Fw: I think I picked up this yesterday

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----- Original Message ----- From: ParfumGigi@...

MAM-NSIF@... ; lillian45usa2000@...

Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 1:10 AM

Subject: I think I picked up this yesterday

Biotech Firm Targets Drug Giants in Arthritis War By Toni e 01/06/2002 — NEW YORK (Reuters) - Scios Inc., a small California biotechnology company, is racing giant rivals to bring a pill to market that would displace injectable anti-inflammatory drugs and set a new standard in arthritis treatment. Scios' ambitions are much larger than its market capitalization of a little more than $1 billion. That's because the first company to commercialize an oral version of today's dominant injectable drugs could gain the lion's share of a market that analysts expect to reach $6 billion by 2009. Scios' drug has shown promise in early trials. But the size of the potential market makes it a prize that many big pharmaceuticals companies also covet. "This is a very tight race," said Gryska, Scios' chief financial officer. "We don't intend to be second." So far, Scios' prospects look good. The company's compound appears to inhibit an enzyme, known as the p38 kinase, that scientists believe provokes inflammation. The company has completed trials in healthy humans and is now planning to test the drug in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Most rivals have yet to reach this stage. "Scios is in the lead right now," said Schmidt, an analyst at S.G. Cowen. "They've come from behind to take that inside track position. But it's clear that it's still very early in the race." Scios' lead comes in part because an earlier trailblazer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., was forced to drop back after its lead p38 kinase inhibitor showed toxicity in high doses in some animals. The company is now developing other molecules directed at the same target. gigi http://health.discovery.com/news/reu/20020107/arthritis7.html