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ImClone: Non-Justifiable Scientific Downgrades Refuted

Jack,

You are absolutely correct. It appears that these analysts are just paid spin-artists with the deliberate agenda and/or intensions to spread misleading, false and unsubstantiated rumors and innuendoes regarding to ImClome Systems and its lead drug Erbitux. By doing so, these analysts doing great disservice to investment public and cancer patients who could, otherwise, be treated with Erbitux capable of not only prolong their lives but also offer some patients cancer-free survival through surgical resections and complete responses.

I am really impressed by Morgan Stanley analyst Harr. Prior to and after ASCO 2008 conference, Harr issued numerous "research" papers stating Cairo II clinical trial was a failure on par with PACCE trial.

Let me remind to readers that PACCE trial tested a combinations of chemotherapy+Avastin+/... Vertibix in 1st-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. This trial has been stopped very early due to safety issues since the death rate for patients in the Vertibix added arm was significantly higher than in a control arm that did not have Vertibix.

At the same, Cairo II trial that tested the same patients population with the same chemo regiment+Avastin +/- Erbitux has been completed. No serious safety issues were identified with addition of Erbitux to the chemo regiment plus Avastin. Unfortunately, for wild-Kras patient population [these are only mCRC patients benefiting from EGFr-drugs like Erbitux and Vertibix], Cairo II clinical results regarding to Progression Free Survival (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS) were the same for both control and Erbitux arm.

Consequently, addition of Erbitux to the chemo regiment plus Avastin did not offer any additional benefits to cancer patients but also did not create any serious safety issues that led to PACCE trial early termination.

In spite of all this, Mr. Harr "research" trying to equate PACCE and Cairo II clinical trials results is just preposterous.

I would not be surprised if these "analysts" are somehow connected to the highly low Bristol-Myers takeover bid for ImClone. I will not be surprised to learn that the investment houses these analysts are working for are like "to do business" with Bristol-Myers.

These misleading and false "research" reports regarding to oncology drugs and specifically to Erbitux MUST stop. These reports harm both investment public, medical community and cancer patient population.

The harm is too great to be allowed to continue!