DNDN: What You Should Know About DNDN and Provenge

1) FDA approval: DNDN's Provenge met and exceeded all FDA-stated requirements for approval. The most recent trial results constitute conclusive proof that Provenge works, and the FDA WILL approve the treatment. Anyone expressing significant doubt at this point either doesn't know the facts or has ulterior motives. 2) How Provenge works: Due to the buzz surrounding this stock there are all kinds of in-depth looks at exactly how Provenge works. For the purpose of this analysis I will give a simplified explanation. Provenge is a cancer vaccination (footnote 1) that trains the body's immune system to destroy cancer cells. The side effects are minimal, involving cold and influenza-like symptoms, and all but irrelevant in comparison to the side effects of Provenge's only competitor, a chemotherapy called Taxotere. 3) Prostate Cancer facts: In 2005 alone, there were 230,000 diagnosed cases of prostate cancer and 30,000 deaths related to prostate cancer (footnote 2). If you take a look at the difference between cases diagnosed and deaths due to the disease, you might arrive at some false conclusions as to what we can expect in the future; it looks like prostate cancer is on the rise! While that is true to some extent, it is important to realize that prostate cancer primarily affects the elderly (males older than 50) and is often asymptomatic. This means that prostate cancer is often not even treated, and many who develop prostate cancer die before its affects are even felt of unrelated causes. That being said, part of the reason that prostate cancer is often not treated is the fact that until now the primary treatment method for late stage prostate cancer was chemotherapy. Patients would often rather let prostate cancer run its course than suffer Taxotere's side effects. 4) The stock: Analyst consensus prices this stock at about $35 by year end. With a proven concept for safe, effective cancer treatments that price tag is just the beginning. This stock is ideal for the long-term investor with a relatively high risk tolerance, who is willing to stomach the fluxuating prices. Disclaimer: Long DNDN (1) Provenge is a vaccination in the sense that it harnesses the body's own immune system. It is not a preventative measure, but is rather a treatment for cancer. (2) Jemal A; Murray T, Ward E, Samuels A, Tiwari RC, Ghafoor A, Feuer EJ, Thun MJ (Jan-February 2005). "Cancer statistics, 2005". CA Cancer J Clin 55 (1): 10?30. PMID 15661684. Erratum in: CA Cancer J Clin. 2005 Jul-Aug;55(4):259