http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/htmlCache/2003-02-04T215336Z_01_N04382062_RTRIDST_0_SCIENCE-HEALTH-CANCER-LUNG-DC.html
It may be of interest to anyone who owns stock in Ligand Pharmaceuticals. They make 9-CIS-retinoic acid (trade name: Panretin). It's sold in gel form as a topical treatment for Kaposi's Sarcoma. Here's the bit that could be of interest to shareholders:
"Kurie said his team now wants to test related compounds that may be safer. 'We are starting to talk to Ligand Pharmaceuticals about Targretin," he said. This drug has a similar mechanism and has shown promise in a range of cancers. "It is probably better tolerated than 9-cis-retinoic acid,' Kurie said."
It caught my eye because I owned stock in Ligand for years, and finally lost patience and sold my last shares about a year ago, for about what they originally cost. The company had great science, but they never seemed able to translate it into commercial success.
I don't recommend anyone rushing out to buy Ligand; like all biotechs, it's very speculative. Just thought that if anyone already has the shares, this might give them some hope. I notice the share price is as low as I've ever seen it (don't know why, as I no longer follow the company).
If anyone cares, that was 13-CIS-retinoic acid, which I believe is better known as Accutane, the acne drug. A pity it didn't work. It would really have been great if they'd found that a zit cream showed activity against treat lung cancer.