I've been writing about SIGA for years now. This is a biotech company with an apparently perfect cure for smallpox: 100% efficacy and no side effects (aside from "headache" in a very few subjects). It's been used in real-life pox-related cases (here and here - search for "siga" on that second link), it works prophylactically, it boosts vaccination effectiveness re: certain non-smallpox viruses, and it works against all pox viruses, including the weaponized kind that is our #1 bio terror threat).
ST-246 should be approved by the FDA next year (just about all testing is done), but we don't have to wait for that for the government to stockpile it, which they will in the next few weeks, via a contract estimated to be worth $500M - $1B to this$300M company. Foreign governments won't wait, either; any nation worried about bio terror (i.e. every nation) will want to stockpile this drug, and Israel has already signaled an intention to buy a slew.
SIGA developed this drug via a remarkable new platform, and they have an amazing drug pipeline in development, including medicines for dengue fever, anthrax, drug-resistant strep and staph, and, just as a longshot, a broad spectrum anti-viral which shows preliminary effectiveness against HIV, polio, hepatitis, Ebola, leukemia, and the common cold (read lots more juicy background in my first posting on SIGA here). Project Bioshield (supporting companies developing medical countermeasures against biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear agents), and depending on governmental procurement for its revenue, management has learned to stay extremely discrete and low-hype.
That contract is due to be announced any day now. But today, Dr. Oz (a former SIGA board member, who may have left to avoid conflict of interest in reporting on the company) is doing a show on smallpox. The mainstream is about to hear about SIGA. You may want to buy a few shares.
Update: the show has aired in a few markets, and I understand SIGA was not mentioned. The stock is down 1.5%! Well...it's not for nothing that I titled my first entry about SIGA "Get Rich Slow With SIGA"! Patience will be rewarded; this stock will see $30-40 one day!
No comments:
Post a Comment