With a fresh start to 2014 and the biotech market still very strong, we wanted to examine some upcoming Phase 3 results that will be in focus in the first quarter. Expectations for some of these trials varies widely. We have a blend of small biotech to big pharma. Company: Merck (MRK) and Amgen (AMGN) […]
MDVN – Confusion over PREVAIL data explained in a single graph
On Tuesday, the market was rather confused on what to make of the PREVAIL news. To be clear, this wasn’t entirely the market’s fault: Medivation released a poorly worded press release that did not convey the whole story. A little extra detail would have gone a long way. From the press release, we know that […]
September 27- EOD
Not a particularly news rich day but the sector seemed to continue its momentum from yesterday and seemed to outperform the general market with a lot of green on a red day. 1. Well, it looks like JNJ is tossing another wrench in ECYT trials with more doxil supply problems. ECYT noted that they have […]
July 2- EOD–> Midday edition
I wanted to follow up on the discussion of yesterday less with an analysis of the potential dance partners for ONXX but more in terms of where do we go from here. Obviously the speculation in mid and small caps space is who will be next. This list could encompass just about every company but […]
GILD – Gilead – Building An Oncology Powerhouse
Having solidified its position as the leading provider of HIV medicines, Gilead turned toward a strategy of diversification, first with pulmonary and cardiovascular disease, then HCV. The first two were mostly busts, but a strong focus on Hepatitis C has paid dividends for stakeholders. Now the company is building on its momentum to create an […]
AASLD 2012 – An HCV Primer
It seems EASL has just ended, but AASLD is fast approaching, coming mid November. For HepC watchers, here is an overview of some companies that will be presenting at the Liver Meeting. Despite the tremendous progress made to-date, new advances keep it exciting. Gilead: Acknowledged leader in the race to bring an all-oral drug combination […]
Some thoughts on data at ASCO 2012 (Days 1,2)
Medivation (NASDAQ:MDVN), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN) are woven in a closely watched battle in prostate cancer. JNJ’s AA-302 has been chopped up many ways and there are some weird things that come to mind. We don’t think the AA-302 was all that damaging to Dendreon’s Provenge, but the headline risk […]
Could Medivir Be The Next HCV Buyout Target?
Could Medivir Be The Next HCV Buyout Target? Medivir is a small, but highly productive Swedish biotech with a deep pipeline consisting mostly of anti-viral candidates. The most prominent of these is TMC435, an NS3/4 protease inhibitor the company is developing in partnership with Tibotec, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, for the treatment of hepatitis […]
PCYC – Update- Pharmacyclics Signs Worldwide Development Deal With Janssen Biotech
PCYC: Update- Pharmacyclics Signs Worldwide Development Deal With Janssen Biotech On December 8, 2011, Pharmacyclics announced it had entered into an agreement to jointly develop its lead BTK inhibitor PCI-32765 with Janssen Biotech, a division of Johnson & Johnson. The deal calls for upfront payments of $150 million and up to an additional $825 million […]
ACHN – Initiating Coverage
Achillion: Initiating Coverage Background: Achillion is a small biotech focused on the development of a cure for Hepatitis C. It has several compounds in its pipeline, all unpartnered. The two leading products are next-generation protease inhibitors, ACH-1625 and ACH-2684, followed up by a duo of NS5A inhibitors, ACH-2928 and ACH-3102. There has been considerable M&A […]
PFE & BMY – Quick Update on Pfizer’s and Bristol’s Apixaban
In the past week Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) have had two notably regulatory events for Apixiban, or ELIQUIS. On November 25th, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) made an unusually rapid decision to adopt and cover Apixaban for use by the state health service in the UK. This […]
ASH Stock Preview
2011 ASH Stock Preview It’s the end of the year, which can mean only one thing- the American Society of Hematology Convention is coming up! ASH is the year’s largest meeting for researchers and investors interested in hematology, or blood cancers. This year’s convention will be held from December 9th through 12th in sunny San […]
PFE & BMY – The anticoagulant market & the Apixaban Catalyst
Background: The market for anti-thrombosis agents is set for dramatic changes. A thrombus is an aggregation of platelets which plays a key part in several life-threatening diseases, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, deep-vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stent thrombosis, as well as other medical conditions. The market for therapies against thrombosis can be broken down simply […]
Platform and Specialty Pharmaceutical Companies can bolster Big Pharma
The pharmaceutical industry is in a weak state, with an impending “patent cliff” that is forcing Big Pharma to reorganize and refocus. In 2011, roughly $20 billion in branded US sales dollars are “at risk” to patent expiry and generic competition. The pinnacle will be reached in 2013 and will subside after 2015. Fiscal Year […]
Johnson & Johnson Lathers Elan
Pharmacuetical Giant, Johnson & Johnson, is taking a minority stake in Ireland’s Elan 18% stake for $1 Billion USD Elan’s (NYSE:ELN) wish came true. The Irish company attracted a Big Pharma partner–Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)–to take a minority stake, just as it’s been hoping for all along. J&J will sink $1 billion into Elan in […]
