They didn't not take St Patrick's Day into account when making the decision. My money is on the morning of the 17th right before their Panel at the Conference.
Frequency Therapeutics — Hearing Loss Regeneration
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Keith Handy
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Member- Mar 2, 2018
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For me, it's the new hires that make it seem like there's no way the results are bad.
Especially because they've had results since hiring. Company has 3.5 years left of cash on hand based on 2020 burn.
Although it represents about 10% of my portfolio, it currently holds 100% of my attention.
Come on $FREQ!
Especially because they've had results since hiring. Company has 3.5 years left of cash on hand based on 2020 burn.
Although it represents about 10% of my portfolio, it currently holds 100% of my attention.
Come on $FREQ!
- May 27, 2020
- 556
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- Loud music/headphones/concerts - Hyperacusis from motorbike
Just putting myself in the shoes of Wednesday's presenters, I think I would find it very difficult to give a presentation based on what I once knew, not what I know now. The potential for a slip-up, especially if there's a Q&A involved, would seem to me to be unpalatable to any company that wants to keep things under wraps.
If the presenters were some low-level employees that have been kept in the dark, I would be inclined to say that we may not hear of any results by Wednesday. But we're talking about Will McLean and Kevin Franck (more on the latter in a moment).
Moreover, it would seem major players and names in the industry will be at this conference. Is there a better place or opportunity for a mic drop than this one? Frequency Therapeutics want the word to go around that they have a product coming. This would seem the perfect place to do it. My only reservation is that this is a virtual conference, so the usual opportunities to mingle, chat, network and pique interest would seem minimal, and this is the only thing holding me back from saying that we will definitely have a readout within the next 48 hours.
I decided this evening to do a bit more research into Kevin Franck and why Frequency Therapeutics may have chosen to hire him and why they also asked him to present at this conference given he would only have a few weeks to get up to speed. It does not feel like a coincidence that Kevin Franck was hired only a month before this conference. I would imagine that preparing for this presentation was probably one of the first things on his agenda.
I'm sure some are already aware of this, but Kevin Franck is an audiologist by profession, although he has a background in biomedical engineering. He seems to have fought tooth and nail for his patients over the years, including filing to protect the intellectual property of a system aimed at helping patients program their own cochlear implants. So this guy isn't your standard audiologist. He just wants to help his patients. But it also seems that, as recently as November 2020, Kevin was on record as being disillusioned with the hearing aid industry and lack of government support: "We call on the FDA to make OTC hearing aids a priority for the American people and address the deafening silence that has occurred since the federal government heard the call from advocates and issued a legislative mandate over three years ago". Three months after making this statement, Kevin joined Frequency Therapeutics. Unless Kevin signed some kind of NDA, I'm assuming Frequency Therapeutics would not have disclosed to Kevin their Phase 2 results before hiring him, but I could be wrong.
But one thing I would deduct from this either way is this: Kevin must have felt confident that he stood a better chance of either changing people's lives or getting the government's attention to help people with hearing loss through Frequency Therapeutics than through the hearing aid route. Whether this was more down to Kevin's frustration with slow government and red tape or because Kevin knew Frequency Therapeutics were on to a winner and/or have better chance of government support is anyone's guess, but make of this what you will.
What I also find interesting is that if you look through the sponsor list for the hearing conference on Wednesday, the vast majority of sponsors are hearing aid companies. Some people have made the point that Frequency Therapeutics might speak more generically about the industry, but why would a regen hearing company not only want an audiologist to present on a clinical drug at what is effectively a hearing aid conference but also sponsor it? It's not as if Kevin is going to tell hearing aid companies something they already know, unless of course... he isn't. The only other notable company is Akouos, who are focusing on a different type of hearing loss entirely (congenital). No wonder then they picked Kevin to present, because he would know the competition better than anyone else. He would be able to interpret Phase 2 data in such a way that he could determine how to best pitch FX-322 as an alternative or at least as a compliment to hearing aids. Let me put it this way: why else would you have a man who has spent the majority of his career in the hearing aid market give a presentation on your leading drug candidate only 6 weeks after joining the company at what is effectively a hearing aid conference? Either you have something important (and new) to say, or you don't attend the conference at all. In short, this sounds (no pun intended) to me like a big F you is coming to the hearing aid companies, and who else better to do it than the man who was previously at the forefront of the industry.
In short: I must wonder what role Kevin would play in a presentation titled "Advances in Hair Cell Regeneration for Acquired Sensorineural Hearing Loss" given his background as an audiologist, unless of course he is going to make a case for why FX-322 is/will be equal to and/or better than hearing aids, something he would not be able to do on Phase 1 data alone.
