Monday, July 14, 2014

Best Biotech Companies To Buy Right Now

With just a quick glance, Ibio Inc. (NYSEMKT:IBIO) doesn't look like anything particularly special. The stock's just bouncing around, and we've not heard any particularly meaningful news from IBIO in a few weeks.

When one takes a step back and looks at the bigger, longer-term picture of Ibio Inc. though - and looks at a chart in particular - things change for the better. With a review of the weekly chart, today's surge clearly becomes the proverbial icing on the cake... the confirmation of a rebound that's been materializing since the beginning of the year. This may well be the ideal time to step into an IBIO position.

First things first. Ibio is a biotechnology company... essentially. Its claim to fame isn't a breakthrough drug per se, but rather, a dug-development platform that can make therapies that can't be made in other ways. Though its working on twelve different drugs right now using the iBioLaunch platform, the majority of them are being sponsored by a third-party, with seven of them in preclinical stages and years away from launching. In fact, the two drugs that are furthest along in their development by IBIO are still only in Phase 1 stages, and will take years until they're bearing revenue. Nonetheless, biotech stocks trade based on their perceived long-term value, and the perception of iBio Inc. is quickly becoming a bullish one. Traders should take note of the clues the chart is giving. On that note...

Top 5 Forestry Stocks To Own For 2015: Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NAVB)

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

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-center Phase II trial and three multi-center Phase II trials inv! olving 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 been 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.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    Another prime example here would be Navidea Biopharmaceuticals' (NYSEMKT: NAVB  ) Lymphoseek which is an injectable agent used in external lymph-node imaging and intra-operative lymphatic mapping. In English this means it will dramatically improve the staging and treatment options for patients with breast cancer. Being that breast cancer was also listed as a commonly misdiagnosed cancer, this is a big step in the right direction for patient care.

  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are Toll Brothers Inc.(TOL) and Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc.(NAVB)

  • [By Erin McCarthy]

    Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc.(NAVB) said Chief Executive Mark Pykett would leave that post around the end of this month as the company restructures its biopharmaceutical product pipeline.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    Diagnostics can also play an important role in early and late-stage breast cancer diagnoses. Navidea Biopharmaceuticals (NYSEMKT: NAVB  ) had Lymphoseek, its external lymph-node imaging and intra-operative lymphatic mapping diagnostic device, approved by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year to help doctors stage cancer. Discovering whether breast cancer has invaded adjacent lymph nodes has never been easier or safer thanks to Lymphoseek, and it can dramatically aid physicians in determining the best course of action for breast cancer patients.

Best Biotech Companies To Buy Right Now: ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Ltd (IMUC)

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., incorporated on March 20, 1987, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company. The Company is engaged in developing immune-based therapies for the treatment of cancers, such as brain, ovarian and other solid tumors. Immunotherapy is an approach to treat cancer in which a patient�� own immune system is stimulated to target tumor antigens, which are molecular signals that the immune system uses to identify foreign bodies. The Company�� products include ICT-107, ICT-140, ICT-120, ICT-109 and DIAAD. ICT-107, the pipeline product, is a Phase II therapeutic dendritic cell (DC) vaccine for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the common and lethal type of brain cancer. ICT-107 is designed to activate a patient�� immune system to target six different tumor-associated antigens. In February 2012, it acquired a world-wide license from the University of Pennsylvania and The John Hopkins University (JHU).

The Company in addition to ICT-107, is also developing other therapeutic DC vaccines: ICT-140 for ovarian cancer and ICT-121 for recurrent GBM. ICT-140 targets seven tumor-associated antigens expressed on ovarian cancer cells. ICT-107 is a DC vaccine that targets six different tumor-associated antigens that are found on patients��tumor cells; four of the six antigens are expressed on CSCs. The therapeutic vaccine is used subsequent to conventional therapy or concomitantly with chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed GBM. ICT-140 is a DC vaccine that targets seven different ovarian cancer antigens. ICT-121 is a DC vaccine that targets CD133 antigens; it has the potential to be a universal cancer vaccine because CD133 is widely expressed on CSCs from a majority of cancers. Data from this small study demonstrated that ICT-109 had a statistically ability to discriminate between cancerous and non-cancerous samples, suggesting the potential to detect pancreatic and lung cancer in plasma and serum study sets. The DIAAD (differential immunization for an! tigen and antibody discovery) platform it acquired from Molecular Discoveries utilizes immunological tolerization to accelerate the discovery of the molecular differences between diseased cells and their normal counterparts. The monoclonal antibodies produced by DIAAD provide the basis for the discovery and development of its potential diagnostic and therapeutic products.

The Company competes with Dendreon, Oncothyreon, Galena, Bavarian Nordic and Immunovaccine, Northwest Biotherapeutics, Prima Biomed, DCPrime, Roche/Genentech, Seattle Genetics, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Immunogen.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    ImmunoCellular Therapeutics (NYSE: IMUC) dropped 11.05% to $1.3699. ImmunoCellular's trailing-twelve-month ROE is -59.80%.

