Verona Pharma Share Discussion Threads

[timbo003] 11/9/2015 21:12

The slide set used for the analyst presentation following the interim results on September 8th is now on the Verona web site along with an external link to an Audio recording to the presentation (see links below):






I have also inserted both of these links into the header and added the latest time line (from the presentation).

[ewads] 11/9/2015 17:27

SNS - Quite right. Don't think I could stand those posts from the past again. Thanks advfn for the filter. We're all doomed!

[just_banter] 11/9/2015 16:02

Shakin - Your a newbie

[shakin not stirred] 11/9/2015 15:54

Wekly news and Bang bang are back so a drop in share price is hugely plausible in my opinion as thy are the ramptastic two. I however must try not to indulge them. Yet it is just irresistible.

[thebossman] 11/9/2015 14:19

New BOD onto a nice little earner...????

[bangbang1] 10/9/2015 13:38

Welcome back weeklynews.

Good see the longterms still here.

[weeklynews] 10/9/2015 09:28

Morning Just topped up today. IMO the current trials have passed. My understanding the new directors have come to close deal. The clues are out there. Do your research. Good news arriving. Regards Weeklynews

[vasilis] 10/9/2015 09:12

Aimshares - thanks for posting the Pharma letter.

Whilst we still await the results of the MAD part of the trial, the upbeat nature of JAK's comments echoing Tuesday's RNS is very encouraging. All the jigsaw pieces - new trials, new non-execs, Ken Newman positioned in NY,plus the positive safety data from the SAD part of the trial, all point towards expecting positive news next month.

I was thinking last night that the 'mood music' is the complete opposite to that when the BOD seemed to avoid talking about the VRP trial at the 2014 AGM shortly before the negative results were published. I may be wrong but what I've read so far this week seems to indicate that the BOD may know more than they can tell until next month.

Did anyone go to the Hardman presentation scheduled for last night? If yes, how did it go?

[aimshares] 10/9/2015 08:30

090915The Pharma letterSpeaking to The Pharma Letter on the day of the release of new clinical data and half-year financials, Verona's chief executive Jan-Anders Karlsson said: "Admittedly there's not a lot of new clinical data, but the data we've had out today is very encouraging and we're excited about that. Taken together, it really demonstrates that the compound in the new formulation is exciting."The company's pretax loss for the half-year increased 266% on last year's first half, going from a loss of £1.4 million ($2.1 million) to a loss of £4.4 million. Verona shares plunged as much as 12% on the news, which Dr Karlsson brushed off, saying: "Stock is recovering and as we go along, I expect that people will be as excited as we are about opportunity about RPL554."The clinical trial success of a new formulation of the company's lead compound, RPL554, is behind much of the optimism. It is expected that RPL554 will be indicated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis and potentially other indications. It works by the dual inhibition of PDE3 and PDE4 enzymes, leading to a synergistic increase in activity in many cell types. "The new formulation is a suspension, where small particles are dissolved slowly and take a longer time to traverse through the lungs and into the bloodstream. It's given better tolerability: in fact, the suspension formulation is so well-tolerated that we could actually dose up about 16 times higher," said Dr Karlsson.He explained that the company has three options in terms of how to proceed with RPL554. The first option is to develop it for patients with breakthrough symptoms of COPD and end up in hospital, where they would be treated with RPL554 as an add-on therapy, remaining on the drug as an outpatient. He estimates that sales in such a setting could be more than $500 million annually. Another potential avenue would be to pursue the belief that if it works in the sickest patients, it's likely to also work in moderate to severe COPD on a daily basis to prevent patients from being hospitalized, which is a much bigger market. The third option is to develop the therapy as a dry powder inhaler, rather than a nebulizer, which Dr Karlsson acknowledges is a much bigger development plan and would require a partner.On any plans to expand the company's geographical footprint, Dr Karlsson said: "The Canadian unit as it used to be is much reduced, and instead we hired Ken Newman as chief medical officer, and he's based in New York. I can tell you, that is a sign of a focus on market as the first and foremost market of our nebulized drug."

[corbine] 09/9/2015 20:37

bewise-there is a filter on advfn for the http use a couple of capitals hTTp and it should get the link ok :-)

[bewise2] 09/9/2015 20:17

hxxp://www.thepharmaletter.com/article/verona-shares-slide-on-half-year-figures-but-chief-executive-optimistic-on-copd-trial-data

[corbine] 09/9/2015 10:41

timbo- i see that gsk report as a large data trawl and if anything shows how difficult it is to get anything decent through trials with successful endpoints, maintaining lung function of sorts without complicating comorbid, ie heart and other health probs. shows too how dangerous breo the new kid on the block if used incorrectly? ie overdosing-which patients will do out of habit when they feel the need for more when symptoms persist or relief is needed.
this report although not good for gsk has come at a good time for us when our news is due, not just for fev1, duration etc but importantly the side effects aspect of 554.
we need a clean sweep
wont be long now....
corbs
excited :-)
that gsk rns could be kept with the header group to show what isnt viable from the competition for reference? (just asking) theres lots of info within relevant to us with 554 moving forward?
jmo jmo

[timbo003] 09/9/2015 08:22

yes j-b, I suspect GSK will be disappointed. They missed the primary (mortality) and the secondary endpoints

It looks like a massive study with a very ambitious endpoint given that the patients only had moderate symptoms of COPD, the placebo group were also on SABAs (ad lib) and were given LAMAs and oral steroids for exacerbations

I don't think I would have rolled the dice on this one.

