Everyone is a little edgy

[biopearl123]

I could not help but notice that some regular and valued posters are a little edgy after ASH given the absence of a major PR program by Geron post presentations. The fact is, the clinical data to date, has been milked (with the exception of the new data on Luspatercept failures which was encouraging along with the continued TI data). A question was posed on YMB as to my failure to make any statements about the lymphoma data. I didn’t simply because I had nothing to say. But to expand on that, the data was not granted the status of a poster presentation at ASH and was published along with other interesting abstracts that were felt not to merit a poster as yet. Even the MD Anderson investigator did not have anything to say. It reminded me of the multiple myeloma abstract from Dr. Matsui’s lab that showed a decrement in the MM circulating stem cell but apparently did not merit a poster spot. These submissions are reviewed by a panel of experts and that’s just how they felt. As far as having future value for the company maybe it does but we all know how long development of a new indication appears to take, as well as assessment of an appropriate combination that might work well, a lesson hard learned. Instead in the near (MDS) and intermediate term (MF) its all about these indications. Geron is keeping its PR powder dry for the big reveal (or big bust) in a couple of weeks. If the former there will be plenty of fanfare and a pre or post market conference call to discuss the results, and we will need to see how much of Luspatercept’s market will likely go to Imetelstat. It may be substantial but probably not all. (A subgroup of the current study will be similar to the Luspatercept study patients.) Reasonable financial projections and stock valuation will follow. In addition to depth and length of effect, other metrics will need to be evaluated, symptoms, AML transformation risk, PFS, OS etc. Geron will make a strong effort to “differentiate.” Geron’s recent hires and current listed positions speak to trying to find every potential patient and educate them and their physicians. No doubt there will be a marketing battle to say nothing of a reimbursement battle, all in the future. I imagine Geron has gotten plenty of legal advice which may have informed how the upcoming public announcements are approached. In the meantime there will be plenty of opportunity to criticize or laude as we evaluate the looming happenings at Geron. This (broad) hint of more products is intriguing and skepticism is natural given the history of the moving goal posts we have seen in the past. I sincerely hope Geron is well past that. bp

[kmall]

Bp - very well said. However I'd like to add/clarify a few points while we are addressing the topic at hand.

1. Up until this week I have been a staunch advocate of Dr. Scarlett and his ability to navigate what I perceive as treacherous waters in bringing a FIC drug from it's initial stages through the FDA/EMA process and into commercialization. Perhaps at times I've been to staunch of an advocate. I've reserved some views which I personally considered mis-steps - for lack of a better term - as "part of the process" of getting this ball into the end zone. One of those being a blank check attitude by the spending of company funds - which are in actuality SHAREHOLDER funds - mine, yours and most folks invested/interested in the development of how this company has and is planning to proceed over the course of these past four years and into the future. Some, including yourself would like to characterize any judgement as frustration and "edgy." I prefer disappointed and downright disgusted at what I view as a lackadaisical attitude towards investors, especially this past week. Believe me, up until now I have held my breath. The Lymphoid Malignancy study at MD Anderson was a fairly big deal and so far it has been fluffed off as an after thought. It was barely mentioned by Dr. Feller in the last quarterly as an "upcoming" publication in the BLOOD JOURNAL. That publication was LAST month. This was a "company sponsored" study - meaning once again that US SHAREHOLDERS footed the bill - at probably the most premiere Cancer research hospital in the world at the moment. It was lauded over as a highlight on "Investor Day" last year and they even brought in Dr. Swaminathan P. Iyer from MD Anderson as a KOL and lead investigator of that study. Fortunately for me, I've only been observing this company for the past 9yrs as an investor, so I don't recall the "multiple myeloma abstract from Dr. Matsui’s lab that showed a decrement in the MM circulating stem cell" which you have referred to. Thanks for answering that question by the way. Although there wasn't much meat to the bone we were given in the BLOOD JOURNAL, I did find the conclusion as a potential positive moving forward:

"In the lymphoma landscape, telomerase may be a therapeutic target for ABC-type DLBCL (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma); the novel telomerase inhibitor Imetelstat may present one of the potential treatment options."

