Today I will begin a new feature taking a look at the best websites for the latest polling news, trends and data. I will start with pollingreport.com.
Pollingreport really is THE source for national political polling data. It has data for all the latest national polls on politics and policy. There are 2008 presidential race match-ups, Bush approval ratings, and polls on issues like the US Attorney controversy or illegal immigration. You have to go and search around to really see how much data is there.
The site takes each poll from national sources like Gallup, Zogby, Newsweek or Fox News and sorts them into the appropriate categories so you can find all questions on the same topic grouped together. If a question is asked by the same polling organization periodically, pollingreport lists all the data in order by date. That makes it a great source for research.
It also lists the exact wording for each question. PPP always checks how other pollsters are wording questions when we are drafting questionnaires.
Pollingreport has even more data from the state level as well as a bi-monthly newsletter with articles from an impressive list of contributors. Unfortunately, those services are only for paying subscribers.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
More on the Civitas Poll
As I discussed yesterday the Civitas Poll came under fire yesterday from the Under the Dome blog. More on the blog fallout today. Max Borders from the Civitas Institute defends the poll.
The entire poll comes out tomorrow, but here are the three questions that Civitas released early...
The entire poll comes out tomorrow, but here are the three questions that Civitas released early...
Complete Questions
"Even though North Carolina will have a $1.1 billion budget surplus this year, the state House has continued $300 million in temporary taxes in order to increase spending over the $1.1 billion surplus. Do you approve or disapprove of this action?"
1. Approve ------------13%
2. Disapprove----------70%
3. Not Sure-------------17%
"The state is preparing to spend most of the $300 million in temporary taxes on more than 100 special interest projects, such as a drag racing hall of fame, a study of the horse industry in North Carolina and subsidizing a private culinary school. Do you support or oppose these expenditures?"
1. Support----------7%
2. Oppose---------84%
3. Not sure----------9%
"Some people say the extra $300 million in taxes will be used to increase funding for education. Others say the budget already has provided for education and these funds will actually be used for the type of pork barrel projects described above. Which do you believe?"
1. Used for education------------22%
2. Used for pork barrel----------59%
3. Not sure------------------------19%
METHODOLOGY: This study of 800 registered voters was conducted May 9-11, 2007 by TelOpinion Research of Alexandria, Va. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, voters who were interviewed had to have voted in the 2002 and 2004 general elections, as well as first time voters in the 2006 general election, and those who had voted in both 2004 and 2006 as newly registered voters.
The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that 95 percent of the time the results from 800 interviews (registered voters) will be within a +-3.7 percent of the "True Values".
Monday, May 14, 2007
But what’s in it for me? Antibiotic incentives in FDARA
It’s not all bad news for drug developers. The Senate’s drug safety legislation emerged from that chamber on May 8th carrying some interesting drug development incentives tucked away among the added requirements for postmarket surveillance and marketing/communication controls.
We watch C-SPAN, so you don’t have to
The two most interesting incentives—which promise limited scope for faster drug reviews and longer product lives—both relate to anti-infective drug development.
The first incentive, suggested as an amendment by the odd pair of very liberal Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown and very conservative Kansas Republican Sam Brownback, would offer a faster FDA review for any drugs of a sponsor’s choice (anything in a sponsor’s pipeline—not just anti-infectives). All a sponsor would have to do to get access to the faster review would be to develop and make commercially available a product for under-treated diseases prevalent in the developing world.
The second amendment, sponsored by Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, claims to expand research incentives for antibiotics and redress exclusivity issues created ten years ago in a previous Congressional effort to bring antibiotics under Waxman-Hatch exclusivity provisions.
The first measure, Brown said, would be built on awarding “a priority review voucher to any company that brings a neglected tropical disease treatment to market.” It derives from an early 2006 proposal from a group at the Duke Fuqua School of Business, “Developing Drugs for Developing Countries,” and proponents say it could be worth about 12 months of extra marketing time to a company: FDA is supposed to conduct priority reviews within six months compared to “the average time of 18 months” for standard FDA application reviews. What’s more, research-stage companies that earn such vouchers could sell them on to Big Pharma, creating an additional asset market that encourages investment in neglected diseases.
Skeptics argue that tying the vouchers to “priority” review—instead of patent life or market exclusivity--may not turn out to be a big incentive. A senior Merck policy executive, Ian Spatz, openly questioned the vouchers’ value shortly after the Duke proposal was published. The difference in approval times associated with standard and priority reviews is much shorter than a year, argues Spatz, and therefore much less valuable to big commercial sponsors. And major products, where a voucher might tend to be used, often qualify for priority review in their own right.
The Hatch antibiotic incentive amendment would confer five-year market exclusivity for antibiotics filed with FDA before November 1997 but not yet approved by the agency. Preliminary analysis of the provision also suggests that it would permit generic copies of some antibiotics approved before November 1997 and so-far protected from generic competition due to an obligation for the follow-on sponsor to show that all patented indications have expired.
Hatch is also calling for clearer orphan drug incentives for anti-infectives. The amendment calls for FDA to hold an open meeting to clear up what indications qualify for orphan protections, including market exclusivity. Currently, anti-infective sponsors—and even some FDA reviewers—do not know how indications are counted toward the orphan population limits. The open meeting is designed to make it clear whether a product can qualify for orphan incentives if it treats a subclass of an infection (such as pneumonia) caused by a specific pathogen.
The Hatch incentives also would offer exclusivity protections to new approvals for single enantiomer drugs with an enantiomer that was previously part of an approved racemic drug, if the enantiomer drug is in a different therapeutic class. That distinction would prevent evergreening of existing products in the same class as an existing product (we’re looking at you, Nexium) but offer an incentive for the development of enantiomer in a new therapeutic category.
Kawartha Speedway: Stormin' Norman Mayhew profile
FRASERVILLE, ON – It may not be an easy climb, but Stormin' Norman Mayhew is determined to find his way to the top. The 26 year-old Cobourg, Ontario native is a weekly late model racer at Kawartha Speedway (Fraserville, Ontario CANADA). Mayhew is proud to have called the 3/8ths of a mile paved oval his Friday night home since 1999.
In 2002, Mayhew visited victory lane 9 times and won the hard luck award in Kawartha's Thunder Car division. 2004 saw a move-up, to the Limited Late Models and still more success. Mayhew had 2 feature wins, captured the rookie of the year title and finished no worse than 4 in overall points in his 2 seasons in that class.
In 2002, Mayhew visited victory lane 9 times and won the hard luck award in Kawartha's Thunder Car division. 2004 saw a move-up, to the Limited Late Models and still more success. Mayhew had 2 feature wins, captured the rookie of the year title and finished no worse than 4 in overall points in his 2 seasons in that class.
Pleased with his performance there, it was time for another move - this time to Late Models, the track's premier division. Mayhew purchased a 2003 Lefthander Perimeter chassis from American Canadian Tour competitor Jacob McGrath and set-out to battle the big boys. Another rookie of the year title contributed a new trophy for his growing collection and a 13th place finish in overall points left Norm Mayhew hungry to learn more.
During the off-season, he and his crew chief Colin MacKenzie attended the Finish Line Racing School at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The goal was to gain additional seat-time and a better understanding of how a Kawartha Speedway late model racecar handles on a week-to-week basis. He also had his car upgraded by 2006 series champion Jeff Hanley.
During the off-season, he and his crew chief Colin MacKenzie attended the Finish Line Racing School at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The goal was to gain additional seat-time and a better understanding of how a Kawartha Speedway late model racecar handles on a week-to-week basis. He also had his car upgraded by 2006 series champion Jeff Hanley.
In 2007, Mayhew will be running a limited schedule in an effort to keep-up with business at his commercial sign-making shop, Mayhew Graphics. His designs can be seen on his own car - as well as those of Linc Brown, Ryan Kimball and Dwayne Fulford.
Of course there's always a chance he could be back at the track every week, with a little extra sponsor support. As it stands now, his long-term backer eagle.ca high-speed internet will return to the car this year, along with some additional support.
Mayhew credits his crew, led by Colin MacKenzie - with Jerry Birney, Rob Valois, Jordan Birney, Paul Devlin and Patrick Marvin for making sure the #60 Hasiuk Trailers late model is ready for action every time they hit the track.
Mayhew credits his crew, led by Colin MacKenzie - with Jerry Birney, Rob Valois, Jordan Birney, Paul Devlin and Patrick Marvin for making sure the #60 Hasiuk Trailers late model is ready for action every time they hit the track.
He also appreciates the valuable knowlegde and technical assistance he receives from fellow Late Model racer Jeff Hanley. Although he says 'racing is pretty much his life', Mayhew also enjoys snowboarding, hockey and mountain biking. He looks forward to spending his reamaining leisure time with his very supportive girlfriend, Sheena Gilpin.
It may not always be an easy climb, but Stormin' Norman Mayhew is working is way to the top of the ladder - 1 rung at a time.
It may not always be an easy climb, but Stormin' Norman Mayhew is working is way to the top of the ladder - 1 rung at a time.
By Jim Clarke, for Kawartha Speedway
N&O takes on the Civitas Poll
Ryan Teague Beckwith at the Under the Dome Blog takes the Civitas Institute to task for loaded question wording. It's hard to argue with him on this question:
"The state is preparing to spend most of the $300 million in temporary taxes on more than 100 special interest projects, such as a drag racing hall of fame, a study of the horse industry in North Carolina and subsidizing a private culinary school. Do you support or oppose these expenditures?"
Pollster Profile: The Kitchens Group
The Kitchens Group was the pollster for the Stop the NC Home Tax campaign, funded by the NC Association of Realtors. The Kitchens Group is run by pollster Jim Kitchens and is based in the Orlando, Florida area.
The Kitchens Group bills itself as an outside-the-beltway polling firm that does things differently. Jim Kitchens touts his “Four Pillars of the American Psyche” as a unique perspective into understanding and shaping public opinion. The four pillars (consumerism, fear, religiosity, and narcissism) might seem a bit cynical, but he claims it is very helpful in forming strategic decisions.
Most, if not all, of Kitchens’ political clients appear to be Democrats, including former NC House candidate Chris Mintz. He has also done a lot of work for environmental conservation groups around the country including the Land for Tomorrow Coalition in North Carolina.
Other clients include over 40 US Congressmen, Lowe’s, and Walt Disney World.
The Kitchens Group bills itself as an outside-the-beltway polling firm that does things differently. Jim Kitchens touts his “Four Pillars of the American Psyche” as a unique perspective into understanding and shaping public opinion. The four pillars (consumerism, fear, religiosity, and narcissism) might seem a bit cynical, but he claims it is very helpful in forming strategic decisions.
