A broad market sell-off today gave up nearly all of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) gains from Tuesday, as blue chips took a hit on disappointing earnings. Just four of the Dow's 30 stocks advanced, and the index lost 138 points, or 0.9%, to close at 14,618 Wednesday.
One of those lucky few trading higher today was health0care behemoth Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) , which added 0.6% after its impressive quarterly report yesterday. The fact that the company could boost sales 8.5% shows the company is executing well and can still find areas of growth a full 127 years after going into business. Medical sales, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medications all grew at double-digit rates, and when you combine that with a 2.9% annual dividend, the stock looks pretty appealing right now.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: Fuse Science Inc (DROP)
Fuse Science, Inc. ( Fuse Science), incorporated on September 21, 1988, is a consumer products holding company. The Company maintains the rights to sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactive agents that can effectively encapsulate and charge many varying molecules in order to produce complete product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or delivered otherwise sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The Fuse Science technology is designed to accelerate conveyance of medicines or nutrients relative to traditional pills and liquids and can enhance how consumers receive these products. In December 2012, the Company launched its initial DROP products, PowerFuse, an energy formulation in a concentrated drop and ElectroFuse, an electrolyte formula in a concentrated drop, online, with the expansion into targeted retail distribution channels.
The Company is developing formulations and devices, which are compatible with alternative delivery systems for energy, medicines, vitamins and minerals, among other bioactives. These alternative systems include, but are not limited to, sublingual, transdermal and buccal drug delivery methods. use Science has developed and continues to advance, in conjunction with its scientific team, sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactives that can effectively encapsulate and charge varying molecules in order to produce product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or otherwise delivered sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The delivery technology is consists of encapsulation vesicles and ion exchange permeation enhancers. This technology utilizes a gradient across the mucosa membrane to help deliver the bioactive more efficiently through the mucosa.
The Company�� products consist of EnerJel, PowerFuse and ElectroFuse. Ene! rJel is a topical product leveraging some of its technology, which is designed to address muscle fatigue and soreness, before, during and after physical activity. The product contains a natural anti-inflammatory and energy source which is directly applied to the problem area. PowerFuse contains natural ingredients, causes no sugar crash with zero calories and less than half the caffeine of an eight ounce cup of premium coffee. It is available in a great tasting Berry Blast Flavor. ElectroFuse contains natural ingredients, causes no sugar crash with zero calories, is easily portable and is available in a great tasting Salty-Sweet flavor.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: Telik Inc (TELK)
Telik, Inc. (Telik), incorporated in 1988, is a clinical-stage drug development company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat cancer. The Company discovers its product candidates using the Company�� drug discovery technology, Target-Related Affinity Profiling (TRAP). TELINTRA, its principal drug product candidate in clinical development, is a small molecule glutathione analog inhibitor of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GST P1-1). TELCYTA, its other product candidate, is a small molecule cancer drug product candidate designed to be activated in cancer cells.
Clinical Product Development
TELINTRA is the Company�� lead small molecule product candidate in clinical development for the treatment of blood disorders, including cancer. It has a mechanism of action and acts by inhibiting GST P1-1, an enzyme that is involved in the control of cellular growth and differentiation. Inhibition of GST P1-1 results in the activation of the signaling molecule Jun kinase, a regulator of the function of blood precursor cells. Preclinical tests show that TELINTRA is capable of causing the death or apoptosis of leukemic or malignant blood cells, while stimulating the growth and development of normal blood precursor cells. TELINTRA has been studied in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) using two formulations. A liposomal formulation was developed for intravenous administration of TELINTRA and was used in Phase I and Phase II studies in MDS patients. The results from the Phase II intravenous liposomal TELINTRA clinical trials demonstrated that TELINTRA treatment was associated with improvement in all three types of blood cell levels in patients with all types of MDS, including those in intermediate and high-risk groups. An oral dosage formulation (tablet) was subsequently developed and results from a Phase I study with TELINTRA tablets showed clinical activity and the formulation to be well tolerated. In June 2011, the Company initiated a Phase II clinical ! trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. In October 2011, the Company initiated an additional Phase IIb clinical trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. '
The activity and safety profile of tablet formulation allowed the Company to complete a Phase II trial of TELINTRA tablets in MDS. The primary objective of the Phase II TELINTRA tablet study was to determine the efficacy of TELINTRA. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify MDS disease prognostic factors associated with erythroid improvement response rates, including prior MDS treatment, age, gender, the international prognostic scoring system (IPSS), risk, Eastern Cooperative Group performance status, years from MDS diagnosis, MDS World Health Organization subtypes, anemia only versus anemia plus other cytopenias, dose schedule and starting dose. Results from this study show that TELINTRA is the first GSTP1-1 enzyme inhibitor shown to cause clinically reductions in red blood cell transfusions, including transfusion independence in low to intermediate-1 risk MDS patients, as well as improvement in platelet count and white blood cell levels in certain patients. TELINTRA, administered orally twice daily, appeared to be convenient and flexible for chronic treatment administration.
