Exelixis, Inc. and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Await Their Cancer-Drug Fates

Two kids who grow up in the same dodgy neighborhood can end up worlds apart—depending on the choices they make, and often, a big dash of luck. Two South San Francisco companies born in the risky environs of biotechnology in the early 1990s have both survived through two decades of twists and in turns on the path toward new drug development. Both Exelixis and Onyx Pharmaceuticals are hoping for FDA approvals within the next two months. Exelixis has attained a market capitalization of more than $800 million. But Onyx, its neighbor down East Grand Avenue, is worth over $5.2 billion.