Most, if not all, of Kitchens’ political clients appear to be Democrats, including former NC House candidate Chris Mintz. He has also done a lot of work for environmental conservation groups around the country including the Land for Tomorrow Coalition in North Carolina.
Other clients include over 40 US Congressmen, Lowe’s, and Walt Disney World.
PMRA: The Trailer Shop renews as sponsor
The Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to announce that The Trailer Shop has renewed as a sponsor for the “Long Tow Award” at all PMRA Special Events in 2007.
“We are always looking for a way to reward our customers for supporting the Trailer Shop,” said Carl Spiering of the Trailer Shop. “Some of the PMRA teams are hauling a long distance to attend the events. The Trailer Shop will reward the team that tows the farthest with a cash bonus. It’s a great way for The Trailer Shop and the PMRA to show their appreciation and to promote our company.”
With nearly 15 years in the business of selling, leasing, and using these top quality enclosed trailers, the Trailer Shop’s knowledgeable staff is fully qualified to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information available to guide you through your trailer selection.
“The Trailer Shops award really helps the teams that are traveling a long distance to our races,” stated Bruce F. Mehlenbacher, Director of Operations for the PMRA. “We have teams from Ontario and New York and we hope to have new ones from Pennsylvania and Michigan this season. This Trailer Shop Award should help make the trip more affordable for their customers.”
The Trailer Shop, http://www.thetrailershop.net/, located in Jordan Station, Ontario, is an authorized dealer for industry leading ATC Aluminum Trailer Company, Pace American and Renegade Coach and Trailers. Their hands-on experience and expertise will insure that when you buy or lease a trailer from The Trailer Shop, it will be best suited for your specific needs.
PMRA: Sinke back with PMRA for 2007
CAYUGA, ONTARIO (May 12, 2007) – Pro Modified veteran Larry Sinke of Welland, ON, will be competing in the upcoming Pro Modified Racing Association Series, which takes place at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario May 19 and 20.
“We’re glad to see Larry back with the PMRA,” said Series Director Bruce F. Mehlenbacher. “He’s seasoned veteran, a good runner, and he’s always a crowd-pleaser.”
The Hammer Racing 1967 Chevy Nova SS Pro Modified owned and driven by Sinke is powered by a 526-cubic inch supercharged Hemi engine. Sinke, who started racing about 10 years ago, competed in the inaugural PMRA season, winning the Skyview Drags event in New York State.
Sinke joins a group of strong competitors for the TMP event, including several new teams. Sam Andreacchi, Gary Irving, Ike Maier, Gary Mater, and Scotty Wildgust will all start their PMRA career on the Kohler Road quarter-mile strip this coming weekend, along with established PMRA teams including, Bruce Boland, Jerry Bowles, Terry Brown, Dave Earhart, Rob Laperriere, Joe Lilienthal, Mark Mitchell, and 2006 Champions Kasey Janzen and Joe Boniferro.
“Between the teams that have been with us over the past years, and an influx of new competitors, the new PMRA season should be a banner year,” Mehlenbacher added.
Qualifying for the Victoria Day Weekend PMRA Challenge will begin Saturday, May 19, with sessions at 4:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.., and 8:00 p.m. Eliminations are scheduled to begin Sunday, May 20 at 1:00 p.m.
Click on the link above to see the full release.
$100 million and the price of drug discovery
Can biotechs build businesses around discovery research?
It's a subject IN VIVO tackled last November, in Roger Longman's article "The $100 Million IND." While the answer is, of course, that it depends--on a variety of factors--the $100 million benchmark has gained both credibility (among biotechs) and perhaps not a little notoriety (at their pharma counterparts).
Over the weekend the NJ's Star Ledger took a look at biotech's 9-figure ambition, and noted the upward progress of the price of discovery: essentially, you've come a long way, baby.
It's a subject IN VIVO tackled last November, in Roger Longman's article "The $100 Million IND." While the answer is, of course, that it depends--on a variety of factors--the $100 million benchmark has gained both credibility (among biotechs) and perhaps not a little notoriety (at their pharma counterparts).
Over the weekend the NJ's Star Ledger took a look at biotech's 9-figure ambition, and noted the upward progress of the price of discovery: essentially, you've come a long way, baby.
(We certainly did not.)
It should be noted that the $100 million figure is extrapolated from Infinity Pharmaceuticals' cost-based analysis of drug discovery, a method Infinity's Jeff Tong talked at length about at our recent Pharmaceutical Strategic Outlook meeting in New York.
The upshot is this: top tier IND-stage biotech assets are fetching the kinds of prices that should allow those biotechs that are very good at discovery research--Infinity and its ilk--to build profitable businesses without resorting to highly dilutive equity fundraising or attempting to move downstream into later-stage development and commercialization -- seen by most investors and management teams as a requirement for any successful biotech and a high costly aspect of dealmaking for the pharmas whose infrastructure the biotechs feel forced to duplicate.
Indeed, in an article in the upcoming IN VIVO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals CEO John Maraganore argues that biotechs could be willing to give up their ambitions for development and commercial infrastructure in return for a bigger chunk of royalties -- say 20%.
Whether the reason for these increased valuations is an increased recognition of INDs' worth, desperation at Big Pharma exploited by savvy biotechs, or a simple case of supply and demand doesn't really matter. It seems the $100 million IND is here to stay.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
SOS: Rick Wilson wins opener, at Brighton
The “Joyceville Jet” Scores At Brighton Speedway Southern Ontario Sprints Opener
BRIGHTON, ON – A capacity crowd greeted the return of the Southern Ontario Sprints to Brighton Speedway Saturday night as the tour opened it’s 2007 season.
Hometown favourite Rick Wilson had them on their feet as he collected his first victory of 2007. “At the start of the race my motor was skipping real bad” stated Wilson in post the post race interview. “When we finally got some heat in the motor, the car was really going good. It is good to see so many people in the stands for the sprint races here and tonight the track was just awesome” concluded Wilson.
Pole sitter Craig Downie grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag from Brad Malloy as the duo set a torrid pace. Downie continued to show the way to the rest of the field while Malloy gave chase through the early stages of the twenty lap event.
The first of two cautions waved on lap seven to clear the disabled machine of Bob Crawford who was sitting in a dangerous spot in the infield grass after dropping out of the race at the end of lap three with front end damage. Warren Mahoney also retired during the caution period with mechanical woes.
On the restart, Downie continued to dominate as Kevin Job slipped by Malloy into second. Glenn Styres, Rick Wilson, and Kyle Wilson were engaged in a battle as they closed in on Malloy. By the half way point, Downie appeared to be in control as Job had settled into second. Rick Wilson, Styres and Kyle Wilson had all cleared the Malloy machine with the 5M running in sixth.
Kyle Patrick, Adam West, Keith Dempster, and Jamie Collard rounded out the top ten.
Rick Wilson slipped by Job into the runner up spot by lap fourteen as Styres faded to fifth behind Kyle Wilson. The second and final caution waved on lap sixteen when Brad Malloy collected a spinning Mike Ferrell in turn four.
Ferrell continued as the Malloy mount came to rest with front end damage. Rob Middlemiss and Daryl Turford also stopped on the speedway during this caution but were able to restart.
When the green flag waved for the final time, Downie got a good jump with Rick Wilson in pursuit. Downie held on to lead lap seventeen but Wilson caught Downie on the exit of turn two and blasted into the lead as the pair entered turn three. At the checkers it was Rick Wilson followed by Downie, Kyle Wilson, Styres, Job, Kyle Patrick, West, Collard, Dempster, and John Watson making up the top ten.
John Burbridge, Dick Mahoney, Rob Middlemiss, Daryl Turford, and April Wilson finished eleventh through fifteenth while Derek Jonathan, Mark Swain, James Whittaker, and Mike Ferrell completed the running order. Rookie Bill Baldwin failed to get the car started for the feature while Joe Middlemiss did not answer the call with engine problems.
Heat races were won by Craig Downie, Brad Malloy, and Kevin Job.
Next up on May 18th the series will make the first of four appearances to
Ohsweken Speedway Friday night. Racing activities are set to go at 7:45 PM
with Pit gates opening at 5:30 PM.
Be sure to come out to a speedway near you as the series continues on it’s
2007 tour and for all of the latest news and information on the Southern
Ontario Sprints be sure to log on to the official website at HYPERLINK
"http://www.southernontariosprints.com" www.southernontariosprints.com .
For Immediate Release: (Ken Pelkie for SOS)
BRIGHTON, ON – A capacity crowd greeted the return of the Southern Ontario Sprints to Brighton Speedway Saturday night as the tour opened it’s 2007 season.
Hometown favourite Rick Wilson had them on their feet as he collected his first victory of 2007. “At the start of the race my motor was skipping real bad” stated Wilson in post the post race interview. “When we finally got some heat in the motor, the car was really going good. It is good to see so many people in the stands for the sprint races here and tonight the track was just awesome” concluded Wilson.
Pole sitter Craig Downie grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag from Brad Malloy as the duo set a torrid pace. Downie continued to show the way to the rest of the field while Malloy gave chase through the early stages of the twenty lap event.
The first of two cautions waved on lap seven to clear the disabled machine of Bob Crawford who was sitting in a dangerous spot in the infield grass after dropping out of the race at the end of lap three with front end damage. Warren Mahoney also retired during the caution period with mechanical woes.
On the restart, Downie continued to dominate as Kevin Job slipped by Malloy into second. Glenn Styres, Rick Wilson, and Kyle Wilson were engaged in a battle as they closed in on Malloy. By the half way point, Downie appeared to be in control as Job had settled into second. Rick Wilson, Styres and Kyle Wilson had all cleared the Malloy machine with the 5M running in sixth.
Kyle Patrick, Adam West, Keith Dempster, and Jamie Collard rounded out the top ten.
Rick Wilson slipped by Job into the runner up spot by lap fourteen as Styres faded to fifth behind Kyle Wilson. The second and final caution waved on lap sixteen when Brad Malloy collected a spinning Mike Ferrell in turn four.
Ferrell continued as the Malloy mount came to rest with front end damage. Rob Middlemiss and Daryl Turford also stopped on the speedway during this caution but were able to restart.
When the green flag waved for the final time, Downie got a good jump with Rick Wilson in pursuit. Downie held on to lead lap seventeen but Wilson caught Downie on the exit of turn two and blasted into the lead as the pair entered turn three. At the checkers it was Rick Wilson followed by Downie, Kyle Wilson, Styres, Job, Kyle Patrick, West, Collard, Dempster, and John Watson making up the top ten.
