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OMCL up 14% today - >>> Omnicell Announces First Quarter 2023 Results
Business Wire
May 2, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/omnicell-announces-first-quarter-2023-200100526.html
Total GAAP revenues of $291 million
GAAP net loss per diluted share of $0.33
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share of $0.39
FORT WORTH, Texas, May 02, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) ("Omnicell," "we," "our," "us," "management," or the "Company"), a leader in transforming the pharmacy care delivery model, today announced results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2023.
"We are pleased with the financial performance this quarter," said Randall Lipps, chairman, president, chief executive officer, and founder of Omnicell. "As our customers continue to navigate post-pandemic challenges, we believe delivering solutions that are designed to support optimized clinical and business outcomes are more important than ever. We remain confident that we are well-positioned to continue executing on our strategy and to drive long-term value for our stockholders and our healthcare partners and their patients."
Financial Results
Total GAAP revenues for the first quarter of 2023 were $291 million, down $28 million, or 9%, from the first quarter of 2022. The year-over-year decrease in total GAAP revenues reflects lower point-of-care revenues as a result of ongoing health systems capital budget constraints.
Total GAAP net loss for the first quarter of 2023 was $15 million, or $0.33 per diluted share. This compares to GAAP net income of $8 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2022.
Total non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2023 was $17 million, or $0.39 per diluted share. This compares to non-GAAP net income of $38 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2022.
Total non-GAAP EBITDA for the first quarter of 2023 was $27 million. This compares to non-GAAP EBITDA of $50 million for the first quarter of 2022.
Balance Sheet
As of March 31, 2023, Omnicell’s balance sheet reflected cash and cash equivalents of $340 million, total debt (net of unamortized debt issuance costs) of $567 million, and total assets of $2.25 billion. Cash flows provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2023 totaled $13 million. This compares to cash flows used in operating activities totaling $16 million in the first quarter of 2022.
As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $500 million of availability under its revolving credit facility, which availability is subject to reduction in order to maintain compliance with certain financial covenants under the revolving credit facility.
Business Highlights
Strategic Alliance with Long Island University (LIU): Omnicell has co-launched the Center for Innovative Medication Management (CIMM) with LIU, an immersive pharmacy technology and analytics laboratory designed to provide LIU pharmacy students hands-on experience with innovative technology designed to support various functions within medication management. The CIMM will also be used by Omnicell to train Advanced Services operational teams, who will go on to support the Company’s technology at customer sites.
Publication of Omnicell’s 2022 ESG Report: In April 2023, Omnicell published its third annual ESG Report. The report highlights our continued commitment in the areas of Environmental, Social, Governance, and Innovation (ESG&I) by detailing our ESG&I initiatives and progress throughout 2022 toward our public goals and targets. As we strive to build a healthier world, we remain dedicated to furthering our ESG journey through purposeful action.
2023 Guidance
The Company’s full year 2023 guidance is unchanged. For the full year 2023, the Company expects bookings to be between $1.000 billion and $1.100 billion. The Company expects full year 2023 total revenues to be between $1.150 billion and $1.190 billion. The Company expects full year 2023 product revenues to be between $740 million and $760 million, and full year 2023 service revenues to be between $410 million and $430 million. The Company expects full year 2023 technical services revenues to be between $210 million and $220 million, and full year 2023 Advanced Services revenues to be between $200 million and $210 million. The Company expects full year 2023 non-GAAP EBITDA to be between $120 million and $135 million. The Company expects full year 2023 non-GAAP earnings per share to be between $1.55 and $1.80 per share.
For the second quarter of 2023, the Company expects total revenues to be between $278 million and $288 million. The Company expects second quarter 2023 product revenues to be between $181 million and $186 million, and second quarter 2023 service revenues to be between $97 million and $102 million. The Company expects second quarter 2023 non-GAAP EBITDA to be between $22 million and $28 million. The Company expects second quarter 2023 non-GAAP earnings per share to be between $0.25 and $0.35 per share.
The Company does not provide guidance for GAAP net income or GAAP earnings per share, nor a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because it is unable to predict certain items contained in the GAAP measures without unreasonable efforts. These forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures do not include certain items, which may be significant, including, but not limited to, unusual gains and losses, costs associated with future restructurings, acquisition-related expenses, and certain tax and litigation outcomes.
Omnicell Conference Call Information
Omnicell will hold a conference call today, Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss first quarter 2023 financial results. The conference call can be monitored by dialing 1-888-550-5424 within the U.S. or 1-646-960-0819 for all other locations. A link to the live and archived webcast will also be available on the Investor Relations section of Omnicell’s website at http://ir.omnicell.com/events-and-presentations/.
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About Omnicell
Since 1992, Omnicell has been committed to transforming the pharmacy care delivery model in an effort to optimize financial and clinical outcomes across all settings of care. Through a comprehensive portfolio of automation and advanced services, Omnicell is uniquely positioned to address evolving healthcare challenges, connect settings of care, and streamline the medication management process. Healthcare facilities worldwide partner with Omnicell to help increase operational efficiency, reduce medication errors, improve patient safety, and enhance patient engagement and adherence, helping to reduce costly hospital readmissions. To learn more, visit omnicell.com.
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>>> ResMed Inc. Announces Results for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2023
Globe Newswire
ResMed Inc.