TELCYTA is a small molecule drug product candidate that the Company is developed for the treatment of cancer. TELCYTA binds to GST. TELCYTA has been evaluated in multiple Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, including trials using TELCYTA as monotherapy and in combination regimens in ovarian, non-small cell lung, breast and colorectal cancer. Results from these clinical trials indicate that TELCYTA monotherapy was generally well-tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate side effects, particularly when compared to the side effects and toxicities of standard chemotherapeutic drugs. When TELCYTA was evaluated in combination with standard chemotherapeutic drugs, the tolerability of the combinations was similar to that expected of each! drug alo! ne.
Clinical activity including objective tumor responses and/or disease stabilization was reported in the TELCYTA Phase II trials; however, TELCYTA did not meet its primary endpoints in the Phase III studies. Positive results from a Phase I-IIa multicenter, dose-ranging study of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel as first-line therapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, were published in a peer reviewed publication. Clinical data demonstrated positive results of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of first-line lung cancer followed by TELCYTA maintenance therapy. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an on-going investigator-led study at a single site of TELCYTA in patients with refractory or relapsed mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse B cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
Preclinical Drug Product Development
The Company has a small molecule compound, TLK60404, in preclinical development that inhibits both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. Aurora kinase is a signaling enzyme whose function is required for cancer cell division, while VEGF plays a key role in tumor blood vessel formation, ensuring an adequate supply of nutrients to support tumor growth. These lead compounds prevented tumor growth in preclinical models of human colon cancer and human leukemia by inhibiting both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. A development drug product candidate, TLK60404, has been selected.
The Company, using its TRAP technology has discovered TLK60357, a novel, potent small molecule inhibitor of cell division. TLK60357 inhibits the formation of microtubules that are necessary for cancer cell growth leading to persistent G2/M cancer cell cycle block and subsequent cell death. This compound demonstrates potent broad-spectrum anticancer activity against a number of human cancer cells. This compound also displays oral efficacy in multiple, standard preclinical models of cancer. TLK60596, a potent VG! FR kinase! inhibitor, blocks the formation of new blood vessels in tumors. Oral administration of TLK60596 to animal models of human colon cancer reduced tumor growth.
Top Stocks To Watch For 2014: Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NAVB.A)
Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Navidea), formerly Neoprobe Corporation, incorporated in 1983, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of precision diagnostic agents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� radiopharmaceutical development programs included Lymphoseek (Lymphoseek, Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection), a radiopharmaceutical agent for lymph node mapping; AZD4694, an imaging agent, and RIGScan, a tumor antigen-specific targeting agent. In January 2012, the Company executed an option agreement with Alseres Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alseres) to license [123I]-E-IACFT Injection, also called Altropane, an Iodine-123 radiolabeled imaging agent, being developed as an aid in the diagnosis of Parkinson�� disease, movement disorders and dementia. In August 2011, the Company sold its gamma detection device line of business (the GDS Business) to Devicor Medical Products, Inc.