John Burbridge, Dick Mahoney, Rob Middlemiss, Daryl Turford, and April Wilson finished eleventh through fifteenth while Derek Jonathan, Mark Swain, James Whittaker, and Mike Ferrell completed the running order. Rookie Bill Baldwin failed to get the car started for the feature while Joe Middlemiss did not answer the call with engine problems.
Heat races were won by Craig Downie, Brad Malloy, and Kevin Job.
Next up on May 18th the series will make the first of four appearances to
Ohsweken Speedway Friday night. Racing activities are set to go at 7:45 PM
with Pit gates opening at 5:30 PM.
Be sure to come out to a speedway near you as the series continues on it’s
2007 tour and for all of the latest news and information on the Southern
Ontario Sprints be sure to log on to the official website at HYPERLINK
"http://www.southernontariosprints.com" www.southernontariosprints.com .
For Immediate Release: (Ken Pelkie for SOS)
Friday, May 11, 2007
BIO Security
The BIO annual meeting never ceases to amaze. This year in Boston, the conference drew over 20,000 people. The exhibit hall had the feel of a World Cup soccer event and was as creative as ever with espresso bars and great beers from all over, and Biogen Idec put together a great booklet of places to see and be seen if you decided to leave Shangri La and take a tour of the city.I found the meeting sessions to be particularly strong in the content department, something I hadn't felt the last time I went in Philadelphia. The policy and regulatory tracks were what I stuck to, and I found myself rarely bored. By the way, Nicolas Rossignol, who heads up the European Commission's division on pharmaceutical legislation, is a rising star. I thought that when I saw him testify before the Senate HELP Committee a few months back, and that perception was reinforced during the follow-on biologics session at the conference. So, all in all, BIO and the conference team deserve a round of applause for putting on such a large and high-level event.
But what was up with the security? My decision to go to the meeting was last minute so I had to register on site. Bad choice by me. No badge, no soup. I was told to go to a side door, take an elevator down to "level zero" and then, "you'll see signs" the guard told me. As an aside, I would love to see the crime rates for the last week in Boston because all of the cops, special forces and snipers were at the convention center. I followed the guard's directions to the letter, but the "you'll see signs" part of it was a lot longer than I expected. You have to travel the entire outside perimeter of the convention center, which looks like the type of place you would get offed in the Sopranos , to get to the registration site. The badges have barcodes and you are scanned into each and every session by people guarding the doors. When did we get to this point? Where's the trust people? The head of FDA's biologics center Jesse Goodman complained that it took him 45 minutes to get into the building and they weren't going to let him in at one point.
Did anyone else have the same feelings as me on the tight security? I would love to hear some anecdotes. I know a few people missed their one-on-ones because of it.
One last note: in San Diego next year, can we please have more coffee stations separate from the exhibit hall? I went through serious withdrawal at one point and didn't have time to make it down to "level zero." Just a thought.
Favorite Son John Edwards
A few people have mentioned to me that they are surprised that John Edwards is leading the Democratic Primary race in North Carolina. Despite him being from North Carolina, they think he is down enough in national polls and has exhausted enough good will in the state that he should be trailing Hillary Clinton and/or Barack Obama.
I think that among Democrats Edwards has plenty of good will left in the state. From my point of view he has continually increased his standing in North Carolina since he announced he was running for President in 2003. Many Democrats I knew were skeptical of him then, but by the time of the 2004 Iowa Caucuses, they had gotten on the bandwagon.
At least Edwards is doing better in his home state than Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd. According to a Quinnipiac University Poll, Dodd is in fifth place in Connecticut with only 6% support. Ahead of him are Clinton, Obama, Edwards and Al Gore.
Compared to Dodd, Edwards’ North Carolina support looks robust.
I think that among Democrats Edwards has plenty of good will left in the state. From my point of view he has continually increased his standing in North Carolina since he announced he was running for President in 2003. Many Democrats I knew were skeptical of him then, but by the time of the 2004 Iowa Caucuses, they had gotten on the bandwagon.
At least Edwards is doing better in his home state than Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd. According to a Quinnipiac University Poll, Dodd is in fifth place in Connecticut with only 6% support. Ahead of him are Clinton, Obama, Edwards and Al Gore.
Compared to Dodd, Edwards’ North Carolina support looks robust.
Provenge, the Pazdur effect, and looking for a silver lining
Dendreon’s "approvable" letter for its cutting-edge prostate cancer vaccine Provenge this week asks for—among other things like further manufacturing specs—more clinical data, a request that sliced over 60% from the biotech’s market cap. (For more on Provenge’s rollercoaster background, see here and here.)But why were Dendreon shares priced so high to begin with? An FDA advisory committee shocker in March, where FDA’s advisors voted 13-4 in favor of approving the vaccine. Indeed Provenge’s prospects for a positive ruling from the FDA panel looked slim going into that meeting: two Phase III studies supporting the application missed the primary endpoint target of time to progression as well as failing to meet secondary endpoints of clinical and pain progression and treatment failure.
And that’s not a good thing when you’re trying to prove you’ve got an effective product.
What won over the committee? Two things: First, an analysis of data from a subset of patients in one of the Phase III trials demonstrated a statistically significant increase in time to progression. Second, and perhaps as importantly, the review of the therapeutic vaccine falls under the purview of the agency’s Center for Biologic Evaluation & Research—not the Center for Drug Evaluation & Research’s Office of Oncology.
Provenge therefore avoided CDER’s Oncology Drugs Advisory Committee, which is now considered to be a stricter committee to go through because of the tone set by oncology director Richard Pazdur, MD.
One scenario that did not bode well for Provenge is the involvement of Pazdur himself in the review. When cancer drug reviews were organized under a newly created Office of Oncology in 2004, biologics and chemo-preventative drugs fell under the CDER office, while vaccines remained under the CBER umbrella. But Pazdur still has a hand in cancer vaccine reviews; for example, he consulted on the approval of Merck’s human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil and has helped evaluate GSK’s competing HPV vaccine Cervarix.
Whether Pazdur is personally involved or not, FDA officials often say that they pay just as much attention to minority opinions as those in the majority when it comes to advisory committees. And the minority "no" opinions for Provenge were particularly unwavering.
It’s tough to say where Dendreon goes from here. Recovery from an FDA rejection can be agonizingly slow (see, for example, Xoma). Dendreon can at the very least hang its hat on the positive panel review as evidence of advocacy by a key body in the regulatory process. And the market potential for cancer vaccines—analysts expect it could grow to $6 billon by 2010--could dull the market effect of a negative FDA decision as investors hold firm with an eye toward the long-term possibilities.
Sanofi-Aventis’ recent acquisition of OxfordBiomedica’s renal cancer vaccine Trovax for approximately $700 million is hard evidence of interest in the field. That sustained interest could be Dendreon’s saving grace.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
NCATS: BOURQUE & WHITLOCK TEAM UP AGAIN IN 2007
WYOMING, ON – Dave Whitlock is pleased to announce today that Pierre Bourque will again field a Whitlock prepared Dodge Charge only this year it will be in the new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
Bourque campaigned under the Whitlock banner in 2006 in three events, the Edmonton Grand Prix, Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres and the Grand Prix of Montreal where he posted finishes of 25th, 12th and 12th respectfully.
"We are excited to have Pierre back again this year for three events and we hope to see him post top ten finishes in all of them," said team owner Dave Whitlock. "Pierre worked hard last year and continued to improve and almost got his first top ten in Montreal except for a last lap spin which saw him lose a few positions to finish 12th."
"I'm absolutely thrilled to be back racing with Whitlock Motorsports, this year in the NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE Series," said Bourque. "Whitlock not only runs one of the two or three top teams on the circuit, but he is a fierce on-track competitor in his own right. Add to that his infectious enthusiasm for the sport and it boils down to a huge value-add package for me in 2007."
Bourque will drive the #29 DRIVING.CA Dodge Charger in three events in 2007. Event number two on the schedule, the Mosport Road Course, the Grand Prix of Edmonton and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Pierre will also get some additional seat time in a Whitlock oval car this weekend when the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series teams take to the track for a pre-season test session at Cayuga Speedway.
"It's going to be a busy season. It started with my 12th place in the ROLEX CUP Daytona 24hrs race back in January," stated Bourque. "I'll also be racing in the NASCAR BUSCH and BUSCH EAST series through the summer."
"I am confident the DRIVING.CA CANADA.COM WORKING.COM DOSE.CA #29 Dodge Charger will be a contender in Canada right out of the box, backed by the keen efforts of all Whitlock crew members. I'm really looking forward to seeing them all again, it's going to be an awful lot of fun."
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will debut in the spring of 2007. The new series will bring together some of Canada’s best stock car drivers and teams anchored by the marketing, promotional and motor sports resources of Canada’s leading retailer, media company, and motorsports property, NASCAR, Canadian Tire and TSN. For more information please visit www.nascarcanadiantireseries.com
Whitlock Motorsports is a professional racing business located in Wyoming, ON just outside of Sarnia. The 5,000 square foot dedicated motorsports facility houses up to eight race cars, a chassis dyno and all the necessary tools to field a competitive two car race team.
Dave Whitlock boasts three National CASCAR Championships, 1991, 1997 and 1998 along with several top three National Championship finishes, while teammate Mark Dilley has one National CASCAR Championship to his credit in 1994. Both teams have consistently posted finishes in the Top Six in the National Point Standings since Dilley joined the Whitlock team in 1999. www.whitlockmotorsports.com
Prepared by Linda Jones
Third Rock's a Charm
It’s one of the oldest stories out there. Successful management team, a few years removed from running their own successful biopharmaceutical company, decide to get back into the business by raising their own venture fund.
In the past, such an effort might elicit some snickers. But this is likely to be a story with a happy ending. Third Rock Ventures—a venture firm started by four former Millennium Pharmaceutical executives—is out raising $300 million for a first-time venture firm, an effort one institutional investor already has deemed a “hot commodity.”
The team includes former Millennium CEO Mark Levin, who actually is returning to his venture capital roots. Levin was a partner at Mayfield when he started Millennium and left in 1994 to run the company.
Levin joins Robert Tepper, Millennium’s former head of research and development at Millennium, Kevin Starr, Millennium’s former CFO, and Nick Leschly, who had been the project leader for Velcade. (Nick is the third Leschly to become a VC, joining father, Jan of Care Capital, and brother, Mark, who is with Rho Capital.)
No details yet on the strategy, but some expect Third Rock to look at early-stage, product-focused companies. "True venture capital," in the words of one IN VIVO Blog source.