April 27, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/resmed-inc-announces-results-third-200500994.html
Year-over-year revenue grows 29%, operating profit up 28%, non-GAAP operating profit up 27%
Note: A webcast of ResMed’s conference call will be available at 4:30 p.m. ET today at http://investor.resmed.com
SAN DIEGO, April 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ResMed Inc. (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD) today announced results for its quarter ended March 31, 2023.
Third Quarter 2023 Highlights
All comparisons are to the prior year period
Revenue increased by 29% to $1,116.9 million; up 31% on a constant currency basis
Gross margin contracted 150 bps to 55.3%; non-GAAP gross margin contracted 200 bps to 56.1%
Income from operations increased 28%; non-GAAP operating profit up 27%
Operating cash flow of $282.6 million
Diluted earnings per share of $1.58; non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.68
“During the third quarter, we significantly ramped up production and delivery of our cloud-connected flow generator devices to meet ongoing high demand from customers, resulting in strong device sales growth across our global markets,” said Mick Farrell, ResMed’s CEO. “We now have full global availability of our connected AirSense 10 platform, while we continue to ramp production and availability across more geographies of our AirSense 11 platform. The bottom line is this: We can now support global customer demand for CPAP and APAP devices to serve the entire sleep device market. This is great news for physicians, providers, and especially for patients. We also saw very strong growth in our mask and patient interfaces businesses globally, demonstrating a sustainable focus on patient adherence and resupply. Our outside-hospital software-as-a-service business achieved high-single-digit growth organically and reached well into double-digit growth with a full quarter of contribution from our MEDIFOX DAN acquisition that we closed last November. We remain laser-focused on delivering lifesaving therapy solutions and accelerating the adoption of digital health in sleep apnea, COPD, insomnia, and out-of-hospital care. During the last 12 months, we improved over 156 million lives, and we are well on our way to our goal of helping 250 million people sleep better, breathe better, and live higher-quality lives with outside-hospital care in 2025.”
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>>> GE HealthCare Reports First Quarter 2023 Financial Results
Business Wire
April 25, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ge-healthcare-reports-first-quarter-102000825.html
1Q Revenue growth of 8% year-over-year; Organic revenue* growth of 12%
1Q Net income attributable to GE HealthCare of $372 million versus $389 million for the prior year, Adjusted EBIT* of $664 million versus $599 million
1Q Diluted EPS was $0.41 versus $0.86 in the prior year, Adjusted EPS* was $0.85 versus $0.96
Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.03 per share for the first quarter of 2023
CHICAGO, April 25, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC), a leading global precision care innovator, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023.
GE HealthCare President and CEO Peter Arduini said, "We saw strong revenue growth across all of our business segments and regions as supply chain challenges eased. We continue to expect 5% to 7% Organic revenue growth* for 2023 given increased fulfillment and commercial execution. Price and productivity had a positive impact on our margin performance, positioning us well as we continue to invest in innovation and growth."
First Quarter 2023 Total Financial Performance
Revenues of $4.7 billion increased 8% reported and 12% on an Organic basis* year-over-year. Foreign exchange negatively impacted growth by 4%. Total company book-to-bill, defined as Total orders divided by Total revenues, was 1.01 times for the quarter, given strong revenue growth across all segments, led by Pharmaceutical Diagnostics (PDx) recurring sales.
Net income attributable to GE HealthCare was $372 million versus $389 million for the prior year, and Adjusted EBIT* was $664 million versus $599 million.
Net income margin was 7.9% versus 9.0% for the prior year, down 110 basis points (bps) primarily impacted by interest expense. Adjusted EBIT margin* was 14.1% versus 13.8%, up 30 bps driven by volume, partially offset by mix. Inflation and planned investments were mostly offset by price and productivity actions. Adjusted EBIT margin* for the first quarter of 2023 grew 150 bps versus our estimated 1Q’22 Standalone Adjusted EBIT margin*.
Earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations were $0.41 versus $0.86, down $0.45 from the prior year due to a noncontrolling interest redemption of preferred stock. Adjusted EPS* was $0.85 versus $0.96, down $0.11 from the prior year due to incremental interest expense. Adjusted EPS* for the first quarter of 2023 grew $0.22 versus our estimated 1Q’22 Standalone Adjusted EPS*.
Cash flow from operating activities was $468 million, flat year-over-year with working capital improvement, offset by incremental post-retirement benefit payments and interest. These items, coupled with increased capital expenditures, also impacted Free cash flow* of $325 million, which was down $46 million year-over-year.
First Quarter 2023 Segment Financial Performance
Imaging
Revenues of $2.5 billion increased 8% reported and 12% on an Organic basis* year-over-year.
Strong revenue growth was driven by Magnetic Resonance (MR) as well as Molecular Imaging and Computed Tomography (MICT), due to supply chain fulfillment improvements and new product introductions.
Segment EBIT was $191 million versus $206 million for the prior year.
Segment EBIT margin was 7.7% versus 8.9% for the prior year, as planned investments and mix outweighed higher volume; productivity and pricing initiatives more than offset inflation.
Ultrasound
Revenues of $859 million increased 5% reported and 10% on an Organic basis* year-over-year.
Solid revenue growth in cardiovascular, general imaging, and women's health products, with new product introductions and improving supply chain on backlog fulfillment.
Segment EBIT was $207 million versus $192 million for the prior year.
Segment EBIT margin was 24.1% versus 23.6% for prior year, improved through productivity, price, and volume, partially offset by inflation and planned investments, including Caption Health acquisition.