So here's my issue(s) with how we were treated. That study was a carrot dangled to investors for 16months. Barely a mention of it when it finally concluded and it was literally buried in a 3rd party journal which we as investors had to dig for. They couldn't have supplied a PR with a link at minimum? Even if they don't decide to proceed with Lymphoma as a target indication, give an explanation and wrap-up at least. I wonder what that study ended up costing us shareholders in the end?

2. You hire a "Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications" 8 months ago - whom I'm sure is EXTREMELY financially compensated, as all of these recent hires seem to be, through both salaries and over the top inducement grants - and just as ASH 2022 concludes, LITERALLY, as in the NEXT DAY, she's "out on maternity leave" until the first week of March 2023.....WHAT??? No interim replacement? Didn't they place an ad for an additional IR staff member several months ago? I don't recall that "Olivia and company" would be filling in for her during her absence as you stated they said, but that brings up my next point. Why are we paying her in the first place if her position can be passed around the office like a box of donuts? Don't get me wrong. I'm estatic for Aron becoming a mother and she fully deserves her time off for doing just that, but how about a little preparation from the company before it's most crucial time period commences. You mean to tell me that the link between investors and the company is out of the office during P3 TLR and that's okie dokie? This company is spending a FORTUNE on the backs of investors since September 2018, we've been diluted twice since then. I'm sorry, but in the work environment I'm accustomed to, that is totally unacceptable. Again, not Aron's fault.... MANAGEMENTS. And specifically Dr. Scarlett, he is the CEO of this company. The buck stops with him. Period.

3. Speaking of management. Where has Ed Koval been hiding all year long? He's another recent hire - December 2, 2021 who was given 950,000 inducement grants and we have yet to hear a peep out of him. I can only hope he's doing what he was hired to do. Here's an excerpt from the 12/2/2021 PR regarding his employment with Geron:

“Ed Koval’s business development expertise, extensive industry network and successful track record in corporate deal-making further strengthens our executive team,” said John A. Scarlett, M.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “With top-line results from our IMerge Phase 3 trial in lower risk MDS expected 13 months from now, and an interim analysis of our ongoing IMpactMF Phase 3 trial in refractory myelofibrosis expected in 2024, Ed will be a key member of our executive management as we explore multiple strategies to build and accrete value in both our imetelstat and telomerase inhibitor franchises.”

Was that statement just more lip service from this company -blah, blah, blah...- or is this what we should expect as investors? I'm sorry to bring Jerry McQuire into the equation, but enough already...."SHOW US THE $$$" Dr. Scarlett.

4. While we're in the management department. How about that shady lawyer who sold off a substantial amount of Geron shares right before Geron and Janssen parted ways? Can't they fire him already? That never sat right with me and probably 99.9% of the other investors who have piled their hard earned savings into this company. He should be breaking rocks right now out at a Federal Penitentiary in the middle of the Mojave desert.

Speaking of lawyers, why do we cave into these ridiculous "frivolous" lawsuits in the first place? While team Geron is out on a spending spree worse then a pack of drunken sailors, how about hiring a REAL PITBULL ATTORNEY who stands up to these parasitic lawyers going after this company every chance they get? Has that even been considered? Go out and hire an Ex-Fed prosecutor who not only fends off this nonsense, but reclaims our finances with countersuits for frivolous lawsuit filings in the first place. Didn't WE - SHAREHOLDERS - just shell out $24,000,000.00 through insurance and our funds to settle one of these nonsensical judgements?

5. For all of those who questioned today: that was me - the REAL Kmall on the YMB earlier today. In real life I'm not afraid to tell it like it is. I try and compose myself as best as I can on Imetechat for the purpose that THIS board serves. And apologies to those who may feel how I'm communicating here now is a little abrasive, but my dearest friend in this world suffered horribly through cancer and was taken away at the age of 41. When I see something as obvious as the points I just bought to the table, it irks me to see what I perceive as negligence and in my view disrespectful treatment of investors who actually believe in a science which may help those in the future - maybe even some of us reading this board right now. Dr. Scarlett and his team are employees of a PUBLIC COMPANY. OUR COMPANY. And they deserve to be held accountable when they blatantly drop the ball. With that said I'm looking forward to P3 TLR and hope that this is the last time I need to address how I feel negatively about corporate decisions from a company and leader I expect nothing but the best from. Wishing you all a Happy Holiday season. -Kmall

