Don deBethizy, president and chief executive of Targacept Inc., is big on using sports metaphors to describe how the biopharmaceutical company is doing. For example, deBethizy uses “shots on goal” to describe Targacept’s strategy for developing as many drug-compound options as possible to raise its odds of success. And last week he used more metaphors after the Winston-Salem company and licensing partner AstraZeneca PLC reported a disappointing clinical-trial result with Targacept’s most promising drug compound for major depressive disorder.