Patient Care Solutions
Revenues of $781 million increased 9% reported and 11% on an Organic basis* year-over-year.
Continued strong revenue growth with improved fulfillment, supply chain resiliency actions, and price.
Segment EBIT was $109 million versus $65 million for the prior year.
Segment EBIT margin was 14.0% versus 9.1% for the prior year, improved through productivity, price, and volume, partially offset by inflationary pressure and planned investments.
Pharmaceutical Diagnostics
Revenues of $558 million increased 15% reported and 19% on an Organic basis* year-over-year.
Strong revenue growth driven by price and volume.
Segment EBIT of $155 million versus $138 million for the prior year.
Segment EBIT margin was 27.8% versus 28.5% for the prior year, impacted by raw material inflation and planned investments, partially offset by price, volume, and productivity.
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>>> AbbVie's Humira Downfall Is Swift As Biosimilars Hammer Away At Sales
Investor's Business Daily
by ALLISON GATLIN
04/27/2023
https://www.investors.com/news/technology/abbvie-stock-abbvie-earnings-q1-2023/?src=A00220
AbbVie (ABBV) stock crumbled Thursday after the first approved biosimilar copycat to launch in the U.S. hammered away at Humira's legendary sales.
Though Amgen's (AMGN) biosimilar, dubbed Amjevita, launched halfway through the first quarter, global sales of immunology blockbuster Humira slumped more than 25% to $3.54 billion. Wall Street projected a steeper 30% decline, but Amjevita is only the first biosimilar to hit U.S. shelves. According to GoodRx, seven more are expected to launch in the U.S. this year.
The company, though, says Humira's decline is tracking in line with expectations.
"We are one quarter into the U.S. biosimilar event for Humira — and we are managing the erosion well," Chief Executive Rick Gonzalez said on the company's call with analysts. In the first quarter, the company saw "in-line performance from U.S. Humira, where biosimilar erosion is tracking as expected — with much of the impact driven by price."
Meanwhile, AbbVie's newer immunology drugs, Skyrizi and Rinvoq missed sales forecasts, said Lee Brown, global sector lead for health care at research firm Third Bridge. The company, on the other hand, says it still expects both drugs to contribute a combined $11 billion to sales this year.
"Growth rates in the first quarter for both products are consistent with our full-year expectations," Vice Chairman Rob Michael said on the company's call.
On today's stock market, AbbVie stock tumbled 8% to finish at 148.87. Shares were forming a saucer-with-handle base and a buy point at 168.21, according to MarketSmith.com.
Adjusted earnings tumbled north of 22% to $2.46 per share and missed expectations by a nickel. But sales beat AbbVie stock analysts' forecast at $12.23 billion, though declined 9.7% on a strict, as-reported basis.
Humira sales tumbled more than 26% in the U.S. and north of 20% abroad. The drug is AbbVie's bestseller, but has faced biosimilar competition in Europe since 2018. Humira's international sales have trended lower since then. AbbVie stock analysts now expect a similar trajectory for U.S. sales.
To contend with Humira's downfall, AbbVie has focused on next-generation immunology treatments Skyrizi and Rinvoq. During the first quarter, Skyrizi sales surged almost 45% to $1.36 billion. But the Street projected a higher $1.44 billion, Third Bridge's Brown said.
This "could prompt analysts to reconsider the sales trajectory for this important drug," he said in a note to clients.
Further, Rinvoq "appeared to post a very impressive performance" as sales popped almost 48% to $686 million, Brown said. But analysts called for a stronger $710 million in Rinvoq sales.
Standouts Include Neurology, Oncology
There were several standouts in the quarter, however, says Brown.
Botox as a treatment for migraines brought in $719 million in sales, growing north of 17%. Vraylar, a treatment for bipolar 1 disorder and depression, grew more than 31% to $561 million in sales.
Further, sales of cancer drug Venclexta climbed almost 14% to $538 million. That helped offset a 25% dive for a Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)-partnered cancer treatment called Imbruvica. AbbVie is withdrawing its accelerated approval for Imbruvica in patients with mantle cell lymphoma due to some requirements by the Food and Drug Administration in retaining the accelerated approval status.
The company raised its earnings guide for the year and now expects per-share profit of $10.72-$11.12. AbbVie stock analysts had projected adjusted profit of $11.01 a share on sales of $52.73 billion.
AbbVie stock has a strong IBD Digital Composite Rating of 95, putting it in the top 5% of all stocks in terms of fundamental and technical measures.
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>>> FDA approves first fecal transplant pill made from healthy bacteria found in human waste
Drug will be marketed as a less invasive option
Associated Press
4-27-23
https://www.foxnews.com/health/fda-approves-first-fecal-transplant-pill-healthy-bacteria-found-human-waste
U.S. health officials on Wednesday approved the first pill made from healthy bacteria found in human waste to fight dangerous gut infections — an easier way of performing so-called fecal transplants.
The new treatment from Seres Therapeutics provides a simpler, rigorously tested version of stool-based procedures that some medical specialists have used for more than a decade to help patients.
The Food and Drug Administration cleared the capsules for adults 18 and older who face risks from repeat infections with Clostridium difficile, a bacteria that can cause severe nausea, cramping and diarrhea.
C. diff is particularly dangerous when it reoccurs, leading to between 15,000 and 30,000 deaths per year. It can be killed with antibiotics but they also destroy good bacteria that live in the gut, leaving it more susceptible to future infections. The new capsules are approved for patients who have already received antibiotic treatment.