Lymphoseek
< p>Navidea�� pipeline includes clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical agents used to identify the presence and status of disease. Lymphoseek (Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc99m for Injection) is a lymph node targeting agent intended for use in intraoperative lymphatic mapping (ILM) procedures and lymphoscintigraphy employed in the overall diagnostic assessment of certain solid tumor cancers. The lymph system is a component of the body�� immune system. The key components of the lymph system are lymph nodes-small anatomic structures that contain disease-fighting lymphocytes, filter lymph of bacteria and cancer cells, and signal infection in response to heightened levels of pathogens. In Navidea�� Phase III clinical studies of Lymphoseek, it detected over 99% of positive nodes identified by vital blue dye (VBD). As of December 31, 2011, Navidea, in co-operation with UC, San Diego affiliate (UCSD), completed or initiated five Phase I clinical trials, one multi-c enter Phase II trial and three multi-center Phase II trial! s ! involving Lymphoseek. Two Phase III studies were completed in subjects with breast cancer and melanoma. During the year ended December 31, 2011, data from NEO3-09 were released, which indicated that all primary and secondary endpoints for the study were met. As of December 31, 2011, third Phase III clinical trial for Lymphoseek in subjects with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (NEO3-06) was in progress.
AZD4694
AZD4694 is a Fluorine-18 labeled precision radiopharmaceutical candidate for use in the imaging and evaluation of patients with signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). It binds to beta-amyloid deposits in the brain that can then be imaged in positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Amyloid plaque pathology is a required feature of AD and the presence of amyloid pathology is a supportive feature for diagnosis of probable AD. Patients who are negative for amyloid pathology do not have AD. AZD4694 has b een studied in several clinical trials. Clinical studies through Phase IIa have included more than 80 patients to date, both suspected AD patients and healthy volunteers. No significant adverse events have been observed. Results suggest that AZD4694 has the ability to image patients quickly and safely with high sensitivity.
RadioImmunoGuided Surgery
As of December 31, 2011, RIGScan had been studied in a number of clinical trials, including Phase III studies. Navidea has conducted two Phase III studies, NEO2-13 and NEO2-14, of RIGScan in patients with primary and metastatic colorectal cancer, respectively. Both studies were multi-institutional involving cancer treatment institutions in the United States, Israel, and the European Union.
The Company competes with Pharmalucence, Eli Lilly, Bayer Schering, General Electric and GE Healthcare.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: RXi Pharmaceuticals Corp (RXII)
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXi), incorporated on September 8, 2011, is a development-stage company. The Company is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing therapies addressing medical needs using RNA interference (RNAi)-targeted technologies. As of July 12, 2012, RXi was focusing on its internal therapeutic development efforts in fibrosis. RXI-109 is its RNAi product candidate, which is a dermal anti-scarring therapy that targets connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The Company�� therapeutic platform consists of two main components: RNAi Compounds (rxRNA) and Advanced Delivery Technologies. RNAi compounds include rxRNAori, rxRNAsolo and sd-rxRNA, or self-delivering RNA. On April 26, 2012, it completed the spin-off transaction from Galena Biopharma, Inc. (Galena).
In January 2011, the Company announced research results in collaboration with Generex Biotechnology Corporation, and RXi�� wholly owned subsidiary Antigen Express, Inc., in developing vaccine formulations for immunotherapy. In January 2011, it announced initial results as part of its collaboration with miRagen Therapeutics, Inc. in creating microRNA mimics, or artificial copies of microRNAs, using the Company�� sd-rxRNA technology. In February 2011, it announced the initiation of RXi�� development program for RXI-109.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: Bio-Reference Laboratories Inc.(BRLI)
Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. provides clinical laboratory testing services for the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of diseases primarily in the greater New York metropolitan area. It offers various chemical diagnostic tests, including blood and urine analysis, blood chemistry, hematology services, serology, radio-immuno analysis, toxicology, pap smears, tissue pathology, and other tissue analysis. The company also operates a clinical knowledge management service unit, which uses customer data from laboratory results, pharmaceutical data, claims data, and other data sources to provide administrative and clinical decision support systems. In addition, it operates a Web-based connectivity portal solution for laboratories and physicians to provide laboratory ordering and results to physician customers. The company provides its services directly to physicians, geneticists, hospitals, clinics, and correctional and other health facilities. Bio-Refe rence Laboratories, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Elmwood Park, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Squeeze Ideas]
Medical Laboratories & Research Industry. Market cap of $621.05M. Short float at 24.02% (equivalent to 25.29 days of average volume).