In the past, such an effort might elicit some snickers. But this is likely to be a story with a happy ending. Third Rock Ventures—a venture firm started by four former Millennium Pharmaceutical executives—is out raising $300 million for a first-time venture firm, an effort one institutional investor already has deemed a “hot commodity.”
The team includes former Millennium CEO Mark Levin, who actually is returning to his venture capital roots. Levin was a partner at Mayfield when he started Millennium and left in 1994 to run the company.
Levin joins Robert Tepper, Millennium’s former head of research and development at Millennium, Kevin Starr, Millennium’s former CFO, and Nick Leschly, who had been the project leader for Velcade. (Nick is the third Leschly to become a VC, joining father, Jan of Care Capital, and brother, Mark, who is with Rho Capital.)
No details yet on the strategy, but some expect Third Rock to look at early-stage, product-focused companies. "True venture capital," in the words of one IN VIVO Blog source.
Ouch. The Pain of Pain
The wheels grind slowly but they sure do grind.After four years of legal wrangling, this morning, Purdue Pharma--one of the biggest private drug companies in the US--and three top executives pled guilty in Virginia court to mishandling the pre-2001 promotion of Oxycontin, the company's blockbuster pain drug. The punishment: $600 million.
Purdue can afford the settlement; it won't lay off anyone, apparently. Except its own top management--the company's president Michael Friedman, one of the executives pleading guilty--is getting the boot and, according to the New York Times, an $18 million fine; likely to follow is chief legal officer Howard Udell, who also pleaded guilty (and, says the Times, is on the hook for $9 million). The final misdemean-er--former research head Paul Goldenheim--left Purdue in 2004 for Transform Pharmaceuticals, which was sold soon after. He'll owe $7.5 million.
The settlement is bad news--potentially really bad news--for other companies in the pain space, in particular Cephalon and Endo. Both of these public companies are being investigated for over-aggressive promotion. If those two companies end up with a settlement anything like Purdue's--and federal and state attorneys are likely to feel pretty good about their chances, given the success of the Virginia US attorney--the picture won't be pretty.
Purdue itself, leaderless now, will drift. The company's hired Russell Reynolds to do a CEO search, but no one's looking forward to that one. Friedman, the first non-Sackler to run Purdue, had spent 20 years building up the trust of the family, hardly an easy group to work for. Indeed, talk about an insider board: Purdue's has members: the 90-plus year old founding brothers, Mortimer and Raymond Sackler; their wives; and the founders' four adult children.
They could bring in an internal candidate--like Ed Mahony, the current CFO, a savvy finance guy who's managed to keep enough cash to pay the fines. Or they could bring on someone from one of the international affiliates. Possibles: John Stewart, a long-time employee who manages the Canadian, New Zealand and Australian businesses, or--less likely given his shorter tenure--Ake Wikstrom, the GM of Munidpharma in Europe.
They could bring in an internal candidate--like Ed Mahony, the current CFO, a savvy finance guy who's managed to keep enough cash to pay the fines. Or they could bring on someone from one of the international affiliates. Possibles: John Stewart, a long-time employee who manages the Canadian, New Zealand and Australian businesses, or--less likely given his shorter tenure--Ake Wikstrom, the GM of Munidpharma in Europe.
But no Sackler is likely to step in and settle all this hash. None of the 2nd generation Sacklers have ever managed the company. When times were good, the family rejected many offers to buy the business, or take it public. Now that times are really bad--and now that the family doesn't have a CEO they can depend on--they may just decide enough is enough.
In fact, the whole scandal could really be laid at the doors to the family's often empty offices at Purdue's headquarters: though they approve decisions, they let others watch what is a deceptively simple business. In selling addictive pain drugs, there are lots of complex details to follow. For too long, Purdue's management didn't recognize them; neither did its board.
That complexity colors the benefits of the whole pain strategy. Purdue, like Cephalon and Endo, are in the pain business because they can minimize R&D risk with high-margin reformulations of old and effective pain drugs. But there's no free lunch: the risk they avoid in development they run in the marketplace selling opiates.
Already, many pharma companies--AstraZeneca and Pfizer being two recent examples-- are being roasted for promotional improprieties. With Purdue's blood in the water, the legal sharks aren't likely to grow any less hungry.
Combining Polls March-May: CORRECTION
Thanks to an astute reader/math geek I've discovered a problem with the combined poll results that I wrote about on Tuesday. The problem only exists in the Democratic Gubernatorial race. In March we were still including Bill Faison in the poll, but I didn't account for that in the combination. That means that all the "undecideds" from March were not included in the Governor's race results.
I have redone the crosstabs, this time using completely unweighted results. Therefore, these crosstabs represent 1925 respondents from March until May.
I have redone the crosstabs, this time using completely unweighted results. Therefore, these crosstabs represent 1925 respondents from March until May.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. announces he's leaving DEI following the current season
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is leaving DEI following the current season.TSN has a story on this news here.
The Google news page is quickly filling up with reports from the annoucement.
I'll put a proper poll together and post it, but I'd like to get your thoughts on whether or not you'd like to see him head to RCR and drive the #3.
Dodge and Mark Dilley set for another season together as Canada’s new NASCAR era is about to commence
Dodge and Mark Dilley set for another season together as Canada’s new NASCAR era is about to commence
Dilley enters his ninth season with Whitlock Motorsports in a new car and series
BARRIE, ON – Last September, Mark Dilley wrote his name into Canadian racing history when he won the last-ever CASCAR Super Series race, at Kawartha Speedway. The driver of the #9 Dodge-sponsored stock car is looking forward to competing in the new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (NCATS) and the opportunity to create a few new records.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for Canadian stock car racing and I’m very proud to announce that we’ll be competing in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series with primary sponsorship from Dodge and several strong associates,” said Dilley. “We’re entering our third year with Dodge and it’s been a great relationship since ‘day one’. We recently signed a multi-year extension with them that will see us working together well into the future. Dodge’s commitment to my team and to Canadian motorsports is second to none.”
Announcing the deal, Pearl Davies (Senior Manager, National Advertising and Direct Marketing for DaimlerChrysler Canada) said, “Mark has been at the forefront of CASCAR racing and represented us well. Now, with the inaugural season of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, we're poised for a bigger season than ever and look forward to great things from Mark and his #9 Dodge.”
The recent off-season was one of major change for Canadian stock car racing; the sale of CASCAR to NASCAR being the biggest news. And while the majority of Mark Dilley’s racing program will be the same heading into the 2007, the Barrie, ON racer will have a new look on the track as he is one of the first drivers who will compete behind the wheel of the brand new Dodge Avenger.
“We’re entering a new series with a new car and we’re hoping to pick up where we left off,” continued Dilley, 38, who will be driving for Whitlock Motorsports for a ninth consecutive season in 2007. “Our goal is to win at Cayuga on May 26 because it would be quite an accomplishment to have won the last-ever CASCAR Super Series race in a Dodge Charger, and the first-ever NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race in the new Dodge Avenger. We played a role in Dodge winning the Manufacturers’ Cup the past two years and we plan on being a front-running MOPAR-powered team again this season.”
Discussing the new NASCAR series and the impact that its introduction will have on the sport, Dilley said, “We’re very happy to be a part of the new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. I see this as a turning point for Canadian stock car racing, one that’s going to be really good for everyone. I’m also excited that our races are going to be on TSN this year; that’s a big step forward in terms of the television package and exposure for the sport.”
Looking ahead to some of the anticipated highlights of the 2007 season, Dilley didn’t hesitate. The recent announcement that Dodge will be the presenting sponsor of the inaugural Busch Series / NCATS event in Montreal, in early August, is definitely on his radar.
“We’re extremely excited to be part of the NASCAR Busch Series race weekend in Montreal. The event is being presented by Dodge. Canadian fans are going to be treated to some incredible stock car racing. Those who saw the stock cars [CASCAR] at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve when we were there last summer got a taste of what to expect. I think it’s going to be huge for our sport.”
In other team news, the #9 Dodge / Mobil1 / Exide / MOPAR / Leland / Wild Wing / CRS Dodge Avenger will have a new pit boss in 2007 as experienced racer Rino Montanari will take over from his brother, Giulio, as crew chief. “We’re grateful to all of our associate partners for their continued support of our racing program,” said Dilley. “I want to welcome Wild Wing restaurants to our group. They’re already very excited about being part of our racing program and we’ll work hard to make the program work for them.”
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is a 12-race series that competes across Canada and features the country’s top racers and teams. The tour kicks off May 26 at Cayuga Speedway.
Prepared by Inside Track Communications // For more information about the #9 Dodge team and its sponsors, visit www.whitlockmotorsports.com. For more on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, including complete race results, reports, point standings, event schedules and upcoming broadcast times for races on TSN, see www.nascar.ca
Inside Track Readers' Choice Award voting is still open
TORONTO, ON – Voting for the fifth annual Inside Track Readers’ Choice Awards is underway. Thousands of Canadian racing fans have already stopped by www.insidetracknews.com to register their ballots for who they feel were Canada’s top racers of 2006. Visitors to the Inside Track website will find a list of nominees for most of the 10 categories, representing various popular forms of racing in Canada.
The categories include Racer of the Year and Up and Coming Racer of the Year awards for Stock Cars, Road Racing and Motorcycles. As well, Inside Track readers will identify Racer of the Year winners for Drag Racing, Rallying and Karting. They will also have an opportunity to vote for the Canadian Racer of the Year Participating at the Highest Levels of International Competition, as well as to select an Overall Canadian Racer of the Year. Finally, voters will be polled as to who they believe is Most Deserving of Induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.
Voting for the “Castrol Presents the Inside Track Readers’ Choice Awards” is being conducted via a controlled balloting procedure. The polls will remain open until midnight on Thursday, May 31, 2007. The results of the readers’ selections will be announced shortly afterward.
NCATS: Zellers Hosts First Trident Racing Appearance
Montréal, (May 08, 2007) – Trident Racing owner-driver, Richard Durivage pulled up his #18 Chevrolet Monte-Carlo in the parking lot of Zellers in Saint-Eustache on Saturday, 6th May, as part of the team’s build up to this season’s 2007 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, formerly known as CASCAR.
Shoppers at Zellers were treated to an up-close and personal look at the car Durivage will compete in as the Montréal racer made his first official appearance of the season in Saint-Eustache. With Trident Racing headquartered up the road at the Saint-Eustache Autodrome, Durivage’s #18 entry didn’t have far to travel as it went on display on Saturday in front of a packed Zellers store.