[biopearl123]

Kmall, let’s start with the lymphoma study at MD Anderson. To better understand the history of the carrot, all one has to do is substitute the words Lane for Iyer and AML for lymphoma. Four years ago Dr. Scarlett held a conference that headlined Dr. Lane and his AML research. Very impressive mouse results and a “promised” (sort of ) AML study, surprise, it hasn’t started yet. And there was virtually total silence for four years. Lots of sidestepping and hedging. The lymphoma study at MD Anderson was company funded, I think. Why? Because Geron wants to expand indications that natural. But the conclusions are seriously lukewarm and basically says thanks for the funding, here’s what we got, it’s a “maybe.” Right. Don’t hang your hat on this one and to be sure nothing clinical for a long time. Publication in the Blood journal means little as this study finds plenty of company with the “overflow” that did not rate poster presentations at ASH. Maybe more work is being done. I am much more interested to see if Dr. Ma and Dr. Catriona Jamieson have anything cooking. Also what product line expansions Geron is working on. They will never share inside workings of the company i.e. your wish to know what Ed is up to will not be granted until there is something to be made public. Geron has never been know to be transparent with its shareholders. You can ask your questions once a year at the shareholders meeting. To be fair when I write to the company with a question, they answer. Some answers are impossible because data is not yet generated. I accept that and rely on whatever we can dig up. If Geron is to expand, the logical acquisition or merger is MAIA. There is a lot of history there. Bill has been the one who pointed this out a long time ago. Say what you will, he might be right. Your frustrations have been shared by all of us but this rapid expansion of personnel and a commitment to a dedicated internal IR department has suggested to me that the veil might be lifting, to Geron’s credit. I truly hope you will be singing a different tune in two weeks (hymns maybe?) or so, not so long to wait before making a judgement. That might be the best time to unload but lets hope you don’t have to. bp

[kmall]

Bp- First off, a tremendous THANK YOU for all you do on this board and especially your ability to break down and communicate scientific data/information to layman like myself. It's a special skill and one which should be applauded. If there is anyone deserving of a nice chunk of inducement grants from this company, it would be you.

I'll try and summarize a response as brief as possible here and then it's probably best to put any grievances to rest for now. Out of the list of 4 issues I stated in this thread, perhaps one was a stretch. Ed Koval is an Executive Officer of Geron and was given a healthy incentive to join the rank and file. I will agree that most likely in his position we hear in a PR from him after the fact, however, I'll stick to my guns on the reassurance of a public introduction and perhaps plan/strategy moving forward from the actual horses mouth. Dr. Rizo, Dr. Feller and Anil Kapur have all proven that point in my view as an investor here. With that said, while I admire and respect Dr. Scarlett for his abilities up to this point, there seems to be an inordinate amount of froth in the form of positions, salaries and inducement grants. I thoroughly understand the age old adage of "you get what you pay for," but there are some cart before the horse positions in this company in my view, and even I, a true supporter of that reasoning am starting to question the over the top spending of this company at the moment. Do we really need a Director of Forecasting at this time? Earlier on the YMB I saved Geron and investors $225,000 by answering that one.

Here's my forecast: There are a LOT of patients globally that need Imetelstat and once approved we intend to sell it to them through insurance companies. End of story.

Ok, so I'm making light of it, but I think most investors who I interacted with on the YMB feel the same way. Let's just get to approval first. That position seems like a far way down the road to me.