More than 10 years ago, some doctors began reporting success with fecal transplants — using stool from a healthy donor — to restore the gut’s healthy balance and prevent reinfections.
The FDA approved the first pharmaceutical-grade version of the treatment last year from a rival drugmaker, Ferring Pharmaceuticals. But that company's product — like most of the original procedures — must be delivered via the rectum.
Cambridge Massachusetts-based Seres will market its drug as a less invasive option. The treatment will be sold under the brand name Vowst and comes as a regimen of four daily capsules taken for three consecutive days.
Both of the recent FDA approvals are the product of years of pharmaceutical industry research into the microbiome, the community of bacteria, viruses and fungi that live in the gut.
Currently most fecal transplants are provided by a network of stool banks that have popped up at medical institutions and hospitals across the country.
While the availability of new FDA-approved options is expected to decrease demand for donations from stool banks, some plan to stay open.
OpenBiome, the largest stool bank in the U.S., said it will keep serving patients who aren't eligible for the FDA-approved products, such as children and adults with treatment-resistant cases. It has supplied more than 65,000 stool samples for C. diff patients since 2013.
"OpenBiome is committed to maintaining safe access to ‘fecal transplantation’ for these patients as a vital last line of defense," said Dr. Majdi Osman, the group's medical chief.
OpenBiome's standard stool treatment costs less than $1,700 and is typically delivered as a frozen solution within days of ordering. Seres did not disclose the price it will charge for its capsules in a statement Wednesday evening.
"We want to make the commercial experience for physicians and patients as easy as possible," said Eric Shaff, the company’s chief executive officer, in an interview ahead of the announcement. "Ease of administration — in our view — is one of the aspects of the value we’re delivering."
Seres will co-market the treatment with Swiss food giant Nestle, which will also split the profits. Seres will receive a $125 million milestone payment from Nestle in connection with the FDA approval.
Overseeing the fledgling industry of U.S. stool banks has created regulatory headaches for the FDA, which doesn’t traditionally police homemade products and procedures used in doctor's offices. In the early days of the trend, the FDA warned consumers about the risks of potential infections from the fecal transplants, as some people sought out questionable "do it yourself" methods from videos and websites.
Seres executives say their manufacturing process relies on the same techniques and equipment used to purify blood products and other biologic therapies.
The company starts with stool provided by a small group of donors who are screened for various health risks and conditions. Their stool is likewise tested for dozens of potential viruses, infections and parasites.
The company then processes the samples to remove the waste, isolate the healthy bacteria and kill any other lingering organisms. Thousands of capsules can be made from each stool sample, making it a more efficient process than current fecal transplants, according to the company.
The FDA warned in its approval announcement that the drug "may carry a risk of transmitting infectious agents. It is also possible for Vowst to contain food allergens," the agency noted.
The FDA approved the treatment based on a 180-patient study in which nearly 88% of patients taking the capsules did not experience reinfection after 8 weeks, compared with 60% of those who received dummy pills.
Common side effects included abdominal swelling, constipation and diarrhea.
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RELX - >>> LexisNexis Risk Solutions Acquires Human API
PR Newswire
April 25, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lexisnexis-risk-solutions-acquires-human-163000090.html
ATLANTA, April 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, part of RELX, today announced it has acquired Human API, a leading provider of a proprietary consumer-driven data platform. LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Human API will deliver a next-generation consumer consent management solution that enables more seamless delivery of data. This approach empowers consumers with better access to their healthcare data and insurance resources that can improve care coordination and automate life insurance underwriting.
"Together, we can put digitized healthcare information more quickly at the fingertips of the people who need it – whether that be consumers, healthcare organizations or life insurance carriers," said Bill Madison, CEO of Insurance, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "Human API and LexisNexis Risk Solutions can create a more seamless method of delivering sensitive health records while maintaining the industry's data privacy standards and helping the healthcare and insurance communities improve and protect people's lives."
Innovative technology from LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Human API enables patients to easily provide their care teams with access to the critical health information they need to make more informed decisions to improve care and helps consumers provide the important healthcare data insurance companies need to more quickly and easily offer life insurance.
"We are incredibly excited about what our combined vision can deliver for the industries and partners we serve. LexisNexis Risk Solutions can help accelerate the path Human API has been on to solve deep and complex industry challenges and serve the foundational needs of consumers and enterprises," added Andrei Pop, CEO of Human API, part of LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
About LexisNexis Risk Solutions
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data and advanced analytics to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. We provide data and technology solutions for a wide range of industries including insurance, financial services, healthcare and government. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. For more information, please visit www.risk.lexisnexis.com, and www.relx.com.
About RELX
RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The Group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 35,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. The market capitalization is approximately £51.7bn/€58.5bn/$64.4bn.
About Human API
Human API's Health Intelligence Platform connects and converts health data into actionable intelligence that accelerates underwriting, improves placement rates, and creates better customer experiences. The company's platform is powered by a robust and comprehensive data network which includes access to electronic health records (EHR) networks, health information exchanges (HIEs), patient portals, and traditional APS retrieval partners. Coupled with smart evidence orchestration capabilities that optimize for the best data retrieval paths and a reporting engine that presents useful information to underwriters at the right time, Human API's solution is helping leading carriers easily access and use health data to transform underwriting and customer experiences. To learn more, visit HumanAPI.co.
