Hot Copper has a cadre of experts who have never attended a...

Hot Copper has a cadre of experts who have never attended a corporate presentation, yet pontificate on the perceived shortcomings of Noxopharm.  They are entitled to their opinions, but I thought I might provide some balance – having attended MANY presentations.

The tendency to judge a company by the day-to-day fluctuations in the share price is short-sighted, in my opinion.  What is important is the likelihood of success.

The most recent corporate presentation by Noxopharm noted that for every 10,000 drugs that are developed, only ONE makes it to market.  I like our prospects:

• NOX66 targets a master-switch that is only found in aberrant cells, which explains why the drug has minimal side effects and shows efficacy in the lab against all forms of cancer.  In humans, a single course of NOX66 plus low-dose radiation stopped cancer growth in a high proportion of end-stage prostate patients, a result that would lead to marketing approval if repeated in its upcoming Phase 2/3 adaptive trial.  Patients in the NOX66 registration trial will have already failed everything, so we can anticipate that the Control arm results will be very poor.  By comparison, the Treatment arm will get SIX sessions of NOX66 in addition to the single session of palliative radiation that both arms will receive, so the likelihood of success is very high, in my opinion.

• NYX330 is a PCSK9-inhibiting cholesterol-lowering drug that can be delivered orally.  The scientific world knows that inhibition of PCSK9 works, but Big Pharma was unable to create an oral inhibitor and had to settle for one that needs to be periodically injected, so we can be sure that they have their eye on NYX330.

• NYX104 is a drug that seeks to limit the effect of stroke or concussion.  It is significant that NYX104 targets an aberrant protein specifically associated with this injury cascade.

Three different drugs, but with a common theme: they target key UPSTREAM proteins.  Eminent scientists consider these drugs to have great potential.  Each drug targets a problem with a massive unmet need.  The scientists have been able to overcome technical issues that have confounded Big Pharma.  One drug already at the pointy end of development, where the prospects of marketing approval appear to be good.

I definitely like our prospects.