This company has been spending in other ways as well which haven't been disclosed to investors at all. Geron contracted Bloombase last year as a "feel-good' experience for employees. Is that REALLY necessary? Aren't these individuals paid enough and experienced as it is to perform the task at hand already? Give me a friggin break. Here's an except of what they are all about:

"Getting to your greatest impact takes courage and commitment. The Bloombase Experience can get you there. The mission of Bloombase is to be a catalyst for meaningful, transformative learning that creates positive change. Bloombase is the place where individuals, teams and organizations step into the fire of discovery to get grounded in what is essential and powerful. This groundmaking is what fuels growth. Engage with us in the way that is most meaningful to you: - 1:1 Executive Coaching Partnerships - Customized Team Development - Collaborative Consulting Engagements - Immersive Experiences – including Advanced Women Leaders and the Experience for Women Business Owners"

https://thisisbloombase.com/

Talk about an inappropriate use of company funds at this time. If you don't feel empowered enough by helping sick patients and being in the trenches of a company who needs to be focused on the end zone results of approval/commercialization with all of the pay and incentives attached when you were hired, then maybe go out and find another job. Period.

Here's an idea....how about making INVESTORS - the ones paying you all - feel good for a change? I wonder what #teamawesome shelled out for that one? And there has been more of that nonsense going on behind the scenes, I can assure you. I'm keeping it "brief."

So the Head of Investor Relations and the shady lawyer you didn't care to elaborate on. I'll let those two topics go for now.

The Lymphoma study. Dr. Rizo who was CMO at the time of it's announcement had experience at Janssen with "the ibrutinib mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) program and was responsible for all MCL studies led by Janssen. During her initial tenure with Janssen, Dr. Rizo worked on a variety of Velcade clinical trials in lymphoma and multiple myeloma." This to me and many other investors, the prospect of a Lymphoma study at MD Anderson seemed like a well thought out development plan in the evolution of Geron's commercialization strategy. As you pointed out, it may still be on-going. Regardless, supply a link and summation for INVESTORS on where this study currently stands. End of story. In the world I'm from it's put up or shut up. And I'm not talking about some anonymous poster on a message board who thinks that by divulging a screenshot of ones holdings validates their stance on being involved in the interest of a company one is invested in. Ever hear of Photoshop? You're telling me that you can smudge out personal information, but you can't add a few digits here and there to enhance your balance sheet? I'm not saying that's the case, but my 9yr old nephew could doctor one up in less than a half an hour if I wanted him to. I found that quite comical and didn't feel the need to respond to such a juvenile request. Besides, this is not the forum for that sort of behavior. I will remind this individual, all of that started with a shot across my bow about the departure of John Brenner - Director, Clinical Quality Assurance and how I disclosed it on this board. This individual claimed I was "sweeping it under the rug." Kind of funny since I divulged it to this board in the first place. He then went ahead and subsequently edited out any correspondence leading up to that about being harassed etc. I'm still waiting for that list which was requested before his ridiculous "counter offer." BTW - that deep analysis was nothing more than buy the rumor-sell the news. Nothing new and deep in my estimation. Water under the bridge and I actually did appreciate his input here yesterday and analysis on where we stand, so hopefully we find common ground and can break bread.

And last in your response. Bill.

Well quite frankly, not a fan. He straight up called me a racist, a liar, crazy and broke. Didn't pull any punches and has his cute little paraphrasing which some find witty. I don't think he's cute, witty or admirable. I have several other adjectives for him that I'll keep to myself. What I will say is "IF" he is who he claims to be - and I don't believe it for a second - sending in some op-ed pieces to a middle of a nowhere newspaper and claiming that they were published "before hand" is validity of ones existence - has not passed the smell test in my book. I find it sad and disturbing that an individual with a scientific background spends an inordinate amount of time on the internet, on MULTIPLE forums under several handles posting away as much as he does for the good of nothing but basically undermining ones investment in up and coming Biotech companies. He needs serious phycological help if you ask me if he's not a paid basher. Which is yet another claim I don't believe. I read through some of his posts on Stock Twits the other day and it's just pathetic the time he spends attacking individuals and spreading FUD. His shameless hawking of stocks as an arm chair quarter back I would file in the desperate and pathetic category. He's another one who blatantly lied on this board about me and was never called out publicly for his inappropriate behavior and violating the terms for posting on this board. Again the only reason I speak this way was that shot was fired at me first. You draw first blood, then you are fair game as far as I'm concerned.

I hate to leave on that note, but I will agree that MAIA and Geron may have a collaborative future together at some juncture. So much for keeping it brief. -Kmall

[Bridge to Sell]

Seriously Kmall? Wow. Just wow.