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>>> Why long COVID could be a ticking time bomb for public health
Salon
by Philip Finkelstein
4-24-23
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/why-long-covid-could-be-a-ticking-time-bomb-for-public-health/ar-AA1ahhqo?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=9d045fab09154240833b24ee52f26fbe&ei=28
The 1918 influenza pandemic, commonly referred to as the Spanish Flu, infected approximately one-third (500 million) of the world's population (then 1.8 billion) and killed an estimated 50 million. With such a high mortality rate, even among young and healthy individuals, this acute infectious disease took its toll, erasing from existence nearly 3% of all people on Earth. But the damage did not stop there: across the globe, survivors of the initial viral infection reported "long flu" symptoms — profound fatigue, brain fog, depression, tremors, sleeplessness, and a litany of neurological disorders.
While the initial pandemic forced governments to organize a response to the sudden crisis, an epidemic of chronic illness may not raise alarms that spur us into immediate action.
This "long flu," an echo of sorts of the Spanish Flu epidemic itself, has its parallel in long COVID today — a similar cluster of symptoms that persist in those who were previously infected with COVID-19. And the similarities suggest that what we think of as long COVID is not necessarily a novel condition, but merely one more instance of the medical aftermath that accompanies certain infections.
The medical establishment calls this condition post-acute infection syndrome (PAIS). Back in 1918, these mysteriously persistent long flu symptoms wreaked havoc on human health and local economies. For example, many claim that debilitating lethargy caused by this post-viral syndrome led to the "famine of corms" in the region that is Tanzania today, as farmers lacked the energy to plant, harvest, and shear months after getting sick.
Around the same time, cases of a new brain-attacking disease called encephalitis lethargica started to emerge, affecting up to one million people worldwide. The cause of encephalitis lethargica remains one of the largest medical mysteries of the 20th century, though some scientists contend that the Spanish Flu may have been the trigger. The condition was colloquially known as "sleeping sickness," as those infected developed extreme fatigue, neurocognitive impairments, psychiatric illness, and movement disorders. A subset of these individuals fell into a semi-comatose state that lasted for decades. About one-third of encephalitis lethargica patients eventually died from respiratory failure caused by neurological dysfunction, while many survivors continued to suffer from ongoing Parkinson's-disease-like (neurocognitive) symptoms.
In 1969, as chronicled in his book "Awakenings," the neurologist Oliver Sacks discovered that temporary remission of these chronic symptoms, coined post-encephalitic parkinsonism, could be achieved through the use of the Parkinson's drug L-DOPA. Like with Parkinson's disease itself, the benefits of the drug wore off over time, but the finding indicated that encephalitis lethargica impacted the substantia nigra (the part of the brain that helps control movement).
We now have a plethora of information suggesting that COVID-19 is the latest addition to the list of infections spawning post-acute infection syndrome.
Although the medical community has long known that acute infectious diseases are not always entirely self-limiting, chronic sequelae (meaning the secondary symptoms that appear after an infection) receive little attention, remain under-researched, and continue to be misdiagnosed and overlooked by doctors. According to a study published in the scientific journal Nature, post-acute infection syndrome is associated with a number of infections, including Epstein Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, Lyme disease, Q fever, West Nile virus, Dengue fever, and the aforementioned influenza. Often presenting well after the initial infection, post-acute infection syndrome manifests as a complex and variable disorder, typically entailing severe fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, confused sensory perception, and neurocognitive abnormalities.
Despite the growing pool of data from patients suffering from post-acute infection syndrome, a comprehensive explanation of the biological mechanisms by which the syndrome's symptoms arise has yet to be established. This lack of scientific understanding creates an untold degree of hardship for those dealing with severe and chronic sequelae of infections. Worse, when doctors cannot find a biological explanation for reported symptoms, patients are often left with little recourse and the feeling that their doctor believes the cause of their suffering is rooted in mental illness.
Years into our current pandemic, we now have a plethora of information suggesting that COVID-19 is the latest addition to the list of infections spawning post-acute infection syndrome; that is, "long COVID." Multinational surveys have been conducted, with thousands upon thousands of adult participants reporting that recovery from an initial COVID infection took more than 35 weeks. Some of these studies highlight the fact that new ailments are reported 6-12 months after an initial COVID infection, which most commonly include fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and cognitive dysfunction.
According to the CDC, in June 2022, almost one in five American adults who had COVID-19 still had long COVID. This statistic seems to be borne out by my anecdotal experience; I have met with and spoken to many people around the world who have lost their sense of smell, had to take medical leave, been fired from work, seen a drop in their focus during school, experienced overwhelming exhaustion and migraines, or become depressed after being infected with COVID. My home state's newspapers recently shared the sad medical saga of a man, Charlie Vallee, whom I grew up with in Vermont. After only mild respiratory symptoms during his initial bout of COVID-19, Vallee went on to develop such severe long COVID symptoms, including brain fog, that he left his job as an intelligence officer in D.C. and tragically took his own life. His family has set up a foundation to fund long COVID research in the hopes of one day understanding how this pernicious form of post-acute infection syndrome can cause an otherwise happy and healthy individual to die by suicide.
In other words, long COVID is affecting more people than we likely know. And it eerily parallels other post-acute infection syndrome scenarios throughout history, including those potentially linked to epidemics of parkinsonism. In other words, the threat of long COVID could lead to a future public health catastrophe, much as the "long" effects of the Spanish Flu did a hundred years ago. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical and medical community are not approaching long COVID with the same fervor that they had for COVID-19. As a result, there is a real danger that a broad-scale investigation into the origin of long COVID is postponed or neglected by funding agencies and the medical establishment.
