk and speculative, we initiate coverage with a buy rating and fair value range of 9p-10p.

In short (and it's a full note to initiate coverage) conservative fair value range 9-10p with significant upside on clinical news, partnerships or grants. Fully funded through 2013, with funding needed to take trials to phase 2 late 2013/2014. However states that funding needed isn't large (£2-4m) and could be funded through partnership, charity funding or equity.

[neilcrom] 08/2/2013 16:44

check out COOL
multibagger next week?

[crosswire] 08/2/2013 16:07

Can sell 250k but buy only 15k!!

"The results from the CONFIDENT-PD clinical trial will be important in determining how our future strategy evolves and we look forward to receiving these results shortly".

[xrougetraderx] 08/2/2013 14:48

Our saviour...