[biopearl123]

I have a few more thoughts to share but won’t get to it until later tonight

[bucbeard]

well bridge, one person's "cesspool" is another's oasis.

I am VERY thankful for ImetelChat.

Thank you BP, kmall and the rest of the serious contributors that make this oasis a safe haven for those that care about the future of Geron, Imetestat and the patients.

[Ryan]

For the record, I am not edgy at all

I am highly confident that Imetelstat is safe and effective, and Phase III TLR will be as solid or even better than the Phase II data we have seen over and over and over (and over,,, I know, durability and additional data analysis), likely much better.

I am further confident in the team to shepherd the NDA and achieve FDA approval, for MDS... and MF to boot year or so later.

I hate waiting. I'm pretty sure that I have less patience then anyone here. But I can see the data and the data is beyond refute.
As I often say in my own line of work, the numbers speak for themselves.

Cheers and beers/wine/egg nog/liquor/apple cider ...

[jingledsassy]

I have said this before....Don't piss kmall off....that said I think kmall and you Bp should get a position with Geron and some options....have to post here due to the total destruction of the ymb by Adam F....jmo....Bp and Kmall you 2 are real leaders.....Hope we can all get together on done the Imetelstat road....That would be Tits....

[cheng_ho]

Thanks for your recent posts, kmall, you make some good points. However, you can't stick with your "Bill iS a rEpTile aLiEN" stuff unless you actually believe that I have time travel tech... I have posted the subjects of op-eds and scientific papers on YHOO BEFORE THEY WERE PUBLISHED many times over the years (been on YHOO since 1998). I am indeed Bill Walker, the technician at Shay-Wright that first used Imet on HeLa cells in a dish.

As far as my comments on the SLS (formerly GALE) boards, well, you might want to look into the history of the GALE/SLS pump-and-short gang. The SEC looked into them after GALE's collapse, there are court records.

I agree with you that GERN "management" isn't being serious enough about prepping for a drug launch. Doctors have to hear about a drug before they can use it, and time is getting short. Hopefully Rizo's departure was because she knows a buyout is coming... and the stock price can at least not drop in January. GLTA

[kmall]

Buc, Ryan, Jingle, and fellow Imetechat members. This journey the past 9yrs for me as an investor has been one which I sincerely hope cumulates with the approval and commercialization of a drug and investment I think most here still believe in. My "angst" this past week, and I have NEVER felt that way prior, not even on September 27, 2018, was what I perceived as a lukewarm handling in what I have already stated prior here on this board. Personally, I broke many cardinal rules as an investor and got caught up with the notion that this breakthrough science could eventually help patients like my best friend who had passed away. Never get emotionally tied to an "investment." Rule #1....guilty as charged, I broke it. I've done very well in the stock market in the past with some solid and let's face it "lucky" calls, and I've also lost a fair amount on speculative calls like DRYS, EVSLR and CLNE. Those were all speculative investments and as such I knew that. Kept to my 5% rule and called it part of doing business with the street. GERN for me was different. I truly believed in the drug first and foremost, once I started doing some research in the science behind it and the market potential for patients. Then the company itself. I had given Dr. Scarlett a pass on the entire JNJ debacle. That's what I'll call it since that's how I see it. A lot of retail investors like myself got hurt REAL bad. It truly was like driving a heard of buffalo off a cliff. Fortunately, at that point I had about 10% in the game. Others were not as lucky. Part of the game. I sucked it up and decided to give Dr. Scarlett the benefit of doubt and triple down. I'm still quite confident I walk away whole here at the end of the day, and probably then some. However, when you look at the minimal effort this company just put into several things that could have really benefitted investors this past week or so, you start to question the company's abilities from an investment perspective. I'm not talking about revealing anything that would have taken away from what we're all now waiting for.....TLR, the next can down the street. I used to play kick the can as a kid, so I know a thing or two about that one. Anyway, over this same time period I have noticed something else over the horizon. And for investors in Geron, it is dark and looming, and quite frankly looks pretty scary. That is competition in this space. It's always been there since my first day here, but it's been incrementally building like a little snowball rolled off the highest mountain peak that turns into an avalanche crushing anything in it's path. It's coming and there's nothing we can do as Geron investors to stop it. Now Imetelstat is still a unique prospect in the space with it's potential in combos and it's ability to target multiple indications, but you have to have tried and true management at the helm to get this job done. I now hear this constant drumbeat from management about being able to "go it alone." It's a far cry from the Ex-US Partnership jargon we were spoon fed in multiple PR's several years ago. Perhaps the data IS that good and Dr. Scarlett knows he has an ace up his sleeve and what I perceive as dropping the ball is really just being coy and illusive in a space - his space - not mine where being coy and illusive keeps you alive. I'm in the live event production world and I've worked and still do with the biggest companies in the world - including JNJ - out in Morristown, NJ every year. So I have my space and he has his. From what I can see, his is not an easy road to traverse. But what I can also see, or perceive at THIS moment is a somewhat disregard as far as investors are concerned. This comes to me now in several forms: Extravagant bonuses each and every year, feel good seminars for employees - do they REALLY NEED that now?? - give me a fat salary with oddles of inducement grants and I'll feel good - trust me, prematurely filling positions which to me seem a year or more down the road from needing to be filled, lack of communication with investors to a certain extent - I voiced that already for the most part so I won't get into it - and salaries with inducement grants which rival those of MULTI-BILLION $$ Corporations. The last one I do understand, money attracts talent. Period.

