Generally when a drug trial is stopped early it is bad news, lack of effectiveness or a serious safety issue. Once in a rare while, a drug is working so well, that it is unfair to keep it from the placebo group and the trial is halted and unblinded. This is what happened to Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) phase 3 trial for its PD1 immuno-oncology drug nivolumab. Bristol may have given up first mover advantage to fellow big pharma Merck (NYSE: MRK), but it is still a force to be reckoned with in the burgeoning field.
In this episode of Where The Money Is, Motley Fool health care analysts David Williamson and Michael Douglass discuss the trial stoppage and results, give investors background on immuno-oncology, why this drug is so important to Bristol. Watch and find out about why this tent-pole franchise has megablockbuster written all over it.
