Novartis inks Vaccine Deal, Hospira Signs New Contracts, Abbott Labs & Japanese Sucampo Announce Positive Phase III results

Today's Market News Video



Recent PR Newswires for Biotech and Pharmaceuticals today.

Companies Mentioned, Powered By Wikinvest.com

Cepheid (CPHD)Novartis--(NVS)
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals (CPIX)
Hospira (HSP)
Abbott Laboratories (ABT)
Sucampo (SCMP)

Hospira Announces New Contracts in Effect with Novation for Infusion Pumps, Solutions and Equipment

Medical Devices Stocks and SmartMoney's The Next Wave Of Moneymakers

This is from SmartMoney Magazine this month. It highlights the Medical Device Industry, which many investors tend to forget about, but there is a huge market for medical devices in the coming years. Although, with Obama's Healthcare Plan starting 2013 there will be an 2.3% increased tax on Medical Devices, I don't see it affecting these companies bottom lines as much as people think. You can read more about the tax at MassDevice.com's article, Device makers react to healthcare reform bill's excise tax. My main concern will be the FDA's tightening of 510K approvals in the near future.

There are a few others out there I would like to mention. Here is my list of Medical Device Companies on the rise. (In no particular order)

1. BSD Medical (BSDM)-- Huge gains as of late
2. Trinity Biotech (TRIB)--One of my favorites
3. MedQuist (MEDQ)--actually a Medical Coder
4. St Jude Medical (STJ)
5. NxState Medical (NXTM)
6. Derma Sciences (DSCI)
7. Varian Medical Systems (VAR)
8. iCAD, Inc. (ICAD)
9. Alcon (ACL)
10. STAAR Surgical (STAA)
11. Becton, Dickinson (BDX)

The Next Wave of Medical Moneymakers

The Street's FDA Drug Approval Contest: October's FDA Calendar

Image via CrunchBase Here is Ocotber's FDA Calendar. Along with the Calendar I have put my recommendation for each stock. Some you should really be buying, like Alkermes, others you should be shorting, like Arena, Vivus, and Jazz Pharma.

The poll has 3 results:
1. Full Approval
2. Complete Response Letter (aka delayed approval or no approval)
3. No Decision (more time, the FDA has a lot of approvals in such a given short period)

Oct. 1: Hospira's(HSP) Dyloject for acute moderate to severe pain in adults. (CRL)---Big Company so no big deal, still a buy

Oct. 4: Human Genome Sciences'(HGSI) Zalbin for hepatitis C. (CRL--Lupus drug approval set for December so still a buy)

Oct. 11: Alexza Pharmaceuticals'(ALXA) AZ-004 for agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. (I'm going with No Decision, short this stock, as this is their first FDA decision for the Staccato technology) Slightly leaning toward CRL but I will say No Decision as my final answer.

Oct. 11: Jazz Pharmaceuticals'(JAZZ) JZP-6 for fibromyalgia. (CRL--FDA panel killed this drug, it works but the FDA isn't approving a GHB type drug right now. Short this stock)

Oct. 12: Alkermes'(ALKS) Vivitrol for opioid addiction. (Full Approval--Jim Cramer would say Buy, Buy Buy)

Oct. 16: ISTA Pharmaceutical (ISTA) XiDay is simply aonce daily version of twice daily solution, and avoid generic competition (FDA Approval)

Oct 22: Arena Pharmaceuticals'(ARNA) lorcaserin for obesity. (No way in he##, CRL) I would recommend shorting this stock.

Oct 22: Amylin Pharmaceuticals(AMLN) (Partnered with Alkermes and Eli Lilly) Once weekly Diabetes Shot exenatide or Bydureon---This is a delay from CRL in March so I expect Full Approval this time around.

Oct 28: Vivus'(VVUS) Qnexa for obesity. (Give me a break, CRL) I don't care what data they have come up with, I would recommend Shorting this stock.

Oct 29: Avanir Pharmaceuticals'(AVNR) Zenvia for pseudobulbar affect. (I'm going to go with Full Approval although it's a toss-up)

Forest Labs(FRX) ceftaroline for Community Acquired Pneumonia. I can't find this on the FDA calendar---But I will say Full Approval even though I can't find it.

Oct 30: Biodel's(BIOD) Linjeta for diabetes. (No Decision, short this stock) Again on the fence, possible CRL.

BSD Medical's Stellar Performance

BSD Medical Corp. (BSDM) up 79 cents to 3.94, a nice percentage gain today. The stock did so well it made Harry Boxer's Chart of the Day on The Technical Trader. View the Chart Here.

Wikinvest---BSD Medical Corporation (NASDAQ:BSDM) went up 25.08% to $3.94 on over 3.07 million shares. BSD Medical Corporation develops, manufactures, markets and services medical systems that deliver precision-focused radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy into diseased sites of the body, heating them to specified temperatures as required by a variety of medical therapies.

So far, the market capitalization of the stock stands at $103.14 million and average daily volume of the stock is 1.29 million shares. Today, the stock made its fresh 52-week high of $4.08.

September 29, 2010

BSD Medical Obtains Patent on Innovative Design for Heat Therapy Devices

Stock Mailbag, Generex, Sequenom, MELA Sciences, Cardium Therapeutics, Biodel

Image via CrunchBase Another great article from The Street's Adam Feuerstein in his Biotech Stock Mailbag. Mostly on stocks NOT to invest in, or stocks to short, and biopharma stocks for Put Options. Adam's a downer to most parties but he speaks the truth. Whether you like it or not. Sometimes I haven't liked it but if you are looking for long term growth Biotech Stocks you might want to take some of his advice. Plus, you can enter his FDA Drug Approval Contest for October. See what people think about the FDA Drug Approvals Contest.

Biotech Stock Mailbag: Generex