Net Income grew by 19.5% ($8.58M vs. $7.18M y/y), while Operating Cash Flow grew by 21.38% ($9.88M vs. $8.14M y/y) (comparing 3 months ending 2010-10-31 vs. 3 months ending 2009-10-31).
The stock has a relatively low correlation to the market (beta = 0.71), which may be appealing to risk averse investors.
Other Highlights: Judging by trailing twelve month (TTM) ratios like Return on Equity (ROE), Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Invested Capital (ROI), it's clear that the company's management is doing an excellent job. TTM ROE at 20.49%, higher than the industry average at 17.9%, TTM ROA at 12.68% vs. the industry average at 6.71%, and TTM ROI at 16.16%, higher than the industry average at 11.34%. The company also outperformed its industry competitors in terms of the TTM Return on Sales ratio (6.32% vs. the industry average at 4.52%).
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc.(SPPI)
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a commercial-stage biotechnology company, primarily focuses on oncology and hematology. The company engages in acquiring, developing, and commercializing a broad and diverse pipeline of late-stage clinical and commercial products. It markets Zevalin, a prescribed form of cancer therapy, radioimmunotherapy; and Fusilev, a novel folate analog formulation and the pharmacologically active isomer of the racemic compound, calcium leucovorin. The company?s drugs in late stage development include Apaziquone, an anti-cancer agent; and Belinostat, a histone deacytelase inhibitor. Its drugs in development also include Ozarelix a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone antagonist, which is in Phase II clinical stage; SPI-1620, a peptide agonist of endothelin B receptors, which is in Phase I clinical stage; and RenaZorb, a lanthanum-based nanoparticle phosphate binding agent, which is in preclinical stage. The company was formerly known as NeoTherapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in December 2002. Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Henderson, Nevada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Shulman]
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SPPI) is a commercial-stage biotechnology company with a primary focus in oncology and hematology The company specializes in rescuing treatments abandoned, in development stages, by other companies.
It has had a tremendous run based on market introductions and partnerships in the past two years, but now has even greater potential for a blockbuster with a drug called Zevalin for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This drug is currently approved as a salvage and adjunct therapy, and the company is in mid-stage trials for the use of Zevalin as a front-line treatment, which would be a much larger market.
The risk in this stock is high. It could be cut in half or worse on bad news from one of several clinical trials. However, successful trial results could take this stock from under $7 to $32 in one to three years. SPPI could also become a takeover target.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another stock that's quickly moving within range of triggering a big time breakout trade isSpectrum Pharmaceuticals (SPPI), which is a commercial stage biotechnology
company integrated in commercial and drug development operations, primarily in oncology and hematology. This stock has been destroyed by the short-sellers so far in 2013, with shares off by over 30%.If you look at the chart for Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, you'll see that this stock has been trending sideways for the last two months in a consolidation chart pattern, with shares moving between $6.92 on the downside and $7.77 on the upside. This sideways pattern is coming after shares of SPPI gapped down sharply back in March from $12.47 to below $8 a share with heavy downside volume. Shares of SPPI are now quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade above the upper end of its recent sideways chart pattern.
Market players should now look for long-biased trades in SPPI if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $7.65 to $7.77 a share and then once it takes out its 50-day at $8 and its gap down day high at $8.26 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.43 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then SPPI will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone that started at $12.47 a share. Some possible upside targets if SPPI gets into that gap with volume are $9.50 to its 200-day at $10.89 a share.
Traders can look to buy SPPI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some near-term support levels at $7.09 to $7 a share. One can also buy SPPI off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop at around $7 a share.