But for a guy like myself who has had to work extremely hard and gives 110% when I'm contracted to work, I now see some fiscal wrangling which if I was a CEO in a similar position I may consider. It feels to me like the financial water spigot has been cranked all the way open and it's the investors who foot the water bill. I won't get into what I think he should do, he's the CEO, I'm merley outside the window looking in. But how about as a gesture towards investors of NOT recieving ANY bonuses this year for starters? He does and has done very well for himself and the rest of management. But at the end of the day there is still NOTHING to sell yet. And there won't be for well over a year, most likely two. I don't know if I want to laugh or cry when I hear that "going it alone mantra"??? It's like nails on a chalkboard to me. The ONLY way this company goes it alone is two roads - a ROCK SOLID partnership or MASSIVE dilution. Period. A buy out is not going it alone and neither is a partnership - so what does that leave? It's called dilution. Geron now has 100+ employees with a gargantuan payroll to fill year in and year out. That's fine if you have money coming in the door. Right now that's not the case. They do have patents with potential royalties, I'm not certain if any of those have come to fruition yet? Regardless, there is no way this company goes it alone without us seeing our slice of this pie getting substantially smaller by the time this company makes dollar ONE.

So at this point as an investor I'm still all in until TLR. After that I'm not so sure. I'm seriously considering tapering off about 2/3rds depending on how this data looks and what or how I see this company act. My confidence is sadly waning. And not at a good time. I was really hoping to feel optimistic and invigorated with my desicion to have stood by this company in what I thought were it's darkest days. Now my confidence is shaken, and not in the science at all. In management. At the end of the day that's all a company is, and when you see management taking care of themselves - I'm being kind here, believe me, while investors sit back and watch for over 4yrs, you start to question why you're still standing by watching this any longer. Let's hope I'm wrong. -Kmall

[Zhears]

Very well put Kmall. I have been worrying about dilution since they removed partnering from the slide deck.
Scarlet wants to go it alone and needs a lot more money to do it. There is no way he can do that now without massive dilution. Scarlet has shown previously a willingness to dilute in an underhand manner, Immediately after a conference call where it wasn't even mentioned still rankles.

Best case is the market agrees and the share price improves slightly.

[kmall]