While the initial pandemic forced governments to organize a response to the sudden crisis, an epidemic of chronic illness may not raise alarms that spur us into immediate action. Like climate change, a gradually-evolving threat, especially one perceived to be far away, is much harder to address. But the threat here is not that far off, as emerging science reveals — which is why it is of grave importance that we push for an explanatory theory of long COVID (and post-acute infection syndrome) that can fully account for the totality of symptoms observed after an initial infection with SARS-CoV-2 despite no clinical findings of active infection.
Multiple studies published in the journal Nature (one published last year and one published in February of this year) explain how COVID-19 has the ability to trigger the aggregation of proteins within the human body. The research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can cause normal proteins to abnormally misfold. These misfolded proteins are known as "amyloids," which are toxic to cells when they build up.
Specifically, amyloids occur when proteins misfold into twisted clumps and form long fibers, hindering cellular function. These so-called clumps can start stacking excessively, creating harmful deposits in the body — sort of like cholesterol in the bloodstream but at the cellular level. When misfolding of a protein named "alpha-synuclein" in the nervous system occurs, the amyloid buildup this causes in a neuron can lead to the formation of what is known as a "Lewy body," which is resistant to breakdown and clearance. Think of it as plaque buildup in the nervous system. Lewy bodies spread as pieces of these amyloids break away and seed the formation of new Lewy bodies in neighboring neurons.
The scariest thing about this? Misfolded alpha-synuclein is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, multiple system atrophy, and pure autonomic failure — all neurodegenerative diseases collectively known as synucleinopathies. And what can cause alpha-synuclein misfolding? Genetic mutations, exposure to certain toxins, and infections. COVID-19 may be one such infection — and that means long COVID symptoms may be a reflection of a developing neurological disorder.
Alarmingly, two studies published by the Mayo Clinic and the Medical University Innsbruck corroborate the findings in the Nature articles, recording signs of dream-enactment sleep disorder among one-third of patients after being infected with COVID-19. Over 80% of patients with dream-enactment sleep disorder go on to develop a Parkinson's-like disease within two decades.
So we need to ask the question: is the recent rise of dream-enactment sleep disorder after COVID related to neurodegeneration? Preliminary research from Stanford University and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center suggests that this may be the case, as disease-causing clumps of alpha-synuclein have been discovered in some long COVID patients.
So how does all of this connect? Basically, if dream-enactment sleep disorder is more common in those who have had COVID, and the vast majority of those who suffer from this kind of sleep disorder ultimately develop neurological diseases like Parkinson's, then COVID-19 could lead to an explosion of these diseases in the coming years.
This is not mere speculation; animal models further substantiate these claims. For example, a study of macaques demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 induces Lewy body formation (a feature of Parkinson's disease), even after an asymptomatic infection. And, whether or not COVID is determined to be a direct cause of Parkinson's, it could also accelerate the disease course in patients who are predisposed. This was exemplified by a study performed by infecting mice with COVID-19, which found that the virus made the brain more susceptible to toxic compounds known to cause Parkinson's disease. The lead researcher on this study, Richard Smeyne, PhD, who serves as Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Thomas Jefferson University and Director of the Jefferson Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center reviewed this article before publication, affirming what has been outlined and reiterating his study's findings: "Should the predicted risk from SARS-CoV-2 manifest, the diverse consequences would represent a substantial burden on patients, families, and society."
Dr. Smeyne elaborated on the seriousness of these findings, telling Salon, "Our studies in mice predict a 30-50% increase in Parkinson's risk for those moderately to severely infected with the Alpha variant. While on an individual basis this only changes a person's risk from 2% to 3% for developing Parkinson's, over the whole of the population we would expect to see millions more develop Parkinon's disease than would have if not for their COVID infection."
"We still have to examine if the newer strains of SARS-CoV-2 also have the potential to increase the risk for Parkinson's disease."
A prominent theory for explaining Parkinson's disease, put forth by Heiko Braak, a German doctor who studies Parkinson's, aligns well with all these long COVID findings. It states that Parkinson's is caused by a pathogen affecting either the nasal cavity or digestive system, thereby first initiating protein misfolding in the peripheral nervous system before spreading into the brain later on (sometimes decades later). This is why the onset of Parkinson's often entails autonomic dysfunction — which means involuntary processes like heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, etc. are compromised. As autonomic dysfunction is a common symptom of long COVID, it is thus possible that the post-acute infection syndrome mechanism responsible for long COVID progresses to the central nervous system over time and could eventually present as Parkinson's disease or a similar disorder.
In other words, while long COVID is not caused by the lingering viral remnants of COVID-19 per se, the initial infection could be precipitating amyloid buildup and Lewy body formation. If this is so, long COVID would mimic a chronic or slowly-evolving infection caused by the virus, similar to other post-acute infection syndrome cases, with the symptoms fluctuating and emerging unpredictably as the amyloids slowly spread throughout the nervous system.
Braak's hypothesis was based on autopsy data, which indicated a distinct pattern of aggregated alpha-synuclein in those who died from/with Parkinson's disease. However, according to Dr. Smeyne, "As of yet, there is no good non-invasive marker for alpha-synuclein aggregation in living patients, which is why The Michael J. Fox Foundation is offering a $2 million prize to any person or group that successfully develops such a marker."
