Julia Jacobys Antwort:
Thanks for the reply. I would bet on Exas anytime regarding LB. EPI is basically useless in the US. Average first colonoscopy age is 53 - if you would have started with EPI at 50 - your chance to need a colonoscopy would already be at 60%. It makes a big difference is it is a yearly/ or 3 year interval test.
Instill do not see the point to use it if it ends in a colonoscopies within 5 - latest 7 years anyhow. IF there would be just the slightest threat Exas would have already acquired it.
Most likely they could already have a better LB colon test than EPI- but why would they..
Dont forget that there will be another Cologuard submission within the next year- for higher risk patients. That will be a game changer widening the potential addressable market a lot.
Whoever is underestimating Exas (recent high short daily volumes) will just fuel the next leg up. once again EPI= no threat at all. IMHO.
Meine Antwort:
Thanks for your answer.
I mean you see we are both investors. I understand that you fully trust your investment otherwise you wouldn't have invested. That is why I understand your arguments. And honestly, Cologuard is a good test. It has good sensitivity, better than the cheaper FIT and specificity a little less than FIT. And the test ist good in finding Adenomas etc. in early phases. Still, it is a stool test.
I myself am also a convinced investor in Epigenomics. The company is with mere 83 Mio market cap a dwarf.
Sometimes it is good to have the helicopter view, though. Following your arguments Epigenomics will be less succesful as it has lower accuracy. Accuracy is lower - that is right. However, the market positioning is different in contrast to all other tests. It aims at the unable or unwilling patients who refuse stool tests (including Cologuard) and colonoscopy.
If you look at the numbers: How many new CRC cases and CRC deaths we have in the U.S.? It's around 240,000 and 35,000 respectively. While you look at the target group of 30 mln.? the numbers are pretty low, right? CRC is a serious topic and
#2 after lung cancer but incidence is comparably low (in contrast to the population).
So and here it comes: cancer diagnostic like vaccination is about uncertainty and thereby a vast market. As nobody knows whether a disease would occur everybody should seize the opportunity of prevention. but only a relatively low number of people get affected.
To get the colonoscopy after a positive result (also false positives) from Epi ProColon is not the point. The point is to get more patients into screening. And a blood test seems to be the appropriate mean.
If a stool test like Cologuard or FIT or whatsoever would be able to get enough people into CRC screening than a demand for a blood test would be obsolete. But obviously this is not the case and liquid biopsy is the next big thing. Apparently, EXAS ist interested in this technology too but failed with their lung test.
That EXAS was able to increase the number of patients get tested is mainly due to massive (and expensive) marketing.
Again I see this from an investment point of view. Once the CMS issue is cleared ProColon will be a sting in EXAS skin. Correct, make or buy is the issue. You and I don't know whether Conroy is already in talks with Hamilton. Anyway, we like to take the money from you guys in case of a friendly takeover ;-)