I haven't been posting as much as I have in the past (can the choir say AMEN)...but I have been watching as close as ever.  And there's another thought that's been rattling around in my brain that I would like to get some opinions on.  

We recently had the Pfizer news with respect to Zenith.....and while to a certain degree it speaks to validation, not just for Zen but for RVX as well by the close ZEN/RVX association. it also sparks questions for me.

I've never forgotten the Pfizer European patent application news from way back in May of 2017, about 18 months ago now.  I've referenced it in at least a few blog postings since as an example of Apabetalone's validation.  But I'm also recalling an article written by the Friedreich's Ataxia News website:

https://friedreichsataxianews.com/2017/05/25/pfizer-seeks-patent-covering-friedreichs-ataxia-therapy-resverlogixs-has-already-developed/

In that article it makes this point. (all emphasis is mine)

Resverlogix, which is based in Calgary, Canada, responded to news of the patent application in an understated way. Instead of indicating it would challenge the patent request, the company’s president and chief executive officer, Donald McCaffrey, said that “we welcome the attention drawn to Resverlogix and apabetalone from significant industry groups such as Nature Reviews Nephrology and Pfizer.”

That quote gives me the impression that the author of that article is surprised at Resverlogix's and Don's response.  It strikes me that the writer of this piece, Magdalena Kegel, that she would have almost expected Resverlogix to challenge the application almost as a matter of course.  

I'm no lawyer, and certainly not a patent lawer....but I have to assume that any attempt by Resverlogix to challenge the patent application, that there would be costs involved obviously...and we all know that Resverlogix has never exactly been flush with cash....certainly not in the last 3 or 4 years from everything I know and remember.

And the patent application as explained in the above linked article...its pretty narrowly defined to my way of thinking.   It says, (again emphasis is mine):  "The patent asks that New York City-based Pfizer have the exclusive right to use the BET family of bromodomain inhibitors to increase frataxin in Friedreich’s ataxia patients.". 

That has me wondering about the potential market for this orphan indication.  Doing some reading it appears to affect 1 in 40,000 people with the disease most prevelant in Europe the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa. 

Just spit balling off the top of my head 1/40,000 comes to about 25,000 cases per billion population....and how many of  those people would have access to a medical system that could perscribe 208 if approved....maybe its a few thousand.  

I'm just wondering if there's some kind of agreement between RVX and PFE about Apabetalone...like 'help us out and we won't challenge'...or anything else along those lines, some kind of quid pro quo.  

I still see a buyout as the most likely outcome if BETonMACE succeeds, and if it does I'm wondering if PFE would be a player.  I still see obstacles in Zenith's RPS, HL's rights in China and the Territories as well as HL USA's ROFR for the lucrative US market. 

Money can overcome just about any obstacle, however as I just found out with Relypsa...Astra Zeneca found a way to compete even if they lost out on that company's potassium reducing drug/powder....

Would love some other thoughts on this.