With that in mind, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that we will have a readout at or before the conference.
On another note, it's also interesting to me that Frequency Therapeutics tweeted today that Sound of Metal, a recently released movie that follows the journey of a drummer who goes through hearing loss, was nominated for 6 Oscars, and Frequency Therapeutics thanked the producers for bringing attention to the problems caused by hearing loss. There is no doubt in my mind that these marketing communications are part of a wider strategy to prepare the market for what is likely to be quite a positive readout.
If the presenters were some low-level employees that have been kept in the dark, I would be inclined to say that we may not hear of any results by Wednesday. But we're talking about Will McLean and Kevin Franck (more on the latter in a moment).
Moreover, it would seem major players and names in the industry will be at this conference. Is there a better place or opportunity for a mic drop than this one? Frequency Therapeutics want the word to go around that they have a product coming. This would seem the perfect place to do it. My only reservation is that this is a virtual conference, so the usual opportunities to mingle, chat, network and pique interest would seem minimal, and this is the only thing holding me back from saying that we will definitely have a readout within the next 48 hours.
I decided this evening to do a bit more research into Kevin Franck and why Frequency Therapeutics may have chosen to hire him and why they also asked him to present at this conference given he would only have a few weeks to get up to speed. It does not feel like a coincidence that Kevin Franck was hired only a month before this conference. I would imagine that preparing for this presentation was probably one of the first things on his agenda.
I'm sure some are already aware of this, but Kevin Franck is an audiologist by profession, although he has a background in biomedical engineering. He seems to have fought tooth and nail for his patients over the years, including filing to protect the intellectual property of a system aimed at helping patients program their own cochlear implants. So this guy isn't your standard audiologist. He just wants to help his patients. But it also seems that, as recently as November 2020, Kevin was on record as being disillusioned with the hearing aid industry and lack of government support: "We call on the FDA to make OTC hearing aids a priority for the American people and address the deafening silence that has occurred since the federal government heard the call from advocates and issued a legislative mandate over three years ago". Three months after making this statement, Kevin joined Frequency Therapeutics. Unless Kevin signed some kind of NDA, I'm assuming Frequency Therapeutics would not have disclosed to Kevin their Phase 2 results before hiring him, but I could be wrong.
But one thing I would deduct from this either way is this: Kevin must have felt confident that he stood a better chance of either changing people's lives or getting the government's attention to help people with hearing loss through Frequency Therapeutics than through the hearing aid route. Whether this was more down to Kevin's frustration with slow government and red tape or because Kevin knew Frequency Therapeutics were on to a winner and/or have better chance of government support is anyone's guess, but make of this what you will.
What I also find interesting is that if you look through the sponsor list for the hearing conference on Wednesday, the vast majority of sponsors are hearing aid companies. Some people have made the point that Frequency Therapeutics might speak more generically about the industry, but why would a regen hearing company not only want an audiologist to present on a clinical drug at what is effectively a hearing aid conference but also sponsor it? It's not as if Kevin is going to tell hearing aid companies something they already know, unless of course... he isn't. The only other notable company is Akouos, who are focusing on a different type of hearing loss entirely (congenital). No wonder then they picked Kevin to present, because he would know the competition better than anyone else. He would be able to interpret Phase 2 data in such a way that he could determine how to best pitch FX-322 as an alternative or at least as a compliment to hearing aids. Let me put it this way: why else would you have a man who has spent the majority of his career in the hearing aid market give a presentation on your leading drug candidate only 6 weeks after joining the company at what is effectively a hearing aid conference? Either you have something important (and new) to say, or you don't attend the conference at all. In short, this sounds (no pun intended) to me like a big F you is coming to the hearing aid companies, and who else better to do it than the man who was previously at the forefront of the industry.
In short: I must wonder what role Kevin would play in a presentation titled "Advances in Hair Cell Regeneration for Acquired Sensorineural Hearing Loss" given his background as an audiologist, unless of course he is going to make a case for why FX-322 is/will be equal to and/or better than hearing aids, something he would not be able to do on Phase 1 data alone.
With that in mind, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that we will have a readout at or before the conference.
On another note, it's also interesting to me that Frequency Therapeutics tweeted today that Sound of Metal, a recently released movie that follows the journey of a drummer who goes through hearing loss, was nominated for 6 Oscars, and Frequency Therapeutics thanked the producers for bringing attention to the problems caused by hearing loss. There is no doubt in my mind that these marketing communications are part of a wider strategy to prepare the market for what is likely to be quite a positive readout.
