Bear Stearns Healthcare Conference, In Brief

Abbott D2E7 advisory committee?: Abbott has "not heard anything at all" about a possible early December FDA advisory committee meeting for its anti-TNF monoclonal antibody D2E7 (adalimumab), CFO Thomas Freyman told Bear Stearns healthcare conference in New York City. Abbott does not believe "having a panel or not having a panel is going to impact our timing at all in terms of product launch." In a separate Bear Stearns presentation, Enbrel marketer Amgen Investor Relations Director Anna McDermott-Vitak said she "would be surprised" if D2E7 was not the subject of an advisory committee meeting. Abbott submitted a BLA for D2E7 in rheumatoid arthritis April 2; the company expects to launch adalimumab in the first half of 2003...