    Posted-In: market losersNews Movers & Shakers Intraday Update Markets

Best Biotech Companies To Buy Right Now: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Amgen Inc., a biotechnology medicines company, discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets human therapeutics based on advances in cellular and molecular biology for grievous illnesses primarily in the United States, Europe, and Canada. The company markets recombinant protein therapeutics in supportive cancer care, nephrology, and inflammation. Its principal products include Aranesp and EPOGEN erythropoietic-stimulating agents that stimulate the production of red blood cells; Neulasta and NEUPOGEN to stimulate the production of neutrophils, which is a type of white blood cell that helps the body to fight infections; and Enbrel, an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor that plays a role in the body?s response to inflammatory diseases. The company also markets other products comprising Sensipar/Mimpara, a small molecule calcimimetic that lowers serum calcium levels; Vectibix, a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the epidermal growth factor receptor; and Nplate, a thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist that mimics endogenous TPO, the primary driver of platelet production. In addition, it provides Denosumab, a human monoclonal antibody that targets RANKL, an essential regulator of osteoclasts. Further, the company offers product candidates in mid-to-late stage development in a variety of therapeutic areas, including oncology, hematology, inflammation, bone, nephrology, cardiovascular, and general medicine consisting of neurology. It markets its products to healthcare providers, including physicians or their clinics, dialysis centers, hospitals, and pharmacies; consumers; and wholesale distributors of pharmaceutical products. The company has various collaborative arrangements with Pfizer Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline plc; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited; Array BioPharma Inc.; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd.; and Cytokinetics, Inc. Amgen Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Selena Maranjian]

    Biotech giant Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN  ) popped 42%. Bulls are excited about drugs in its pipeline that tackle melanoma and ovarian cancer, among other diseases. Amgen is also looking to acquire Onyx Pharmaceuticals, which would bring with it more cancer treatments and success in getting drugs approved for multiple indications. (Others are eyeing Onyx as well.) Some see Amgen now so big that it can't grow as rapidly as its smaller biotech brethren. But it does offer a solid dividend yield of 1.8% and seems more attractively valued than many rivals.

  • [By Jay Silverman]

    Jay Silverman: Well, the biotech stocks have had a great summer and a majority of that has been driving by the takeover speculation between Onyx (ONXX) and Amgen (AMGN), but there have been just a number of new drug approvals that have resulted in very, very strong launches and very much better than expected sales.

  • [By Matt Egan]

    One mutual fund that's been particularly kind to him is the Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund (VPMAX), which invests mostly in technology and biotech stocks like Google (GOOGL, Tech30) and Amgen (AMGN). The fund has soared 133% since the start of 2009, besting the S&P 500's 123% gain.

Best Biotech Companies To Buy Right Now: Dendreon Corporation(DNDN)

Dendreon Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics to enhance cancer treatment options for patients. The company offers active cellular immunotherapy and small molecule product candidates to treat various cancers. Its product candidates comprise Provenge (sipuleucel-T), an active cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer; DN24-02, an investigational active immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with bladder, breast, ovarian, and other solid tumors expressing HER2/neu; and TRPM8, a small molecule agonist to transient receptor potential ion channel, for multiple cancers. The company also has a range of products in preclinical studies, which include Carcinoembryonic antigen for the treatment of lung, colon, and breast cancer; and Carbonic AnhydraseIX for the treatment of kidney cancer. Dendreon Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in S eattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN) surged 16.60% to $2.95 in the pre-market session on reports that the company has hired JP Morgan to help find a buyer.

    Zogenix (NASDAQ: ZGNX) shares gained 9.21% to $3.32 in the pre-market session after the company won the FDA approval for Zohydro ER capsules.

  • [By Smith On Stocks]

    A retrospective analysis of the Oncophage Phase III trials showed very encouraging data for certain patient subsets. I mentioned earlier that pioneers get battle scars, and this has certainly been the case with cancer vaccine developers. Many of the pioneers in this space -- CancerVax, Favrille, Genitope, Cell Genesis -- failed in their trials and went out of business. With the experience of Oncophage and these other pioneer companies, there was a common thread underlying their failures. The conventional way of developing cancer drugs when cancer vaccines first entered clinical development was to add new drugs to standard of care in advanced cases of cancer. If the drugs were shown to be effective in this setting, they could then be tested in earlier and less severe cases of cancer. With perfect hindsight, this has proven to be exactly the wrong way to develop cancer vaccines and other drugs based on immune therapy. The clinical experience with two approved immunotherapies, Dendreon's (DNDN) Provenge and Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BMY) Yervoy, and other work has produced a new consensus view that immunotherapies work best for early stage cancers with small tumor masses.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    This week's loser
    With the markets trending generally higher over the past week and change, there were too many big moves to the downside. But if there must be a loser, biotechnology firm Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) will take the crown with a 2.6% retracement. Although no company-specific news has been announced since it received a positive opinion with regard to Provenge in the EU from its panel, investors could be reacting to the reality that another loss is on the way this quarter and even a European approval for Provenge wouldn't spell immediate relief for the struggling Dendreon.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Aschoff�� sell rating and assertions have caused a reaction on StockTwits with someone noting a blog post from 2007 complaining about his ��aily bashing of Provenge,��a drug to help prostate cancer patients in the late stage of disease from Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ: DNDN) which apparently works just fine (see the Wikipedia entry for�the drug�here). The blog post goes on to note that:

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