Zhears - Dr. Scarlett is a competent CEO and I still have a very small hope that he pulls something out of his hat in a few weeks, but that hope is fading for me and fast. He sounds confident moving forward and from what I can tell has assembled a robust team to execute company goals and objectives. But at what cost? When I see a lack of belt tightening in certain areas I can only imagine what I'm NOT seeing. This past October, I did a big show in NYC for LVMH - Louis Vuitton. Talk about big $$. It's an open checkbook gig. No questions asked, get the job done...ON TIME and make it look more perfect than perfect. It feels to me that this CEO is spending with that attitude in mind. That company is over 200 yrs old. They have the resources to carry that attitude. Apples and oranges, but even they have accountability at the end of the day. Show some respect for investors and curtail spending if at all possible. If not then have a good reason for not doing so. Period. There are other points I could make, but a character assassination isn't fair, however, I found his fire side chat via video.....well let's put it this way, a little off. Covering your face through half the "chat" while resembling a twitchy Steve Jobs in a black turtle neck - is not my view of the confidence I'm accustomed to seeing a CEO display. Brush that aside, he's a medical doctor and at the end of the day his product is about the science at hand, which takes years to cull data from and produce. He has many hurdles to jump through along the way so I understand him maybe feeling anxious and nervous at times. He's human. But I won't live stream any video of him in the future. I'd rather listen. With that said, he takes home a very generous paycheck and has, since taking over his role in this company. As have his fellow colleagues of the management panel. Some investors, like myself have been here almost as long as he has. Many even longer. Show us some courtesy and respect by doing what you claimed you would. That ex-US Partnership was another carrot dangled that has since rotted in the composte pile, unless he pulls it out of his hat in the VERY near future. -Kmall

[kmall]

Everyone here OK with this......????

Dr. John A. Scarlett M.D. Chairman, Pres & CEO $1.26M

Ms. Olivia Kyusuk Bloom Exec. VP of Fin., CFO & Treasurer $743.27k

Dr. Andrew J. Grethlein Exec. VP & COO $767.28k

Ms. Melissa A. Kelly Behrs Exec. VP of Bus. Operations & Chief Alliance Officer $753.22k

Mr. Anil Kapur Exec. VP of Corp. Strategy & Chief Commercial Officer $654.89k

Ms. Aron Feingold VP of Investor Relations & Corp. Communications N/A

Mr. Stephen N. Rosenfield J.D. Exec. VP, Chief Legal Officer & Corp. Sec. N/A

Ms. Shannon Odam VP of HR N/A

Mr. Edward E. Koval Exec. VP & Chief Bus. Officer N/A

Dr. Faye Feller M.D. Exec. VP & Chief Medical Officer N/A

I wonder how much they are paying some of these N/A Executives?

#teamtakingustothecleaners -Kmall

[biopearl123]

Well, this has certainly been an interesting thread. I will just share a couple of thoughts almost all of which are in the public domaine and the others are personal. First off Dr. Scarlett and company did share that they planned a “gated” spend. The company financial slide showed a skyward increase in spend starting at the end of 2022 throughout 2023. This is from memory but I think Dr. Scarlett said the gated spend would be data driven. Interpret that as you will. Some of the new job postings have probably not been hired as of yet but they look very interesting. As to the upcoming PIII data release. If part II reflects part I, we can expect about a third of patients having a very deep and prolonged drug effect, a third showing HI (transfusion reduction) and a third probably not responding by much. We can also anticipate a home for Luspatercept failures about a third of whom will likely respond deeply and a third of which may improve for a while. I think it is important to keep in mind that if disease modification is conclusively confirmed that this will be a first and a big first it would be, and may translate into improved OS, PFS and maybe symptom improvement, all are something that has been called for by the heme/onc community and should be readily comparable to the competition. Now to the personal stuff. I recently had a conversation with a family member who is in a surgical sub specialty residency. She complained that she was treated harshly while on a trauma team rotation. I suggested she grow I thicker skin since being on a trauma team is not about nice. I told her if she wants nice she should go into a social work program. Before I went to medical school my Dad gave me some advice. He said I should be willing to eat sh*t until I could distinguish seven different flavors. I tasted them all and then rose to several positions of leadership and responsibility. But even though I did it voluntarily, we fellow board members should not require it of each other and so I implore you to be tolerant and civil and to keep this an area where we share thoughts, ideas and information. I also suggest that if you do have concerns that you write to the company. Now that we hopefully are approaching market approval, I think we will see a Geron that wants to spread the good word. Give it a shot and report back. We are going to have plenty to talk about in the next few weeks.

