November 21, 2002 is likely to be remembered by the national security community not only as the day the U.S. Navy successfully intercepted a ballistic missile target in its "ascent" phase.
McDonald suggests one likely target: Albuferon, an interferon drug for hepatitis C now in phase 2 trials that belongs to Human Genome Sciences (nasdaq: HGSI - news - people ).
The test, in which an Aegis ballistic missile cruiser shot down a target fired from Hawaii, was the first exo-atmospheric kinetic intercept of a ballistic missile in the ascent phase of flight, and the third intercept from an Aegis warship.