This stock is an absolute favorite target of the short-sellers, since the current short interest as a percentage of the float for SPPI is extremely high at 37.4%. This stock has explosive upside potential if it trades into that gap with volume, so make sure to have it on your breakout trading radar.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: InspireMD Inc (NSPR)
InspireMD, Inc., incorporated on February 29, 2008, is a medical device company. The Company is focusing on the development and commercialization of its stent platform technology, MGuard. MGuard provides embolic protection in stenting procedures by placing a micron mesh sleeve over a stent. Its initial products are marketed for use mainly in patients with acute coronary syndromes, notably acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and saphenous vein graft coronary interventions (bypass surgery). The Company�� products include MGuard Coronary Plus Bio-Stable Mesh, MGuard Peripheral Plus Bio-Stable Mesh, MGuard Carotid Plus Bio-Stable Mesh and MGuard Coronary Plus Bio-Absorbable Drug-Eluting Mesh. Its initial MGuard Coronary products incorporated a stainless steel stent. The Company subsequently replaced this stainless steel platform with a more advanced cobalt-chromium based platform, which the Company refers to as the MGuard PrimeTM version of its MGuard Coronary. The Company operates in Germany through its wholly owned subsidiary InspireMD GmbH.
The Company focuses on applying its technology to develop additional products used for other vascular procedures, specifically carotid (the arteries that supply blood to the brain) and peripheral (other arteries) procedures. The MGuard stent is an embolic protection device based on a protective sleeve, which is constructed out of an ultra-thin polymer mesh and wrapped around the stent. The protective sleeve is comprised of a micron level fiber-knitted mesh, engineered in an optimal geometric configuration and designed for utmost flexibility while retaining strength characteristics of the fiber material.
MGuard - Coronary Applications
The Company�� MGuard Coronary with a bio-stable mesh and its MGuard Coronary with a drug-eluting mesh focuses on the treatment of coronary arterial disease. The Company�� first MGuard product, the MGuard Coronary with a bio-stable mesh, is comprised of its mesh sleeve wrapped around a! bare-metal stent. The bio-absorbability of MGuard Coronary with a drug eluting bio-absorbable mesh is intended to improve upon the bio-absorbability of other drug-eluting stents, in light of the wide surface area of the mesh and the small diameter of the fiber.
MGuard - Carotid Applications
The Company focuses on marketing its mesh sleeve coupled with a self-expandable stent for use in carotid-applications. Expandable stent is a stent that expands without balloon dilation pressure or need of an inflation balloon. This product is under development, although the Company has temporarily delayed its development until additional funding is secured.
MGuard - Peripheral Applications
Peripheral Artery Disease, also known as peripheral vascular disease, is characterized by the accumulation of plaque in arteries in the legs, need for amputation of affected joints or even death, when untreated. Peripheral Artery Disease is treated either by trying to clear the artery of the blockage, or by implanting a stent in the affected area to push the blockage out of the way of normal blood flow.
The Company competes with Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Inc., The Sorin Group, Xtent, Inc., Cinvention AG, OrbusNeich, Biotronik SE & Co. KG, Svelte Medical Systems, Inc., Reva Inc. and Stentys SA.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
InspiredMD (NSPR) is a medical device company focusing on the development and commercialization of its proprietary stent platform technology, MGuard. This stock is trading up 2.3% to $2.59 in recent trading.
