Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ: DNDN) is benefitting from more good news on the PROVENGE front. The company has data showing that new analysis of the Phase III IMPACT study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2012 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
The analysis shows that after “adjusting for bias presented with the crossover treatment in the control arm, treatment with PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T) resulted in an overall survival benefit ranging from 4.1 to 7.8 months.”
A move from 4.1 months to 7.8 months is no small figure. PROVENGE is already approved, but it has only been of late that a surge has come back as physicians are getting more familiar with it and know how to get it covered by insurance. That was an issue through much of 2011 and is expected to continue to improve this year. That is the reason the stock has doubled and then some from its 52-week lows.
PROVENGE is now suggested as having led to a greater treatment effect in the IMPACT study and this may drive more use. Dendreon further noted that the new analysis should be factored into future studies.
As noted, “Initial results from the Phase II NeoACT trial, also presented at ASCO-GU, offers insight into how earlier use of PROVENGE in the treatment process helps boosts the body’s own immune system and the role of PROVENGE’s unique MOA in that process.”
The news is so far good for a 5% rise to $14.25 in Dendreon shares against a 52-week range of $6.46 to $43.96. Dendreon’s current market cap is $2.1 billion.
JON C. OGG
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