Keith Handy
Member
- Jan 5, 2021
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- Aug 5, 2019
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Wow, when you said you were putting yourself in the presenter's shoes, that wasn't a metaphor. Are you Kevin's therapist?
Seriously though, you're probably right, but I didn't think Frequency Therapeutics' intentions were to say F you to hearing aid companies. I thought it was more like a shift of some hearing aids -> no hearing aids and some cochlear implants -> hearing aids.
The more I think about it, I think we are thinking about this conference too much. There's plenty to talk about without the Phase 2 results, and I highly doubt the Phase 2 results will make us think that it's the end of hearing aids.
Obviously, they will want to read them out there, but accuracy will be prioritized. In the digital age, word spreads fast and doesn't require a conference.
- Feb 14, 2020
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They'll have some type of replay afterwards. And, as a publicly traded company, if they disclose new information to a captive audience, they have to file it with the SEC.
Here is back the self-proclaimed, dissipated stock market expert with tinnitus of the highest severity.
Another question for me as a study layperson: I tried Google, but did not come to a conclusion.
What about the obligation of the patients in the studies (currently in study Phase 2) not to be allowed to announce anything? Obviously you have to sign something to say nothing.
But what if you do say something? Is that a punishable offense?
If I were a study patient and I had any significant improvement in my hearing and tinnitus volume, I would post it here right away:
"Hey guys, I have maybe the best news, I had an improvement right after the first shot."
I would immediately recognize it myself:
- Online frequency test (I can't hear anything in the left ear from 6,500 Hz, and in the right ear from 8,500 Hz),
- maybe no parallel beeping in my ear while I'm driving 130 miles per hour on the Autobahn (yes, you're allowed here in Germany),
- I would no longer need an equalizer (treble) on the PC to effortlessly understand all kinds of content.
Apart from the fact that under some fake profile you can say anything that you feel like saying, that would be my great wish to give good news to the many sufferers here. I would post it on my semi-pro (musician) homepage as proof that this would be no fake profile or fake news.
Why has so far no one come here saying they've had improvements when a few of the (75?) patients have improved according to the previous study results? Because maybe only 1% of the patients are on Tinnitus Talk? Or because you are simply not allowed to say anything and stick to it?
Or because all 75 patients are here on the forum but don't want to share their disappointment if it doesn't work?
(?)
Another question for me as a study layperson: I tried Google, but did not come to a conclusion.
What about the obligation of the patients in the studies (currently in study Phase 2) not to be allowed to announce anything? Obviously you have to sign something to say nothing.
But what if you do say something? Is that a punishable offense?
If I were a study patient and I had any significant improvement in my hearing and tinnitus volume, I would post it here right away:
"Hey guys, I have maybe the best news, I had an improvement right after the first shot."
I would immediately recognize it myself:
- Online frequency test (I can't hear anything in the left ear from 6,500 Hz, and in the right ear from 8,500 Hz),
- maybe no parallel beeping in my ear while I'm driving 130 miles per hour on the Autobahn (yes, you're allowed here in Germany),
- I would no longer need an equalizer (treble) on the PC to effortlessly understand all kinds of content.
Apart from the fact that under some fake profile you can say anything that you feel like saying, that would be my great wish to give good news to the many sufferers here. I would post it on my semi-pro (musician) homepage as proof that this would be no fake profile or fake news.
Why has so far no one come here saying they've had improvements when a few of the (75?) patients have improved according to the previous study results? Because maybe only 1% of the patients are on Tinnitus Talk? Or because you are simply not allowed to say anything and stick to it?
Or because all 75 patients are here on the forum but don't want to share their disappointment if it doesn't work?
(?)
- May 27, 2020
- 556
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- Loud music/headphones/concerts - Hyperacusis from motorbike
Lmao.
Well I think what I probably meant to say in more gentle terms was that Frequency Therapeutics would be making some kind of statement to the industry that there is a new player in the game. What that means for hearing aid companies remains to be seen. I just find it very interesting that a clinical drug company have hired an audiologist to lead the line from a marketing strategy point of view. I think the way you put it was more in line with recent comments made by Carl LeBel in another interview if I'm not mistaken, but as others pointed out Carl would have had to have been careful with how much he let on there. Of course he may well have been outright honest, if not by design then certainly by coincidence.
I agree that we are overthinking this. I've noticed my own anxiety levels have been up the last few days over this and I took a break from the forum for a few days until this evening.