While customers were treated to the site of a stock car outside the store, as well as Trident Racing’s #68 NASCAR Whelan All-American Cummins Pro Truck Series entry, Durivage was on-hand inside to sign autographs for enthusiastic race fans and curious bystanders. The 38-year-old sophomore racer was delighted to take time out of his preparations for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, set to start 26th May at Cayuga International Speedway, Hamilton, Ontario, to meet and greet Zellers patrons and discuss all things stock car, Zellers also a retailer of NASCAR merchandise in Canada!
“It was a great way to kick off the 2007 season for Trident Racing,” Durivage reflected. “Jean Rivard, the Store Manager at the Saint-Eustache Zellers invited us down on Saturday and we were delighted to make our first public appearance so close to home. It’s always fun when you can introduce people to stock car racing and allow the public to get so close to the car you race with. I had a good time signing autographs and hopefully as a result of this appearance we’ll have some new fans coming along to cheer us on when we race in Montréal and Trois-Rivières later this season!”
The 2007 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series heads to Québec in August starting with Round 6’s place on the support package to the ‘NAPA Auto Parts 200, Presented by Dodge’ hosted at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, 3rd-4th August, the first ever Canadian round of the NASCAR Busch Series. Round 8 sees a return to Québec, 17th-19th August, for the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
TSN will broadcast each round of the 2007 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series starting with Round 1 from Cayuga, airing on Saturday 9th June at 2pm ET.
Photo Credit – ‘Trident Racing’s Richard Durivage outside Zellers in Saint-Eustache’ – Stuart Morrison PR // For further information on Trident Racing please contact Stuart Morrison Public Relations: Tel: +1 514 684 3253
CANADIAN INVASION TO HIT AIRBORNE SPEEDWAY THIS WEEKEND
Donald Theetge (at left) is ready to roll at Airborne A trio of championship-winning stock car drivers from Quebec are expected to challenge the stars of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) at Airborne Speedway’s Furniture World of VT Spring Green 100 on Saturday, May 12.
Defending Serie ACT Castrol Champion Donald Theetge of Boischatel, multi-time ACT Canadian Champion Claude Leclerc of Montreal, and former ADL Super Series Champion Karl Allard of St-Felicien will converge at the 4/10-mile Plattsburgh, NY speedplant for the 33rd running of the historic race.
Theetge’s Auto Frank et Michel/Le Centre Honda team wants to end a string of bad luck at Airborne this weekend.
“We’ve raced at Airborne a lot, and we always run well there,” said Theetge, “but something always seems to go wrong while we’re in the top ten. I think we will have a fast car, and we really want a top ten finish at Airborne.”
Theetge scored his first career ACT Late Model Tour victory at Circuit Ste-Croix in his native Quebec one year ago, and finished 19th at the Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road (VT) last weekend.
Claude Leclerc won the Furniture World of VT Spring Green 100 at Airborne in 1990 Leclerc is looking to rebound from a tough outing at Thunder Road last weekend, but has found success at Airborne in the past. The driver of the Autopro/Les Automobiles JPD Chevrolet won the Furniture World of VT Spring Green at Airborne Speedway in 1990.
“In 30 years of racing, I don’t think I have ever had a race as bad as the one at Thunder Road last weekend,” said Leclerc. “We have changed a lot of the suspension setup on the car this week, and we hope to have a better day. It can only get better, and our car was good at the practice at Airborne last month.”
Car owner Denis Larue of Quebec City says his driver, Allard, is very eager to return to Airborne, a track he has run at very successfully. Allard finished second to fellow countryman Patrick Laperle at Airborne in the fall of 1999, and is looking for his first ACT main event win in the Larue Industrial Snowblowers Chevrolet.
“We were going to practice at Vallee-Jonction this weekend, but Karl asked if we could go to Airborne to race,” said Larue. “The main purpose is to try and prepare our new Dale Shaw chassis for the Serie ACT Castrol race at Montmagny (May 19), but we also want to win. Karl likes Airborne a lot, and our crew chief, Andre Beaudoin, is very good with setups. We expect to perform well.”
Theetge, Leclerc, and Allard will take on recent ACT Late Model Tour winners Randy Potter of Groveton, NH and Scott Payea of Milton, VT, as well as multi-time ACT champions Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, VT and Brian Hoar of Williston, VT. Over 30 cars are expected to attempt qualifying for the 33rd annual Furniture World of VT Spring Green 100 at Airborne Speedway on Saturday, May 12. Practice begins at 1:30pm, with green flag action slated for 4:00pm. For more information, visit http://www.acttour.com/ or call (802) 244-6963.
From ACT Staff
Southern Ontario Sprints set for opener at Brighton Speedway
BRIGHTON, ON – Spring time means the start of the racing season in Ontario. Saturday Night, May 12, the Southern Ontario Sprints will once again invade Brighton Speedway, this time to kick off their 12th season of competition. Many of the veteran stars of the fledging SOS 360 sprint car club are returning with fresh or new equipment, new paint schemes, and renewed enthusiasm to vie for the coveted Championship.
Two time and defending champion Warren Mahoney leads the way with new sponsorship, a new look, and a replenished inventory of parts in tow. Always a threat to win, Warren will be one to watch again as he sets out to defend his title. Along with Warren from the Mahoney camp will be the return of the ageless Dick Mahoney in the purple seventy-nine. The Mahoney’s are well known within the club as the “go to” people if fellow competitors need something to keep their machines on the track and competitive.
Ohsweken Speedway owner Glenn Styres is also set to return with fresh equipment and an eye on the title. Joining Styres Racing this year will be a second entry driven by veteran Keith Dempster. Dempster came to the Styres camp early in the year after the sudden death of car owner Dave MacLeod and will be certain to be a contender for the crown in his Eagle Chassis.
Returning for 2007 from the west end of the province will be John Watson, John Riegling, and Adam West. Daryl Turford, Andrew Reaume, Jeff Daniels, and veteran Garry Evans will also see regular action with the club. The central region will see Bob Crawford return for yet another season. He will be joined by Craig Downie, Jamie Collard, Kevin Job, James Whittaker, and Bob McDonald in the Ray Ballentyne machine. The east end of the province will once again be represented by the Wilson family. Once again joining father Rick will be son Kyle, and daughter April.
The Niagara region will again be represented by veterans Fred Cade and Tom Huppunen. Brad Malloy and the Middlemiss brothers Robert and Joe along with John Burbridge are also expected to see regular competition.
From New York State will be the return of Jim Porter to his own machine. Also returning will be Mark Christiano while Tim Phillips will step out of the drivers seat for 2007 to take up “tech inspector” duties with the club.
The rookie crop expected for 2007 include London’s Mike Ferrrell who is graduating from the micro sprint ranks, Mark Swain from Port Perry in the former Gary Evans machine who has some road racing background, and first time racer Bill Baldwin from Coutrice, Ontario.
Following the season opener at Brighton Speedway, Ohsweken Speedway opens it’s gates to the club on Friday night, May 18th at the Styres family owned fast 3/8 mile clay oval.
With opening day now only hours away, teams both old and new are preparing for what is shaping up to be the most competitive season yet. Make plans now so you won’t miss any of the action as the “Winged Warriors with an Attitude” travel to a speedway near you.
For all the latest information be sure to check the official website of the Southern Ontario Sprints at http://www.southernontariosprints.com/ as preparation continues toward the green flag on the 2007 racing season.
For Immediate Release - Ken Pelkie, SOS Media Officer
Europe's Best-Kept Biotech Secret?
European investors pining for a biotech champion used to muse about the lack of a Genentech- or Amgen-equivalent on the Continent. (Despite Amgen's recent woes--of which you can read a detailed analysis in May's IN VIVO--a few probably still wish for one.)But maybe some are overlooking what’s in their own back-yard. Shares in Denmark’s Novo-Nordisk have almost doubled in the last two years as the firm has quietly pushed to number one in the insulin market, beating big guys Eli Lilly and Sanofi-Aventis.
With sales of €5 billion ($10 billion) last year, and a market cap just short of $40 billion, Novo’s only half an Amgen. But its challenges aren’t half as big, either.
For one thing, Novo doesn't face a Mircera-equivalent competitive challenge to its insulin portfolio. Nor does it face safety issues--in part since insulin isn't widely used in indications outside diabetes. Insulin's also less expensive than many other protein drugs, so, although on payors' hit lists for bio-genericization, it faces not quite the same reimbursement risk as EPO. (That's probably why insulin is almost completely absent from European biosimilar firms' pipelines.)
Although patents on basic recombinant insulin are long gone (while Amgen still holds on to EPO and sons), engineered analogs have a while to run. And anyway, new entrants still struggle, it seems, even Pfizer-sized ones.
More importantly, the glucose-control pathway offers a related protein, GLP-1, for Novo to take mastery of. Glucagon-like peptide is a hormone that enhances insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent way. Shame for Novo that Lilly and Amylin are already there, selling first-in-class Byetta and doing fine, thank you.
Still, Novo's CSO Mads Thomsen told the IN VIVO Blog they can do better with likely second-to-market GLP-1 analog liraglutide; in terms of administration, dosing and side-effects. Meantime Novo is hedging its bets in the growth hormone space, in hemostasis management, and with newer efforts in inflammation and cancer.
But unlike Amgen, whose pipeline betrays a future with many more small molecules, and in many more therapeutic areas, Novo is sticking to its core capabilities—protein engineering. That’s why it yanked its oral anti-diabetic efforts in January (too competitive, too genericized, and what can follow Merck's Januvia anyway?).
Novo needs liraglutide to work as well as says it does. But if liraglutide does come good--we could know early in the second half of this year when the first batch of Phase III data is due--Novo may yet be likened to Europe’s Amgen. Albeit, perhaps, the Amgen of last year, not this year.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Bill Elliott to race at Riverside Speedway (Antigonish, NS) on July 21
From the Halifax Daily News
The one-third mile oval in James River, Antigonish Co., was awarded a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Tour race last month, and announced yesterday that former NASCAR Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) champion Bill Elliott will compete in the Riverside 250, a Pro All Star Series North race July 21. Elliott will drive a car out of the Antigonish shop of Donald Chisholm.
... continued at the link above.
The one-third mile oval in James River, Antigonish Co., was awarded a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Tour race last month, and announced yesterday that former NASCAR Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) champion Bill Elliott will compete in the Riverside 250, a Pro All Star Series North race July 21. Elliott will drive a car out of the Antigonish shop of Donald Chisholm.
... continued at the link above.
Dale Jr. set to jump ship from DEI?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has called a news conference for Thursday morning.