The way forward
To investigate these claims, larger studies need to evaluate patients with long COVID for markers of Parkinson's-like diseases, such as misfolded alpha-synuclein. A clinical trial is currently underway to do just that — so that the history of post-encephalitic parkinsonism in the years following the Spanish Flu does not repeat itself. Considering the mounting evidence, it is crucial that we address the long COVID public health emergency promptly, to provide answers to those suffering from long COVID and prevent a potential increase in "post-COVID parkinsonism."
When asked about his outlook for the future, Dr. Smeyne said, "We are entering a period where we will have to learn to live with COVID being present as a fact of life. This means we still have to examine if the newer strains of SARS-CoV-2 also have the potential to increase the risk for Parkinson's disease and whether vaccination against this virus can reduce the increased Parkinson's risk, as has been shown following vaccination against influenza. Once we determine the answers to these questions, we can begin to look at other ways to interfere with the process."
Salon then asked what it will take to definitively prove whether COVID-19 can trigger a Parkinson's-like disease and whether long COVID is in fact the early stages of such a disease. Dr. Smeyne responded, "My best guess is we will need anywhere from five to ten years from the initial outbreak to see any statistically measurable effect."
Encouragingly, Dr. Smeyne went on to say, "One bright spot in these observations is that there is a considerable period, often about a decade, between viral exposure and the development of a neurological disease like Parkinson's. And there are currently scientists devoting their lives' efforts to find ways to solve this problem — the lag between exposure and disease gives me hope that we will find a way to stop the progression from infection to disease in its tracks."
There have been more than 760 million globally documented cases of COVID-19, with the real number of cases, including asymptomatic cases, presumably much higher. More than 750 million have survived, but, as reported, long COVID is occurring in 20-30% of these cases, meaning that hundreds of millions of people could be at higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease or other neurodegenerative issues later in life. If it comes to pass, the public health resources required to help will be astronomical. It behooves us to study long COVID now, lest we end up in such a crisis.
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>>> Simulations Plus Receives U.S. FDA Renewal for DILIsym Software Licenses
BusinessWire
April 18, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/simulations-plus-receives-u-fda-123000522.html
Provides FDA with software tools to investigate drug-induced liver injury in clinical trials
LANCASTER, Calif., April 18, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Simulations Plus, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLP), a leading provider of modeling and simulation software and services for pharmaceutical safety and efficacy, today announced that the U.S. FDA has renewed its licenses to the DILIsym® software platform, the flagship quantitative systems toxicology (QST) software for predicting and investigating drug-induced liver injury (DILI). The one-year renewal provides continued access to DILIsym software for authorized FDA employees across all FDA divisions.
Dr. Paul B. Watkins, chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the DILI-sim Initiative, commented, "The FDA’s renewal of these licenses endorses the value of DILIsym software in both predicting liver safety liabilities and defining the underlying mechanisms, which are critical to evaluating risk. The recent signing of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 by President Biden, which encourages the FDA to limit animal use in drug development, should be a positive catalyst for greater utilization of DILIsym software in drug development. In my role as Chair of the SAB, I am very excited about the direction of the public-private partnership that is guiding further development of the DILIsym platform that will benefit many key stakeholders."
Dr. Brett A. Howell, President of the DILIsym Services division at Simulations Plus, added, "Given the effect of rising costs on providing vital healthcare, the use of novel simulation technologies to improve the efficiency of drug development is more critical than ever. An important first step is ensuring that regulatory agencies have the most advanced technology tools to fulfill their essential mission. We are delighted the FDA has opted to renew once again and will continue using DILIsym and other Simulations Plus tools to enable reviews and enhance regulatory science."
DILIsym software results support crucial drug development decisions by predicting potential DILI risk of new drug candidates. The modeling also identifies the biochemical events that lead to DILI caused by a drug and can thereby predict certain subgroups of patients at increased risk for DILI from that drug. The information from DILIsym modeling serves to help guide go/no-go decisions on major drug development projects, potentially avoiding the disastrous financial effects of failed clinical trials, or better, providing assurances that DILI will not be an insurmountable obstacle to regulatory approval. For the past 13 years, DILIsym Services, a division of Simulations Plus, has coordinated the DILI-sim Initiative, which is a public-private partnership that has guided development of the DILIsym software package. DILIsym is available to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries for direct use to predict and understand liabilities via membership in the DILI-sim Initiative consortium and/or commercial licenses. The DILIsym Services division also routinely uses DILIsym for comprehensive consulting services on safety-related issues.
Companies interested in a free trial version of the DILIsym software can request it here.
About Simulations Plus
Serving clients worldwide for more than 25 years, Simulations Plus is a leading provider in the biosimulation market providing software and consulting services supporting drug discovery, development, research, and regulatory submissions. We offer solutions that bridge artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning, physiologically based pharmacokinetics, quantitative systems pharmacology/toxicology, and population PK/PD modeling approaches. Our technology is licensed and applied by major pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and regulatory agencies worldwide. For more information, visit our website at www.simulations-plus.com. Follow us on LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
We focus our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts where we can have the most positive impact. To learn more about our latest initiatives and priorities, please visit our website to read our ESG Report.