The market doesn't seem that perturbed, so I suspect they also had this study marked down for a low probability of technical success.

[just_banter] 09/9/2015 08:01

Poor results from Gsk copd study

[aimshares] 08/9/2015 13:28

Broker note out hTTp://www.hardmanandco.com/system/files/research_papers/VRP%20Interim%20results%209%20Sept%202015%20v2.pdf

[corbine] 08/9/2015 11:59

Not a takeover- a Partner.
They admit to having been in discussions.
As 554 passes more trials and with further development 554 is and will be looked at for other aspects of COPD market (not just past 2 years mooting of Exacerbation and ER Emergency settings, but as ive said for past 2 years, maintenance dosing/therapy which is a much bigger market globally.
Also mentions within rns of so much more.....
we knew the fiscal side would be cash burn, that side the rns is good, interesting and hinting at the way forward.
A PArtner can come aboard soon, and take on the costs with a reward of part ownership/royalties for part or all of 554 intended uses, which will in time be far more than E>R> settings and the 30 day prevention from readmission which will require home nebbing etc, which patient can do themselves, and if need be monitored by thort teams (each nhs has copd outreach teams already in place from each main hospital in uk) some synergise better than others with their respiratory units within each hospital.
jmo-Corbs :-)
ps twice daily? im still ok with 3 or 4 times daily dosing if needed (more $$ too).
so much in this rns folks do spend time reading it again and again re the bods preamble on 554. its good.

[aimshares] 08/9/2015 11:09

As guess I would expect anything between 15p to 30p with all the progress they have made up to date

[meijiman] 08/9/2015 11:06

If you believe that I assume you think the takeover price would be somewhat higher than the current share price?!

[aimshares] 08/9/2015 11:01

I have to agree with just banter ,I feel we will be looking at T/O after these new current trials before phase 2b.
This is just my own opinion
if a T/O takes place ,I have no idea at what price
The new guy has a history of selling the company as oppose to the drug
Which suggests a takeover of some sort
Hence why they are tidying up the board
Claire poll will still provide legal assistance.

[just_banter] 08/9/2015 10:48

This is clearly shows a sale before phase 2B

[meijiman] 08/9/2015 10:46

Thanks. Useful read. I'm fully loaded here and intend to sit and await on events.
As you infer suspect some hot money was here hoping for SAD/MAD study results and may have exited.

[vasilis] 08/9/2015 10:34

meijiman

Your question raises a couple of things regarding the way the market 'generally' behaves. Contrary to some of the ideas I read on some BBs, the LSE is what it says it is, a market, and in that market there are buyers, sellers, and what I call the 'facilitators', ie the MMs. Obvious I know, but it's surprising how many people seem to forget that and look for all kinds of other reasons to determine why shares are moving one way or the other. Add the fact that major buyers/sellers are not disclosed until they finish their total buying/selling business, and you have the situation whereby share prices appear to move up or down for a period of time without any apparent explanation.

If you look at the share price movement of VRP today then L2 showed a small queue of sellers early on, which added to the fact that the news this morning did not include the anticipated results from the SAD/MAD study, prompted a drop in the share price as MMs always seek to balance their books against any buying/selling pressure. Later on, buyers moved in and the share price has subsequently risen. Where it will be in 15/30 mins - who knows - never mind where it will be tomorrow or next week.

It is therefore investors - large or small - reacting to or positioning in anticipation or publication of news which drives the share price And in the case of VRP, if you join the dots regarding new trials, new non-execs, plus expected results of the SAD/MAD study next month, then these factors should/maybe trump the obvious fact that we have increased losses due to increased clinical trials which will clearly need more funds at some point in the future.

[corbine] 08/9/2015 10:23

guys/gals, morning- i gotta shoot for a bit, but reread the rns a few times, in particular about 554 and see the additional info theyre giving us.
re cash burn -yeh yeh we knew this one would be heavy, but read about uses and the 554 story evolving. it isnt just e.r. emergency settings, or the 30 day keep em out of e.r.
theyre also acknowledging maintenance uses and different gold standard uses from within the copd field, and i sense future use of not just nebbed formulation will be trialled in the future, (Handi halers etc etc ).
team adjustments are for a reason. this is all very interesting- and yes they have had contact/discussions with potential partners.
imo jmo gl dyoR etc :-)