And yes, you're right about the digital age, a conference certainly isn't required. I'm just trying to understand why they would send Kevin, the marketing strategist who is also an audiologist, into the firing line unless he had something important to say.
Maybe you're right though, maybe I am overthinking all this.
- May 27, 2020
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- Loud music/headphones/concerts - Hyperacusis from motorbike
- Feb 14, 2020
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You had me except for this point. I agree that Kevin Franck is both recognized as a respected audiologist in the field, and a patient advocate. I don't think it's going to be an F-U to the hearing aid industry. Kevin Franck is more likely there to reveal to professionals in the same field that finally they have a new treatment to help their patients; and this will likely be the first seed planted to begin the shift in mindset. I suspect this is why they are a sponsor in the event, and paying for the 50-ish graduate students to attend for free. They know they have a lot of work to do to create ground-up support for a regenerative treatment, and who better to lead it than a person with a history of progressive action in the field?
This isn't the first time I've seen this; in other industries, a firm will bring on someone with some clout to gain attention, shift points of view, etc. Franck seems like that type of person, and in the right role in marketing a product planning.
- May 27, 2020
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Indeed. As I just put it to @Zugzug further above, I could have probably made my point in more gentle terms and I think we're all making the same point, which is that Frequency Therapeutics are about to make some kind of statement to the industry that there is a new player in town.
- Feb 14, 2020
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You're definitely not overthinking the conference piece of it. Professionals are not trolling Twitter or Facebook all day, or on other stock market websites like many are here. These are people that go to learn about the latest and greatest in their fields, they're often the opinion leaders in the local circles or office/practice. Many are just really into what they do, and are like minded to people like Kevin Franck. So, it's a great setting to get the earliest-adopters thinking about regenerative medicine, and how it will help patients in the future.
Pre-COVID-19, I usually went to 1 or 2 conferences related to my field. I always selected speakers to watch that I felt could provide me of something that was of value in my profession, or offer insight on an area that I found interesting. Probably no different here.
I think you are spot on. It wouldn't be a good look to have McLean and Franck just go over Phase 1 results and end with "but let's see what the 90-day readout looks like within 2 weeks..."
- Aug 5, 2019
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Lol what? So you really think that most people who saw the drug help them and believe in it would want to violate their NDA and slow down the process? Dude, look up Occam's razor.
12 business days people, 12 days! The pain of waiting is real. I don't think we can deduce anything definitively by the stock market or the company's actions so far or the lack of numerous subjects flocking here with news.
- Aug 5, 2019
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Definitely true if they are confident in all of the data, calculations, conclusions, etc. But what if someone caught something? That is a ton of data... I guess if the conference passes before the results are released, we will know that something was caught. They certainly wouldn't do this arbitrarily...
All of these questions have been answered before in the thread, but of course you know this since you said it yourself that you've read all 500 pages of it. Right??
- May 27, 2020
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- Loud music/headphones/concerts - Hyperacusis from motorbike
It's also a 45-minute time-slot. Assuming that time is split evenly, I must wonder what Kevin is going to talk about for the best part of 25 minutes. Frequency Therapeutics have filled out the time in previous presentations by talking about the wider impact of hearing loss on the economy, but those were presentations to investors. This is to people in the industry. This isn't the place to say something people know already.
It has to be something new, surely. Just looking at the titles of the other presentations and the other companies, Frequency Therapeutics stick out like a sore thumb.
Not sure if relevant or not, but Akouos just released new updates about their drug for congenital hearing loss a few days ago and, as you pointed out, are also presenting. I think it would look especially lame (for lack of a better word) for Frequency Therapeutics to be the biotech there just going over old data again.
- May 27, 2020
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What do you mean exactly by caught something? You mean a mistake in their own analysis or a bad readout?
In any case, you've just made me consider the alternative: would Frequency Therapeutics present at a conference so close to official readout knowing their drug is a dead duck? My point being that even if they don't present their results before or at the conference, surely they would know enough by now to determine whether or not their product is viable. If it wasn't, would they still go ahead with Wednesday, only to present bad data a week or two later? That would be quite humiliating for both Will and Kevin given their positions in the company.
- Feb 14, 2020
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I'd like to note that so far at the end of 2020, beginning of 2021, they've skipped a couple the investor conferences that they had attended in prior years. It's not enough yet to draw any total conclusions, but one might be inclined to think that they're shifting their strategy away from attracting investment, to educating/informing target professionals and patients. It had been discussed in the past that the doctor / patient efforts were the next major milestones. This will only be possible if they're confident with the data, otherwise they'd be going back to investors looking for money to keep FX-322 alive.
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