"We need one of two things in my mind....first and foremost in a partner, the bigger the better.  And the second is like the first, a Key Opinion Leader to echo Don's bullish outlook."

I agree with you on this GAC. There is no mention of Dr. Ray in this statement. DM is a salesman and that will always be weighed on his statements. Dr. Ray did a fine job and is a more refined academic. Both fine! I read you statement as that RVX needs someone closer to Dr. Ray's status to state something more bullish. That might not come. Even though Dr. Ray did a fine job, I won't always say that about all academics. I feel Dr. Shah went too far in stating that this drug isn't ready to give to humans. Possibly or probably not but the FDA and other regulators will decide that. Steve Nissen (Cleveland Clinic) almost immediately after ASSURE top line went in front of the camera and stated the these guys are barking up the wrong tree. He didn't wait for the data to be studied even briefly, just top line. I felt at the time that his statement was unprofessional and unscientific. Stephen Nichol was more professional. The FDA appeared to disagree with Nissen as they supported BoM. 

Although the article you gave the link to was fine, the journalist that chose the title failed. He said that Apabetalone did not benefit MACE. That is a gross overstatement and maybe even an outright lie but that is the most lasting statement in the article that the public sees. BoM did not prove statistically to reduce MACE by a significant amount. It did show a distinct possibility that it might but this article heading states that it definitely did not. Even if we forget the sub-studies, 18% or 21% is benefitting MACE, it just isn't proven statistically to be reliable results. That might need to be proven further but definitely says more than did not benefit MACE. That is where someone with a higher status in the field than DM speaking up more favorably would help. I'm not saying Dr. Ray should and there is maybe nobody that will but if someone did, it would give more credibility to DM's enthusiasm.