Today’s Range: $2.44-$2.65
52-Week Range: $1.88-$10.16
Volume: 313,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 99,632From a technical perspective, NSPR is trending higher here right off its 50-day moving average at $2.42 with heavy upside volume. This stock has been getting heavy upside volume flows for the last few weeks, which is bullish technical action. Shares of NSPR are now quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if NSPR manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.85 to $3 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in NSPR as long as it’s trending above its 50-day at $2.42 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 99,632 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NSPR will set up re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $3.55 to $4.25. This stock could even tag its 200-day at $4.80 if it breaks out soon and catches some momentum buying.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: Compugen Ltd.(CGEN)
Compugen Ltd. operates as a drug and diagnostic discovery company based on computer-based discovery capabilities to predict and select novel product candidates. Through in silico prediction and selection, the resulting novel molecules are synthesized and validated utilizing traditional in vitro and in vivo experimental procedures. The company provides these validated product candidates to pharmaceutical, biotech, and diagnostic companies under licensing and other commercialization arrangements. Its research and discovery efforts are focused primarily on therapeutic proteins and peptides, and monoclonal antibodies, and primarily in the fields of immunology and oncology. Its therapeutic peptide and protein related platforms include Protein Family Members Discovery Platform, Protein-Protein Interaction Blockers, GPCR Therapeutic Peptide Ligands, Disease-Associated Conformation Blockers, Intracellular Drug Delivery, Viral Peptides, and Splice Variant based Therapeutic Proteins . The company?s monoclonal antibody related platforms comprise Monoclonal Antibody Targets. Its other therapeutic and diagnostic platforms consist of Nucleic-Acid Disease Markers, Protein Disease Markers, Nucleic-Acid Preclinical Toxicity Markers, Non-SNP Drug Response Markers, and New Indications. Its therapeutic peptide and protein product candidates comprise CGEN-15001, a novel protein for the treatment of autoimmune disorders; CGEN-25017, a novel peptide antagonist of the Angiopoietin/Tie-2 pathway; CGEN-855, a peptide agonist of the FPRL1 GPCR receptor; CGEN-856 and CGEN-857, which are MAS GPCR peptide agonists; CGEN-25007, an antagonist of the gp96 protein; and CGEN-25009, a peptide of the LGR7 receptor. The company also offers monoclonal antibody target product candidates, including CGEN-671, a drug for multiple epithelial tumors; CGEN-928, a drug for multiple myeloma; and CGEN-15001T, a novel B7/CD28 family member. Compugen Ltd. was founded in 1993 and is based in Te l Aviv, Israel.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Shulman]
Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ: CGEN) is the world’s leading molecular intellectual property company. Based in Israel, the company has revolutionized the early phases of drug development through a highly automated process of exploring and selecting molecules with the greatest promise to serve as the basis for a particular treatment.
The company licenses its peptides and proteins for a fee to the who’s who of the drug industry, and also receives a back-end cut of any drug that makes it to market using its discoveries.
Compugen just announced that it entered into an agreement with Baize Investments under which it will receive $5 million in R&D funding. My target for CGEN is $20 in three to five years.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: Telik Inc (TELK.PH)
Telik, Inc. (Telik), incorporated in 1988, is a clinical-stage drug development company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat cancer. The Company discovers its product candidates using the Company�� drug discovery technology, Target-Related Affinity Profiling (TRAP). TELINTRA, its principal drug product candidate in clinical development, is a small molecule glutathione analog inhibitor of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GST P1-1). TELCYTA, its other product candidate, is a small molecule cancer drug product candidate designed to be activated in cancer cells.
Clinical Product Development
TELINTRA is the Company�� lead small molecule product candidate in clinical development for the treatment of blood disorders, including cancer. It has a mechanism of action and acts by inhibiting GST P1-1, an enzyme that is involved in the control of cellular growth and differentiation. Inhibition of GST P1-1 results in the activation of the signaling molecule Jun kinase, a regulator of the function of blood precursor cells. Preclinical tests show that TELINTRA is capable of causing the death or apoptosis of leukemic or malignant blood cells, while stimulating the growth and development of normal blood precursor cells. TELINTRA has been studied in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) using two formulations. A liposomal formulation was developed for intravenous administration of TELINTRA and was used in Phase I and Phase II studies in MDS patients. The results from the Phase II intravenous liposomal TELINTRA clinical trials demonstrated that TELINTRA treatment was associated with improvement in all three types of blood cell levels in patients with all types of MDS, including those in intermediate and high-risk groups. An oral dosage formulation (tablet) was subsequently developed and results from a Phase I study with TELINTRA tablets showed clinical activity and the formulation to be well tole rated. In June 2011, the Company initiated a Phase II clini! c! al trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. In October 2011, the Company initiated an additional Phase IIb clinical trial to evaluate TELINTRA tablets. '
The activity and safety profile of tablet formulation allowed the Company to complete a Phase II trial of TELINTRA tablets in MDS. The primary objective of the Phase II TELINTRA tablet study was to determine the efficacy of TELINTRA. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify MDS disease prognostic factors associated with erythroid improvement response rates, including prior MDS treatment, age, gender, the international prognostic scoring system (IPSS), risk, Eastern Cooperative Group performance status, years from MDS diagnosis, MDS World Health Organization subtypes, anemia only versus anemia plus other cytopenias, dose schedule and starting dose. Results from this study show that TELINTRA is the first GSTP1-1 enzyme inhibitor shown to cause clinically reductions in red blood cell transf usions, including transfusion independence in low to intermediate-1 risk MDS patients, as well as improvement in platelet count and white blood cell levels in certain patients. TELINTRA, administered orally twice daily, appeared to be convenient and flexible for chronic treatment administration.