Speculation is that he's leaving DEI to drive for his own team, and that he's taking Martin Truex with him. No word on whether or not Budweiser is set to follow Junior out the door, but it would hardly be a surprise. The rest of the rumour is that he'll have Hendrick powerplants.
If it plays out this way, Teresa Earnhardt is officially the worst poker player in the world.
Ohsweken Speedway WORLD of OUTLAW ADVANCED TICKETS Sales Update
Courtesy Ohsweken Speedway
ADVANCED TICKET SALES for the July 25th “Six Nations Showdown” at Ohsweken Speedway presented by ARROW EXPRESS featuring the World of Outlaw Sprints continue at a brisk pace. Ticket requests have been taken daily by phone only (519-542-2116), Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and will continue until July 10th. Credit card payment in full is required at the time of purchase. Tickets are then mailed directly to your home. Adult price is $40 with children 12 and under at $25.
“Tickets have been selling at such a rate that the entire existing stands are already sold out” stated an excited promoter Glenn Styres. “We had hoped that the fans would support this event and purchase advanced tickets so we could justify any needs for additional seating but this is beyond expectation. We have already contracted to install an additional 1,288 seats at each end of the existing stands on the front stretch. This will almost triple what we started with and we can install more if the demand is there” Styres went on. “We hope that as many people that want tickets will buy in advance to help us make sure that ample seating is available on race day and to also help get people into the track when the gates open” Styres continued.
“We will make every effort to ensure that all who want to come to this event will have a place to sit at race time. I just hope that people remain patient and continue to call”.
The much anticipated event will include all of the stars and cars of the premier Sprint Car series headquartered in the United States featuring Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski. The Wednesday, July 25th show is a full point race for the series with racing scheduled to get underway with the usual 7:45 PM start. The winner will collect a cool $10,000. Pit Gates will open at 2:00 PM with spectator gates opening at 4:00. An autograph session is scheduled to begin at 4:30. Mini Stocks will also be on the program in a support role.
Be sure to keep up on all the latest news from Ohsweken Speedway by logging on to the official website at www.ohswekenspeedway.com as the countdown continues toward the first green flag of the season for “Friday Night Thunder” on May 11th when a “Test & Tune” session will be held for all divisions competing at the speedway during 2007. Then opening night, May 18th the “Southern Ontario Sprints” make their first appearance of the season along with a regular program of DIRT Sportsman, Thunder Stocks and Mini Stocks.
ADVANCED TICKET SALES for the July 25th “Six Nations Showdown” at Ohsweken Speedway presented by ARROW EXPRESS featuring the World of Outlaw Sprints continue at a brisk pace. Ticket requests have been taken daily by phone only (519-542-2116), Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and will continue until July 10th. Credit card payment in full is required at the time of purchase. Tickets are then mailed directly to your home. Adult price is $40 with children 12 and under at $25.
“Tickets have been selling at such a rate that the entire existing stands are already sold out” stated an excited promoter Glenn Styres. “We had hoped that the fans would support this event and purchase advanced tickets so we could justify any needs for additional seating but this is beyond expectation. We have already contracted to install an additional 1,288 seats at each end of the existing stands on the front stretch. This will almost triple what we started with and we can install more if the demand is there” Styres went on. “We hope that as many people that want tickets will buy in advance to help us make sure that ample seating is available on race day and to also help get people into the track when the gates open” Styres continued.
“We will make every effort to ensure that all who want to come to this event will have a place to sit at race time. I just hope that people remain patient and continue to call”.
The much anticipated event will include all of the stars and cars of the premier Sprint Car series headquartered in the United States featuring Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski. The Wednesday, July 25th show is a full point race for the series with racing scheduled to get underway with the usual 7:45 PM start. The winner will collect a cool $10,000. Pit Gates will open at 2:00 PM with spectator gates opening at 4:00. An autograph session is scheduled to begin at 4:30. Mini Stocks will also be on the program in a support role.
Be sure to keep up on all the latest news from Ohsweken Speedway by logging on to the official website at www.ohswekenspeedway.com as the countdown continues toward the first green flag of the season for “Friday Night Thunder” on May 11th when a “Test & Tune” session will be held for all divisions competing at the speedway during 2007. Then opening night, May 18th the “Southern Ontario Sprints” make their first appearance of the season along with a regular program of DIRT Sportsman, Thunder Stocks and Mini Stocks.
Link to May Pit Pass
The Sportscar Club of British Columbia's monthly online magazine is available.
visit http://www.sccbc.net/pitpass/2007/May07pp.pdf
Hope you enjoy the May issue.
Peter, SCCBC
visit http://www.sccbc.net/pitpass/2007/May07pp.pdf
Hope you enjoy the May issue.
Peter, SCCBC
Team Royal – CSRA Race Team of the Year
Courtesy Mark Fries
At the annual CSRA Awards banquet this year, Team Royal Distributing was awarded 2007 Race Team of the Year, showing excellence, professionalism and performance on and off the track. The team consistently performed on the track, with #98 Polaris Pro Rider Mike Island nailing down 3rd place in both Pro Open Mod and Pro Stock national standings.Each week Mike had consistent rides, and battled for podiums all year long, securing a Pro Open Mod win as well.
Pro Ski-Doo Rider #202 Joey Sagan battled late season injuries but throughout the season his strong finishes still kept him close at 5th place in Pro Open Mod, and 6th place in Pro Stock. Surely, had Joey’s season not ended prematurely he would have been nipping at the top three in points in his first Pro season. Joey’s high flying style is always a crowd pleaser.
Polaris Sport Rider #115x David Joanis had a stellar first season in Sport after graduating from the junior ranks. David won three championships; in Sport 500 , Sport 600, and Sport Open aboard his Polaris IQ sleds. Each and every week Dave knocked off win after win in an amazing display, having only turned 15 during the season.
Royal Distributing would like to thank all the members of the team for everyone’s hard work and professionalism all season long. The sleds and rides that both trailers turned in each and every week were second to none, and the teams, managed by Doug Sagan (Ski-Doo),and Gerry Bourque (Polaris) were always the best prepared they could be. Thanks also to everyone who helped with the sleds all season long, Tim George and Ryan Ellery did an amazing job of tuning the Polaris’ and the SkiDoo’s each and every week.
Thanks to Factory Recreation in Midland, ON for the ability to turn out race-winning Ski-Doo Rev’s once again, and thanks to Bourque Polaris in Cochrane, ON for producing equally competitive Polaris IQ race machines.
Thanks to team Sponsors : Polaris, Ski-doo, FXR clothing, Oakley eyewear, Dewalt tools, Ipone Oils, HMK Boots, Stud Boy Traction, Wiseco, Tekvest, Kimpex Parts, Ogio, and Dayco Belts.
Royal Distributing would also like to congratulate supported #73 Ski-Doo rider Lee Butler on a great season, riding as a privateer. Lee battled injury problems, but still managed to run competitively and toward the end of the season, he showed the speed to win. Lee swept the Kitchener races with victories in both Pro Open and Pro Stock. Lee always represented Royal Distributing wonderfully and we were proud to support him this season.
At the annual CSRA Awards banquet this year, Team Royal Distributing was awarded 2007 Race Team of the Year, showing excellence, professionalism and performance on and off the track. The team consistently performed on the track, with #98 Polaris Pro Rider Mike Island nailing down 3rd place in both Pro Open Mod and Pro Stock national standings.Each week Mike had consistent rides, and battled for podiums all year long, securing a Pro Open Mod win as well.
Pro Ski-Doo Rider #202 Joey Sagan battled late season injuries but throughout the season his strong finishes still kept him close at 5th place in Pro Open Mod, and 6th place in Pro Stock. Surely, had Joey’s season not ended prematurely he would have been nipping at the top three in points in his first Pro season. Joey’s high flying style is always a crowd pleaser.
Polaris Sport Rider #115x David Joanis had a stellar first season in Sport after graduating from the junior ranks. David won three championships; in Sport 500 , Sport 600, and Sport Open aboard his Polaris IQ sleds. Each and every week Dave knocked off win after win in an amazing display, having only turned 15 during the season.
Royal Distributing would like to thank all the members of the team for everyone’s hard work and professionalism all season long. The sleds and rides that both trailers turned in each and every week were second to none, and the teams, managed by Doug Sagan (Ski-Doo),and Gerry Bourque (Polaris) were always the best prepared they could be. Thanks also to everyone who helped with the sleds all season long, Tim George and Ryan Ellery did an amazing job of tuning the Polaris’ and the SkiDoo’s each and every week.
Thanks to Factory Recreation in Midland, ON for the ability to turn out race-winning Ski-Doo Rev’s once again, and thanks to Bourque Polaris in Cochrane, ON for producing equally competitive Polaris IQ race machines.
Thanks to team Sponsors : Polaris, Ski-doo, FXR clothing, Oakley eyewear, Dewalt tools, Ipone Oils, HMK Boots, Stud Boy Traction, Wiseco, Tekvest, Kimpex Parts, Ogio, and Dayco Belts.
Royal Distributing would also like to congratulate supported #73 Ski-Doo rider Lee Butler on a great season, riding as a privateer. Lee battled injury problems, but still managed to run competitively and toward the end of the season, he showed the speed to win. Lee swept the Kitchener races with victories in both Pro Open and Pro Stock. Lee always represented Royal Distributing wonderfully and we were proud to support him this season.
Travis Pastrana to attack the Black Bear
Courtesy Ryan Huber
DORSET, ON – While arguably the most popular rally driver in North America at the moment, Travis Pastrana is unlikely to attempt to double back-flip over the Sherborne Lake double jumps. He will certainly put on a show, however.
Making the trip to Dorset, Ontario, Travis plans to use the event as valuable practice for writing pace notes, thanks to the event's new, optional, two-pass recce. These skills will be badly needed as he moves up and contests the entire Production Car World Rally Championship next year. He will be running in a less powerful Production 4 class car, but is sure to challenge for the overall win regardless.
Once again presented by our friends at Four Star Motorsports (www.fourstarmotorsports.com) and HotBits Sport Suspensions (www.hotbits.ca), the Maple Leaf Rally Club is excited to return to beautiful Dorset, Ontario on the 16th of June. More information can be found on the event's website at mlrc.ca/blackbear, including supplemental regulations and online registration.
Having made use of that online registration system already is driver John Vanos. "I wanted to be first on the entry list, and first on the results!" said Vanos, issuing a challenge to all comers. Get your entry in soon, this year's rally is sure to fill up fast with a big name like Travis bringing competitors out to run against him!
