Jiesen tries to take over the world

[jiesen]

yep, all signs are a go on this one- 600+ patients are now in the trial (out of 700 or so needed), the site update out this week shows an increase from 120 to 150 sites running the study, and at the same time, Al Gonzales bought another 0.5M shares. My money is on a successful trial, and I think the rewards will be HUGE if indeed it happens like I predict. I was actually just over at LJP today, (a former coworker owes me some girl scout cookies) and they're still plugging along, doing their thing.

[Websman]

I just picked up a position in LJPC at 1.98.

Let's make some money!

[jiesen]

bought LJPC at 2.1

yes, I agree! Which is why I just picked up another 1% today at 2.1.

I'm still holding on to another 1% cash to put here, for later...

[Websman]

added a little more than 1% position to LJPC today at 3.1. I'll probably buy again, too, if it gets down to 2.

I'll be looking at buying soon... This is a true bargain.

[jiesen]

bought more LJPC at 3.1

added a little more than 1% position to LJPC today at 3.1. I'll probably buy again, too, if it gets down to 2.

[jiesen]

this is it, folks

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080211/20080211005434.html?.v=1

Now's the time to buy- before everyone has a chance to absorb this PR.
Enrollment to complete next quarter, so the trial will be done next year.

La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company Reports Progress in International Phase 3 Riquent(R) Study
Monday February 11, 7:30 am ET
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (Nasdaq:LJPC - News) today announced significant progress in its ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized Phase 3 trial of Riquent® (abetimus sodium), its drug candidate for systemic lupus erythematosus ("lupus" or "SLE"), including additional safety data on the trial’s higher doses.

To date, 607 patients have been enrolled in the study atmore than 130 clinical trial sites in 23 countries. Total enrollment in this event-driven trial istargeted for740 patients andis expected to be complete around the end of the second quarter of 2008. The study requires a specified number of renal flare events to be observed.The Data Monitoring Board has completed two safety reviews of the study without identifying any safety concerns. To date, more than 350 patients have been treated in the trial with either the 300 mg or 900 mg dose.
“We have made tremendous progress toward the completion of enrollment in the Phase 3 study,” said Deirdre Y. Gillespie, M.D., President and CEO of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company. “We have increased the dose nine-fold and are very encouraged that the data continue to indicate that the 300 mg and 900 mg doses of Riquent are as well tolerated as the 100 mg dose was in our previous studies.”
Two interim efficacy analyses are planned in this event-driven trial. The first interim efficacy analysis is now expected in the second quarter of 2008. The second interim efficacy analysis is still expected to occur around the end of 2008.
The Phase 3 study is designed to assess the ability of Riquent treatment to delay the time to renal flare in lupus patients with a history of renal disease and with elevated levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies. A lupus renal flare is a potentially life-threatening increase in inflammation ofthe kidney due to lupus.A renal flare often requires treatment with immunosuppressive agents which can have severe side effects.
Riquent has received an Approvable Letter and Fast Track status from the Food and Drug Administration, and has received Orphan Drug designation. The current trial is being conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment.
About Riquent
Riquent is being developed to specifically treat lupus renal disease by preventing or delaying renal flares, a leading cause of sickness and death in lupus patients. It is also being studied to assess whether Riquent treatment improves proteinuria, as was observed in previous clinical trials. Proteinuria is an indicator of abnormal renal function. Riquent has been well tolerated in all 14 clinical trials, with no overall difference in the adverse event profiles for Riquent-treated patients compared with placebo-treated patients. Riquent specifically reduces circulating levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies. Increases in these antibodies are associated with an increased risk of renal flare. Although clinical benefit has not yet been proven, Riquent treatment has significantly reduced these antibody levels in all clinical trials in which they were measured.

[jiesen]

I think you're right Ski. I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger yet, especially in this brutal market.

I'd say that at 3.25 or so, the bottom is in with LJPC! (Of course I've been saying this for months, so take it for what it is...)

News has to be coming any day now, though. They are presenting at a bioconference in a week, so usually news comes out before these, and if not, the 10k is due in a month. There will be a trial update, and any update will convince people that LJPC is still alive and kicking- and drive up the s/p.

Trial data is not due for awhile- but any unexpectedly early positive results will send this through the roof.

[Websman]

I was looking at it myself. I'm not sure it has found a bottom yet Webs. It's been down as low as 2.50 levels and it could fall below 3. But I think it is getting close to the bottom. I would like to see 3 hold.

I think you're right Ski. I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger yet, especially in this brutal market.

[skiracer]

The Vulcans are detecting a bargain in LJPC....

I was looking at it myself. I'm not sure it has found a bottom yet Webs. It's been down as low as 2.50 levels and it could fall below 3. But I think it is getting close to the bottom. I would like to see 3 hold.

[Websman]

The Vulcans are detecting a bargain in LJPC....

[jiesen]

Just bought that 1% position back today, at about 8-9% below where I sold it a couple months ago. The market hasn't pulled back quite as far yet as I think it will, but we could very well see a rally in the meantime, and I'd like to make a quick buck or two off of that if possible... Still waiting for a pullback to a Nasdaq 2200 or so to buy back the rest of this position.

Well, Nasdaq nearly made it back to 2200 today, so I bought back about 1% in the large-cap fund again, and will probably add about 2% more after we've dropped another 5% or so from here.

When I placed the order this morning, I thought I'd be getting a better deal than I did, but since it's a mutual fund, it only trades at the end of the day, and by then the market had given back most of that nice discount I thought I'd be getting. (Thanks a lot, Fed!)

[jiesen]

... Also, for gene-on-a-chip technology (among other products) I'd recommend going with ILMN instead.

although... I did throw out one pretty good pick that last time, eh?

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=ILMN&t=3m

[jiesen]

Jiesen,
Why don't you post here? Saw your list and as a more than decade long holder of Vanguard Health Fund (VGHCX) I looked up their current top 25 holdings. Among them are DNA ABT LLY AMGN BMY and SGP. This should be a great year for the whole bunch.

-------------billyjoe

I do post here! It's just that I only post what I do, not what I'm thinking about doing. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do that so much anymore... I would like to, but my job is keeping me quite busy these days.

[billyjoe]

Jiesen,
Why don't you post here? Saw your list and as a more than decade long holder of Vanguard Health Fund (VGHCX) I looked up their current top 25 holdings. Among them are DNA ABT LLY AMGN BMY and SGP. This should be a great year for the whole bunch.

-------------billyjoe

[jiesen]

Bought 2% GPRO position at $51

Sold a 2% position at 68 today, still have a few shares left as pure profit.

Added a 2% position in GPRO at about a $12 discount to market through my employee purchase plan this week, and am now holding about a 3% GPRO stock position. Last month some of my employee options vested, too, giving me about a 3-4% position in GPRO $50 options.