TELCYTA is a small molecule drug product candidate that the Company is developed for the treatment of cancer. TELCYTA binds to GST. TELCYTA has been evaluated in multiple Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, including trials using TELCYTA as monotherapy and in combination regimens in ovarian, non-small cell lung, breast and colorectal cancer. Results from these clinical trials indicate that TELCYTA monotherapy was generally well-tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate side effects, particularly when compared to the side effects and toxicities of standard chemotherapeutic drugs. When TELCYTA was evaluated in combination with standard chemotherapeutic drugs, the tolera bility of the combinations was similar to that expected! of e! ac! h drug ! alone.
Clinical activity including objective tumor responses and/or disease stabilization was reported in the TELCYTA Phase II trials; however, TELCYTA did not meet its primary endpoints in the Phase III studies. Positive results from a Phase I-IIa multicenter, dose-ranging study of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel as first-line therapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, were published in a peer reviewed publication. Clinical data demonstrated positive results of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of first-line lung cancer followed by TELCYTA maintenance therapy. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an on-going investigator-led study at a single site of TELCYTA in patients with refractory or relapsed mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse B cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
Preclinical Drug Product Development
The Company has a small molecule compound, TLK60 404, in preclinical development that inhibits both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. Aurora kinase is a signaling enzyme whose function is required for cancer cell division, while VEGF plays a key role in tumor blood vessel formation, ensuring an adequate supply of nutrients to support tumor growth. These lead compounds prevented tumor growth in preclinical models of human colon cancer and human leukemia by inhibiting both Aurora kinase and VEGFR kinase. A development drug product candidate, TLK60404, has been selected.
The Company, using its TRAP technology has discovered TLK60357, a novel, potent small molecule inhibitor of cell division. TLK60357 inhibits the formation of microtubules that are necessary for cancer cell growth leading to persistent G2/M cancer cell cycle block and subsequent cell death. This compound demonstrates potent broad-spectrum anticancer activity against a number of human cancer cells. This compound also displays oral efficacy in multipl e, standard preclinical models of cancer. TLK6059! 6, a pote! nt! VGFR kin! ase inhibitor, blocks the formation of new blood vessels in tumors. Oral administration of TLK60596 to animal models of human colon cancer reduced tumor growth.
Top 10 Medical Stocks To Own For 2014: Terumo (TRUMY.PK)
TERUMO CORPORATION operates in four business segment. The Hospital Products segment is engaged in the manufacture, purchase and sale of hospital medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, peritoneal dialysis and diabetes related products, and the rental of hospital medical equipment and home medical products. The Cardiac and Vascular Area segment is involved in the manufacture, purchase and sale of catheter systems, artificial heart and lungs, as well as artificial blood vessels, the manufacture and sale of therapeutic coils for cerebral aneurysm, sampling equipment and kits for platelet-rich plasma and concentrated bone-marrow cell, and large-bore sheaths. The Blood System segment is engaged in the manufacture, purchase and sale of blood transfusion-related products. The Healthcare segment manufactures and sells healthcare related products. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had 79 subsidiaries and 2 associated companies. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Holmes]
Analyst Mayo Mita says the Japanese earthquake and tsunami was a setback for the company, Terumo has a more visible growth stage coming.
"Over the next five years we see clear growth from China, the NOBORI drug eluting stent (DES), the U.S. catheter business, and the blood management business," Mita writes.
The base-case Mita lays out is for a 26% rise in share price next year, although Mita's most bullish forecast has shares up twice that. On the downside, Mita's most bearish scenario has shares falling 11% in the next 12 months.
The chart below shows shares of Terumo that trade on the Pink Sheets in the U.S., but Morgan Stanley is recommending buying shares in Tokyo.
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