new to hotcopper

I'm new to hotcopper and this is my first post so a little background. I've spent my career in research mostly in the areas of diabetes, obesity and CVD with a couple of hundred publications, many in high quality journals (even a couple in Science). Also have spent about a decade in a large pharma based in Europe leading a basic research division. A part of that job was evaluation of smaller biotech companies and partnering proposals, giving a lot of experience on the other side of the table. I have had some MSB shares for quite some time as part of my SMSF so have followed progress quite closely.

I understand, and share, the frustration with market price declines but understand the dilemma of partnering. Big pharma want the lot for bugger all and it may surprise some that often the executives who have the final say don't have any real handle at all on the technical detail, scope of the patent protection, etc and despite their own in-house expertise, the easiest path is to be overly cautious. As a humorous aside, I remember making a presentation on a new drug target and had a response from a senior international VP that "it couldn't be very good, no one else has done it"!). The reality of pharma is that most of the current leadership come from a small molecule approach, where unfortunately most projects fail, so they bring that very negative baggage.

My own take is that MSB is right to be very strong in their partnering negotiations - they have a very strong pipeline of phase 3 projects, some of the best stem cells going and a strong patent portfolio. I was particularly impressed with the little youtube video around their heart failure LVAD trial (). See the text below the video reproduced here:
the subject of the video, says:
Today was the much anticipated 4 month checkup for the NIH Wean Study at the Cleveland Clinic. At LVAD implantation I was either injected with 12 shots of stem cells or a placebo in a blind study. This is the 2nd lag of the study. At 2 months I did 27 laps for 1630 feet. Today I tried to set a high bar. I was able to run comfortably with normal fatigue although I had run 2K yesterday and did 3K on the bike. I would normal do this every other day. Today I count 44 laps and a bit. The grand total was 2,674 feet!! Over half a mile!! My Ejection Fracture via echocardiogram was the same as the two month checkup (25-35EF) with the pump at 9000RPM. When the pump was turned down to 6000 RPM that is when the fun started. My heart responded! It jumped up to a 40 or so EF. After I did this run we did one more echo and my heart responded even more! Up to 60EF!! That is in the normal range! Very excited with the progress.


A short synopsis of my story:
I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy 5 years ago. I caught pneumonia and dipped under 10% EF. I was implanted with HeartMate II LVAD along with a 50/50 shot at stem cells for clinical trial on December 4th, 2015. I fought for my life for two weeks after surgery I am told and nearly didn't make it. I came out on the other side on Oxycodone, Oxycontin. When my lungs filled up with blood and my lungs had to be punctured to remove the blood...without anesthesia and adding Morphine to the terrible two. I was fighting the envelope of drug fog while making decisions for my life. So thankful for my parents, friends, and the head nurse who was my best friend's wife!. That was very helpful. The team at the Cleveland Clinic has been out of this world. I now am back at work (from home), living alone, approved for driving, doing my own dressing changes, and have kicked the Oxy's since February 8th 2016. I do have a nearly 2 month window where I remember only the largest events. I am in the NIH Clinical Trial for stem cells and I really hope I have them. The LVAD certainly hits you like a ton of bricks in the best of cases. As a younger than average heart failure hereditary cardiomyopathic, I include myself in a subsection of a subsection. Each story is not better than the other, each of us are all different. Explanation is my goal and I am working towards this goal daily. Strength and determination to all. If you are a caregiver, we need you so much!

VLAD is at the desperation end of treatment and although I'm no expert here, this seems an extraordinary response. IF this gentleman is in the MSB treatment group and IF this is anywhere near an 'average' response, then this is a remarkable game-changer and a gold mine for MSB (a disclaimer here, I have heart disease myself and I look forward to the trial outcome with more interest than just an MSB shareholding).

Finally, just a general comment. I am astounded by the sheer volume of contributions to hotcopper. I particularly noted one contributor who does not hold shares, nor has a sentiment about MSB but has contributed over 2000 posts, mostly negative or cautionary, warning investors off MSB – great, almost unbelievable, altruism! What else could it be??