[kmall]

Remember this.......?

https://www.google.com/search?q=vacatio ... tyrDZG-eDo

....the moose is laughing at us right now. -Kmall

[kmall]

Bp- I can admire and respect your old man and his life lessons. Over the course of this lifetime I've sampled all 32 Baskin Robbins flavors as well, at least twice over. It sounds like we both grew up under similar guidance. However while you went to Med School, I went to the School of Hard Knocks. I'm still there. Yet to graduate.

Let me ask you a question man to man. Yes or No if you don't mind. If it's Yes, then an explanation why? And if it's No,.....no explanation necessary.

BTW- I have communicated with this company on more than one occasion. Honestly, all I really get is a Corporate "spin" boilerplate response. People go to school just to specialize in that. Know what I mean?

As a matter of fact, during Operation KMALL, I got what I thought was an arrogant and rather inappropriate response with regards to the context. I had received a response from the Head of GLAM - Latin-America Myelodysplastic Syndrome Group - Dr. Marcelo Iastrebner.

The generous and kind Dr. Iastrebner who was EXTREMELY excited about Imetelstat - had offered 3 of his clinical sites in Argentina as site locations for the then up and coming P3 IMerge Clinical Trial. The one we're all waiting the TLR for. Their - "Geron's" - response was curt and a little annoyed - for lack of a better term. I chalked it up to them not wanting to be told how to do their job, and I totally get that, but this Dr. is one of the most highly esteemed physicians on the planet. There are one or two other examples. Turns out that South America wasn't on the list of Continents Geron pursued as Clinical Trial locations for that study. But it could have easily of been. And should have been responded to in a more appropriate manner, in my view. As an investor, I haven't elicited much better either. So I'm sure they'll softball around anything with grit.

So.....Man to Man.

Do you think that unless Geron Executives pull a GIGANTIC rabbit out of their hats in the VERY near future - in at MINIMUM a Partnership - do they deserve bonuses this year?

As an investor, you're ok with this? Take a look at those salaries in this thread as well please.

Yes or No first and then please explain if Yes. Thank you.

And also, kindly remember, calling out Dr. Anil Kapur dancing around a question on Reblozyl during that last quarterly. I'd appreciate hearing from you on this. -Kmall

[biopearl123]

I will have a definitive answer for you. In about two weeks.

[kmall]

Fair enough. And I do appreciate that.

From the salaries I'm looking at and inducement grants being given out; P3 both indications and everything else is already baked in. And generously since we've been diluted as investors twice since 2018. All of that is for the position you are already hired for.

Bonuses in my view are for going above and beyond. Including a CEO. They are incentives for a reason. A bonus for doing a spectacular job for everyone in your company.....meaning those footing the actual bills as well. Not just insiders.

Really good companies know this and act on it. Not just lip service.

BTW - Beautiful day out here off Cape Hattaras....a little nippy and 4-5' swells.....but life is truly special sometimes. -Kmall

[Ryan]

KMall, respectfully, pointing out that this message board is called “Imetelchat”, not Geronchat.

Further, I think everyone knows your opinion on those issues at this point. Leave it at that. The timing is mind boggling to me. That’s just my personal thought, you certainly are entitled to your beliefs.

As far as Imetelstat, it remains safe and effective and slowly (is that word necessary haha), methodically proving out as a first-in-class drug for a horrid disease with a desperate need, as you so well know.

Per Biopearls last response, to your pointed questions, hopefully he will not feel the need or compelled to have to comment on any of that. I’m looking forward to hearing his thoughts, and hopefully Hoosier et Al, on the biomarker data that we will be seeing.

I know “biomarker” has become an 9-letter word, due to spam / FUD and just plain nonsense on the Y board, but the pre-screening of patients into Phase III is why I am so rock-solid confidence that the PIII TLR will far exceed the already stellar PII data. In simple terms, they enrolled patients that they expected to respond best to Imetelstat monotherapy, and thus the efficacy % should be head and shoulders better than the already groundbreaking data.

2 weeks, it truly is the edge … I guess I am edgy … need to keep my balance … that’s why I am sticking mainly to sparkling cider although I encourage others to imbibe in their favorite and be ready for an upside delivery of awesome, and encouraging for future patients, data sets.

And yes , if Lucy shows up w the football this go round, I certainly am (dare I say, also) going off the edge! Cheers all