Motley Fool Rule Breakers
pick InterMune
Drugmakers normally don't update investors on every little step in the clinical trial process, but six weeks ago shares of InterMune fell more than 20% after an analyst cried that the drug was taking longer to develop than expected because of safety concerns.
InterMune and partner Roche still expect initial results on ITMN-191's safety and efficacy to come from this study in the first quarter of 2008. Previous guidance was for initial study results in the fourth quarter, but the clinical trial process is inherently unpredictable, so InterMune can be forgiven for this modest delay.
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With efficacy results less than seven months away, it won't be long before we get a glimpse of whether InterMune can replicate or even surpass the super-efficacy results of Vertex Pharmaceuticals'