Growth of the rally, of course, involves a growth of our volunteer base. As dedicated rally fans, our event volunteers often get the best seats in the house for the rally action. Thanks to the support of ClearWater Design Canoes and Kayaks (www.clearwaterdesignboats.com) one lucky rally worker will be taking home one of their coveted kayaks! If you'd like to be a part of the action and help out the event at the same time, please contact Ross Wood, our Chief Control Marshal, at ross.wood@sympatico.ca for more information.
If you haven't yet marked June 16th on your calendars, please make a point of doing so now. We're looking forward to seeing everyone once again at this year's Black Bear Rally in Dorset, Ontario.
DORSET, ON – While arguably the most popular rally driver in North America at the moment, Travis Pastrana is unlikely to attempt to double back-flip over the Sherborne Lake double jumps. He will certainly put on a show, however.
Making the trip to Dorset, Ontario, Travis plans to use the event as valuable practice for writing pace notes, thanks to the event's new, optional, two-pass recce. These skills will be badly needed as he moves up and contests the entire Production Car World Rally Championship next year. He will be running in a less powerful Production 4 class car, but is sure to challenge for the overall win regardless.
Once again presented by our friends at Four Star Motorsports (www.fourstarmotorsports.com) and HotBits Sport Suspensions (www.hotbits.ca), the Maple Leaf Rally Club is excited to return to beautiful Dorset, Ontario on the 16th of June. More information can be found on the event's website at mlrc.ca/blackbear, including supplemental regulations and online registration.
Having made use of that online registration system already is driver John Vanos. "I wanted to be first on the entry list, and first on the results!" said Vanos, issuing a challenge to all comers. Get your entry in soon, this year's rally is sure to fill up fast with a big name like Travis bringing competitors out to run against him!
Growth of the rally, of course, involves a growth of our volunteer base. As dedicated rally fans, our event volunteers often get the best seats in the house for the rally action. Thanks to the support of ClearWater Design Canoes and Kayaks (www.clearwaterdesignboats.com) one lucky rally worker will be taking home one of their coveted kayaks! If you'd like to be a part of the action and help out the event at the same time, please contact Ross Wood, our Chief Control Marshal, at ross.wood@sympatico.ca for more information.
If you haven't yet marked June 16th on your calendars, please make a point of doing so now. We're looking forward to seeing everyone once again at this year's Black Bear Rally in Dorset, Ontario.
Bristol & Isis: Stop Making Sense
Bristol-Myers Squibb must have missed the memo about the obsolescence of antisense therapies in light of RNA interference advances. The pharma is paying Isis Pharmaceuticals--a prolific and formidable conjuror of IP and drug candidates--$15 million upfront for exclusive rights to the biotech's PCSK9 antisense research program for prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia.Bristol will pay all the bills associated with the discovery, development and commercialization deal, which will focus on Isis' second-generation PCSK9 inhibitors and backup compounds. Isis will also get at least $9 million in research funding over the next three years, up to $168 million in development and regulatory milestones, and high-single-digit to low-double-digit milestones on sales of any drugs. Solid figures for a realtively new discovery program that barely warrants a mention in Isis' own corporate materials.
Did Bristol pay over the odds for such an early stage program? Not necessarily: the deal's financials are roughly in line with its last pre-clinical deal in the space, a more traditional small molecule adventure with Exelixis back in 2005. This time the target (longwindedly, proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9) is a protease that helps to regulate levels of LDL cholesterol. Too much PCSK9, too much LDL cholesterol (just why is still undetermined).
And PCSK9 has proven impossible to modulate using small molecules or protein therapeutics, which is why it has drawn attention in the nucleic acid therapy crowd, namely Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and partner UT Southwestern. The RNAi company considers PCSK9 the most intriguing cardiovascular target out there, and aims to file an IND for an injectible PCSK9 inhibitor this year. If Bristol felt the same way about the target, they didn't have many options.
But wait, you say. Statins are cheap, orally available, and generally work well at lowering LDL cholesterol. All true--but Alnylam is targeting the several hundred thousand patients (out of the millions on statin therapy) whose LDL remains out of control despite statin therapy.
Going after a smaller, unsatisfied segment of a massive market like the statins with a specialty therapy may pay off handsomely for biotechs like Alnylam. It will be interesting to see whether Bristol (which has signed two excellent, risk-hedging, biotechy out-licensing deals this year with AstraZeneca and Pfizer) can further embrace the biotech ethos and do the same.
If so it may also take a close look at Isis' apolipoprotein B-100 inhibitor, ISIS 301012, a compound we picked as one of our top-10 licensable cardiovascular projects a few months ago. That Phase II candidate, also being tested as an LDL lowerer against a traditionally undruggable target, ought to land a much more lucrative deal than PCSK9, Isis CEO Stanley Crooke told Reuters today.
Ron Paul for President
His supporters are out there. Here is a question we got by email from a reader…
Why are you ignoring Ron Paul? He was there with the other nine on stage.
That’s a good question. We have had to leave out many candidates from our presidential tracking polls; five Democrats and up to eight Republicans. Mostly it was just an executive decision. The more candidates we add the longer the poll takes to complete and reduces our response rate. More choices also increase the chance of error in pressing the wrong button for the respondent. Most people are going to pick a top-tier candidate so we think it is better to make sure that count is accurate.
Additionally, the non top-tier candidates just don’t have enough support to merit their inclusion in the polls. One or two percent for each is not going to better inform us about the status of the race. The “other candidate” option in our latest poll, theoretically the support for all of those other candidates combined, was lower than the lowest performing named candidate.
On the Republican side it is also a matter of technology. With our IVR technology we can only have 10 response categories-- touch tones 0 through 9. But there are up to 12 Republican choices (Giuliani, F. Thompson, McCain, Romney, Gingrich, T. Thompson, Brownback, Huckabee, Trancedo, Paul, Hunter, and Gilmore) plus the undecided category.
Why are you ignoring Ron Paul? He was there with the other nine on stage.
That’s a good question. We have had to leave out many candidates from our presidential tracking polls; five Democrats and up to eight Republicans. Mostly it was just an executive decision. The more candidates we add the longer the poll takes to complete and reduces our response rate. More choices also increase the chance of error in pressing the wrong button for the respondent. Most people are going to pick a top-tier candidate so we think it is better to make sure that count is accurate.
Additionally, the non top-tier candidates just don’t have enough support to merit their inclusion in the polls. One or two percent for each is not going to better inform us about the status of the race. The “other candidate” option in our latest poll, theoretically the support for all of those other candidates combined, was lower than the lowest performing named candidate.
On the Republican side it is also a matter of technology. With our IVR technology we can only have 10 response categories-- touch tones 0 through 9. But there are up to 12 Republican choices (Giuliani, F. Thompson, McCain, Romney, Gingrich, T. Thompson, Brownback, Huckabee, Trancedo, Paul, Hunter, and Gilmore) plus the undecided category.
Who's talking about the poll?
Here's a look at some other blogs discussing our latest tracking poll results
Coloradoans for Thompson
John Edwards Blog
NC Republican Roundtable
The Hedgehog Report
postpolitical
and a link to the WRAL news story with lively discussion in the comments. If you've have not before, check out the comments section on WRAL news stories. They are fascinating.
Coloradoans for Thompson
John Edwards Blog
NC Republican Roundtable
The Hedgehog Report
postpolitical
and a link to the WRAL news story with lively discussion in the comments. If you've have not before, check out the comments section on WRAL news stories. They are fascinating.
Tracking Bev Perdue vs. Richard Moore
Here is the tracking graph for the Democratic Gubernatorial Primary race. In the last 3 months Lt. Governor Bev Perdue's numbers have been very consistent, but Richard Moore's have been somewhat volatile. It's most important to remember that a plurality in all these polls are undecided, so there is a lot of room for movement.
This graph is a combination of all polls on this race including PPP and Civitas polls.
Using just PPP data the race looks a bit more fluid.
This graph is a combination of all polls on this race including PPP and Civitas polls.
Using just PPP data the race looks a bit more fluid.
Lilly's Shadow Government
Senior Republican staff in Washington are beginning to look for good, safe places to go until the political winds change. One top Health & Human Services official has found that haven in Indianapolis where a number of Republicans have gone previously for respites during a period of Democratic control.
Azar: Indiana jonesin'
Eli Lilly’s recruitment of the former Deputy HHS secretary Alex Azar continues a long tradition at the firm of offering shadow government posts to well-placed Republican figures.
Azar: Indiana jonesin'Going back to George H. W. Bush, Lilly has served as a temporary home and launching pad for loyal Republicans. The former President served a three-year tenure on the Lilly board after leaving his final Ford Administration post as CIA director.
Azar, who played a major role in putting his stamp on HHS policy from two subcabinet level positions (first as general counsel and then as deputy secretary) will be senior VP-corporate affairs and communications.
The senior VP corporate affairs position is the very job held for nine years during the 1990’s by the current Indiana Governor and former OMB director, Mitch Daniels. Prior to joining Lilly, Daniels was the political director for the Reagan White House.
All big pharma companies obviously play an active game of political influence and are on the lookout for knowledgeable and experienced Washington insiders, but Lilly’s approach is unique in its focus on an ideological fit. The company appears to be less pragmatic and more idealistic in its choices. Azar, who reportedly marked his departure from HHS with a poignant note about praying for advice on his future choice of careers, fits the mold of idealistic conservative that Lilly likes to groom for higher positions. And, with a president and OMB director to its credit already, the company has not done too badly.
For a company that publicly espouses disdain for government-controlled functions, Lilly has done well with government business. Its antipsychotic Zyprexa always appears among the top products purchased by the government; it was also one of the first products to benefit dramatically from the shift from Medicaid to Medicare in 2006. Medicaid programs were getting more effective at forcing down the price and purchases of the product.
Lilly also has had great access to Washington from Hoosier politicians that it has backed aggressively. During the Reagan Administration, for example, Otis Bowen, a former Indianan governor, headed HHS for three years. During the presidency of George H. W., the firm basked in an Executive Branch headed by a former board member and a former Indiana senator, Vice President Dan Quayle.
Lilly likes to point out that Azar has broad knowledge of a number of key government constituencies: the “agencies under his direction included, among others, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Perhaps, more importantly, Azar planted a series of aggressive general counsels throughout HHS. At FDA, for example, Azar worked with Dan Troy, a former colleague from private practice at Wiley, Rein & Fielding.
Bringing a political pro into the corporate structure can raise some practical issues. Lilly tried to move Daniels into a line operating position in charge of the US pharmaceutical business but quickly found that he was more valuable in government relations and policy. He could run the government budget and the state of Indiana but did not satisfy Lilly’s demands for running a drug company.
