Introgen's 'Promise'

Introgen Therapeutics(INGN Quote) has accused me of being "false and misleading" because of some sharply worded columns in which I detail the ways the company has misled investors about its development of the cancer gene therapy Advexin.

So far, Introgen hasn't detailed how I've been false and misleading, and the company has never contacted me or asked TheStreet.com for a correction. But on Thursday, Introgen will hold a conference call to discuss its fourth-quarter results. On that call, the company has promised to comment further.

Good. It should be a fun call. To get ready for it, I read through transcripts of Introgen conference calls going back four years. Below is a timeline of sorts, complete with excerpts that detail the many ways in which the Advexin story has changed over the years.

Investors would be well-served to acquaint themselves with this timeline before Introgen management speaks again on Thursday.

Here's Max Talbot, Introgen's regulatory chief, speaking on the company's second-quarter 2003 conference call on Aug. 12, 2003:

"As discussed in previous calls, it is our plan to file the BLA for Advexin and head and neck cancer in 2004."

Then, David Nance, Introgen's president and CEO, speaking on the company's fourth quarter 2003 conference call, held Feb. 27, 2004:

"We are moving closer to our goal of filing a BLA -- Biologic License Application -- for Advexin later this year."