The Azar appointment, announced on May 4 three months after his departure from HHS, comes soon after one Lilly connection to Washington went sour. Former Lilly Chairman Randall Tobias recently resigned from an assistant secretary at the State Department in charge of US foreign assistance and USAID following inquiries about his participation in the Washington escort service scandal.
The senior VP corporate affairs position is the very job held for nine years during the 1990’s by the current Indiana Governor and former OMB director, Mitch Daniels. Prior to joining Lilly, Daniels was the political director for the Reagan White House.
All big pharma companies obviously play an active game of political influence and are on the lookout for knowledgeable and experienced Washington insiders, but Lilly’s approach is unique in its focus on an ideological fit. The company appears to be less pragmatic and more idealistic in its choices. Azar, who reportedly marked his departure from HHS with a poignant note about praying for advice on his future choice of careers, fits the mold of idealistic conservative that Lilly likes to groom for higher positions. And, with a president and OMB director to its credit already, the company has not done too badly.
For a company that publicly espouses disdain for government-controlled functions, Lilly has done well with government business. Its antipsychotic Zyprexa always appears among the top products purchased by the government; it was also one of the first products to benefit dramatically from the shift from Medicaid to Medicare in 2006. Medicaid programs were getting more effective at forcing down the price and purchases of the product.
Lilly also has had great access to Washington from Hoosier politicians that it has backed aggressively. During the Reagan Administration, for example, Otis Bowen, a former Indianan governor, headed HHS for three years. During the presidency of George H. W., the firm basked in an Executive Branch headed by a former board member and a former Indiana senator, Vice President Dan Quayle.
Lilly likes to point out that Azar has broad knowledge of a number of key government constituencies: the “agencies under his direction included, among others, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Perhaps, more importantly, Azar planted a series of aggressive general counsels throughout HHS. At FDA, for example, Azar worked with Dan Troy, a former colleague from private practice at Wiley, Rein & Fielding.
Bringing a political pro into the corporate structure can raise some practical issues. Lilly tried to move Daniels into a line operating position in charge of the US pharmaceutical business but quickly found that he was more valuable in government relations and policy. He could run the government budget and the state of Indiana but did not satisfy Lilly’s demands for running a drug company.
The Azar appointment, announced on May 4 three months after his departure from HHS, comes soon after one Lilly connection to Washington went sour. Former Lilly Chairman Randall Tobias recently resigned from an assistant secretary at the State Department in charge of US foreign assistance and USAID following inquiries about his participation in the Washington escort service scandal.
Love That Dirty Water
The may come as news to some folks but we Bostonians can be a bit parochial and self-centered. We like to think of our fair city as the origin of some pretty spectacular stuff. (Have you heard of the United States of America?< /Stephen Colbert voice>) And we wonder how people can ever get tired of hearing us yammer on about the Red Sox (We won a World Series you know. First time in 86 years.)
In All Our Glory (Writer not pictured)
So as the IN VIVO Blog's resident Massachusen VC-watcher, I’m of two minds when I hear that West Coast venture firms are opening Boston offices. First comes the understandable sense of validation—someone recognizes our place in the industry. Then comes the feeling that we’re somehow become an outpost for … egad … West Coast firms!
At a dinner a few years back, the managing partner of a VC firm, in explaining plans to open a Boston office, suggested Boston was an up-and-coming region that might be the next San Diego! The next San Diego? I always thought San Diego was the next Boston!
What’s driving this rant is the recent news that Skyline Ventures—a highly regarded Palo Alto firm—hired Stephen J. Hoffman, formerly of TVM, to head its East Cost office in Boston refreshed those conflicted feelings. Skyline joins Abingworth, Kleiner Perkins, Morgenthaler and 5AM as out-of-towners who opened Boston-area offices over the past few years.
Skyline founder John Freund says the hiring had more to do with Hoffman than with the East Coast or Boston. “We knew he’d fit in with our firm perfectly and he can’t move from Boston,” Freund says. “The more we thought about it the more we thought it would be an advantage to have an office in Boston. We’ve done a lot of investments in Boston over the last two years so having a presence on the ground would be an advantage.” Among the many attractions of Boston is an influx of pharmaceutical companies opening shop in the area (Merck and Novartis among the largest).
It’s great to have Skyline here in Boston. Same goes for Abingworth, Morgenthaler, 5AM and, of course, Kleiner Perkins (which technically didn’t open an office but did hire former Acambis CSO Tom Monath as a Boston-based partner). The more venture capital firms in Boston, the better off the biotech and medical device industries will be.
We’re lucky to have a strong core of venture firms like SV Life Sciences and Polaris Ventures. Still, it’s striking that the only new venture blood in town seems to come from branch offices. With the exception of Clarus Ventures, which broke off from MPM Capital, I can’t recall the start of any significant venture firms in the Boston area in the past few years. (Tell us if I’m missing someone.)
Still, wouldn't it be nice if Boston could be the home-base of a significant new venture firms, rather than an outpost?
Go Sox!
In All Our Glory (Writer not pictured)
So as the IN VIVO Blog's resident Massachusen VC-watcher, I’m of two minds when I hear that West Coast venture firms are opening Boston offices. First comes the understandable sense of validation—someone recognizes our place in the industry. Then comes the feeling that we’re somehow become an outpost for … egad … West Coast firms!
At a dinner a few years back, the managing partner of a VC firm, in explaining plans to open a Boston office, suggested Boston was an up-and-coming region that might be the next San Diego! The next San Diego? I always thought San Diego was the next Boston!
What’s driving this rant is the recent news that Skyline Ventures—a highly regarded Palo Alto firm—hired Stephen J. Hoffman, formerly of TVM, to head its East Cost office in Boston refreshed those conflicted feelings. Skyline joins Abingworth, Kleiner Perkins, Morgenthaler and 5AM as out-of-towners who opened Boston-area offices over the past few years.
Skyline founder John Freund says the hiring had more to do with Hoffman than with the East Coast or Boston. “We knew he’d fit in with our firm perfectly and he can’t move from Boston,” Freund says. “The more we thought about it the more we thought it would be an advantage to have an office in Boston. We’ve done a lot of investments in Boston over the last two years so having a presence on the ground would be an advantage.” Among the many attractions of Boston is an influx of pharmaceutical companies opening shop in the area (Merck and Novartis among the largest).
It’s great to have Skyline here in Boston. Same goes for Abingworth, Morgenthaler, 5AM and, of course, Kleiner Perkins (which technically didn’t open an office but did hire former Acambis CSO Tom Monath as a Boston-based partner). The more venture capital firms in Boston, the better off the biotech and medical device industries will be.
We’re lucky to have a strong core of venture firms like SV Life Sciences and Polaris Ventures. Still, it’s striking that the only new venture blood in town seems to come from branch offices. With the exception of Clarus Ventures, which broke off from MPM Capital, I can’t recall the start of any significant venture firms in the Boston area in the past few years. (Tell us if I’m missing someone.)
Still, wouldn't it be nice if Boston could be the home-base of a significant new venture firms, rather than an outpost?
Go Sox!
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Grand Bend Motorplex gears up for The ERD Big Dog “Heads Up” Opener on May 19th
GRAND BEND, ON - The first of 5 ERD Big Dog “Heads Up” races presented by Wiseco will be contested Sat, May 19th at Grand Bend Motorplex as part of the Rudy Held’s Performance Centre Spring Blowout presented by Leaf Racewear.
The ERD Big Dog races feature some of the fastest Dragsters, Altereds and Door cars in Heads-up competition. Following the 2 qualifiers, the fastest 4 open wheel competitors and the fastest 4 Door competitors move onto eliminations. Rounds 1 and 2 feature Open wheel vs Open wheel and Door vs Door competiton with the final round matching the Open Wheel and Door winners in staggered tree format based on their fastest time of the day.
This opening race also features a Bonus Purse as the Winner will receive $2300 the Runner up $1200, Semi Finalists $500 and Quarterfinalists $250. In addition to the ERD Big Dog race the weekend features Top Fuel testing, Jet Funny Car and Jet Dragster runs, plus Canada’s fastest Bracket racing series the Rudy Held’s Performance Centre Top Sportsman and New Orleans Pizza Top Dragster classes.
All GBM Thunder series classes will also be in attendance, the weekend wraps up Sunday night with a concert featuring two Juno award winners Mobile and Tomi Swick plus guest Econoline Crush.Go to www.grandbendmotorplex.com for further details or call the track at 519 238 RACE (7223).
Combining Polls March-May
Last month I discussed the idea of combining polls. That is, adding results from identical polls together in order to get larger sample sizes for the benefit of better crosstabs. So I tried it by combining the results of the last three months of the Democratic primary tracking polls. In the end we have a survey with 1699 respondents. Let’s look at some of the crosstabs…
Gender
Edwards leads Clinton among women and has a strong lead amongst men. In the Governor's race, not surprisingly Bev Perdue has a big lead among women, and also has a slight lead with men.
Race
Obama has a big lead in the black community, but not a majority. Bev Perdue has a 22 point lead among blacks—probably the reason she has a distinct lead over Richard Moore. She leads by only 4 points among whites.
Age
Hillary Clinton leads among younger voters, but the other age categories are roughly even with Edwards on top. Richard Moore leads among the youngest voters.
Region
Clinton does the best in the Charlotte area (704 area code) and Edwards is strongest in the west (828). Perdue has a distinct advantage in every region except the Triangle, where the two gubernatorial candidates are tied.
Update: When reading these charts be careful of the Base number. That represents the percentage over all three surveys, but it is only partially weighted. So it does not reflect the correct gender, race and age proportions.
Gender
Edwards leads Clinton among women and has a strong lead amongst men. In the Governor's race, not surprisingly Bev Perdue has a big lead among women, and also has a slight lead with men.
Race
Obama has a big lead in the black community, but not a majority. Bev Perdue has a 22 point lead among blacks—probably the reason she has a distinct lead over Richard Moore. She leads by only 4 points among whites.
Age
Hillary Clinton leads among younger voters, but the other age categories are roughly even with Edwards on top. Richard Moore leads among the youngest voters.
Region
Clinton does the best in the Charlotte area (704 area code) and Edwards is strongest in the west (828). Perdue has a distinct advantage in every region except the Triangle, where the two gubernatorial candidates are tied.
Update: When reading these charts be careful of the Base number. That represents the percentage over all three surveys, but it is only partially weighted. So it does not reflect the correct gender, race and age proportions.
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