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>>> Long Island University and Omnicell Launch Center for Innovative Medication Management
Business Wire
April 20, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/long-island-university-omnicell-launch-180000912.html
Strategic Initiative Expected to Enhance Technological Capabilities, Advance the Practice of Pharmacy & Enable Support of Safe Medication Management
BROOKLYN, N.Y., April 20, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long Island University and Omnicell, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMCL) (Omnicell), a leading provider of medication management and adherence tools for health systems and pharmacies, announced the opening of the Center for Innovative Medication Management (CIMM), a state-of-the-art laboratory designed to provide an immersive pharmacy technology and analytics experience for LIU pharmacy students. Long Island University is in the top 7% of research institutions in the United States, as designated by the Carnegie Classification.
Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline, Omnicell Chairman, President, CEO, & Founder Randall Lipps, Arash Dabestani, LIU Pharmacy Dean, and other dignitaries open the Center for Innovative Medication Management, a strategic initiative to enhance technological capabilities, advance the practice of pharmacy, and enable support of safe medication management (Photo: Business Wire)
The strategic alliance established by LIU Pharmacy (also identified as The Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences) and Omnicell will allow the next generation of pharmacy leaders to support the transformation of the pharmaceutical industry’s care delivery model. Through the CIMM, LIU Pharmacy students have early access and exposure to evolving aspects of pharmacy technology, providing them a competitive advantage as they transition to the workplace.
"Long Island University is at the forefront of high-level research through extensive partnerships with transformative leaders in healthcare. The University is appreciative of Omnicell’s commitment to provide students with innovative opportunities as we continue to prioritize engaged learning," said Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline.
Through this immersive program, students will gain hands-on experience with innovative technology designed to support various functions within medication management, including central pharmacy dispensing and sterile compounding robotics and point of care medication dispensing systems, as well as advanced software that delivers intelligence and analytics to drive medication inventory optimization.
"The last 25 years have seen the remarkable adoption of robotics, automation, intelligence, and electronic health record management in advancing patient safety. As educators, it is imperative to train well-rounded pharmacists to embrace new career opportunities and lead these changes in the pharmacy technology revolution," said Arash Dabestani, Dean of LIU Pharmacy. "Through our strategic alliance with Omnicell, our students will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of how technology can advance the practice of pharmacy, in an effort to prepare them for career development post-graduation."
In addition to engaging LIU Pharmacy students, the CIMM will also be utilized by Omnicell to train their Advanced Services operational teams, who will go on to support the company’s technology at customer sites.
"We believe technology and intelligence are key to supporting safe, efficient medication management," said Jeff Schlossnagle, senior vice president and chief revenue officer of Omnicell. "As industry leaders, we are excited to invest in the future of pharmacy practice in order to help improve outcomes and advance care."
Inaugural CIMM classes are expected to begin in Summer 2023.
About Long Island University (LIU)
Long Island University, founded in 1926, continues to redefine higher education, providing high quality academic instruction by world-class faculty. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its "value added" to student outcomes, LIU has a network of over 285,000 alumni, including industry leaders and entrepreneurs around the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information.
About Omnicell
Since 1992, Omnicell has been committed to transforming the pharmacy care delivery model to dramatically improve outcomes and lower costs. Through the vision of the autonomous pharmacy, a combination of automation, intelligence, and technology-enabled services, powered by a cloud data platform, Omnicell supports more efficient ways to manage medications across all care settings. Healthcare facilities worldwide use Omnicell automation and analytics solutions to help increase operational efficiency, reduce medication errors, deliver actionable intelligence, and improve patient safety. Institutional and retail pharmacies across North America and the United Kingdom leverage Omnicell’s innovative medication adherence and population health solutions to improve patient engagement and adherence to prescriptions, helping to reduce costly hospital readmissions. To learn more, visit omnicell.com.
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>>> Should You Hold Omnicell (OMCL)?
Insider Monkey
by Soumya Eswaran
Mar 20, 20233
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hold-omnicell-omcl-070426040.html
Brown Capital Management, an investment management company, released its “The Brown Capital Management Mid Company Fund” fourth quarter 2022 investor letter. A copy of the same can be downloaded here. The Mid Company Fund returned 5.43% in the quarter compared to a 6.90% return for the Russell Midcap Growth Index. For the full year, the fund declined 37.12% compared to a -26.72% return for the benchmark. In addition, check the fund’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2022.
The Brown Capital Management Mid Company Fund highlighted stocks like Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) in the Q4 2022 investor letter. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) is a medication management solutions and adherence tools provider for healthcare systems. On March 17, 2023, Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) stock closed at $55.60 per share. One-month return of Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) was 2.94%, and its shares lost 59.47% of their value over the last 52 weeks. Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) has a market capitalization of $2.563 billion.
The Brown Capital Management Mid Company Fund made the following comment about Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) in its Q4 2022 investor letter:
"Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) provides medication-management automation solutions for healthcare providers and pharmacies. Its tools include both hardware and software. Omnicell shares underperformed as the company took down fiscal year 2022 guidance 8% due to implementation delays and elongated sales cycles. More importantly, fiscal year 2022 bookings guidance was reduced $400 million, or 28%, as product bookings related mostly to one of the company’s products failed to materialize. However, our research suggests that this slowdown is being driven by a market-wide freeze in hospital capital expenditures, rather than by a company-specific issue. In addition, the mission-critical nature of Omnicell’s products that will replace/upgrade older versions is a priority over the next few years for hospitals. The company is well-positioned longer-term to become hospitals’ trusted partner for pharmacy safety, automation, earnings and strategy. Omnicell has one of the leading platforms for acute-care pharmacy services in the market. Moreover, November volumes for hospitals did improve, but we are not yet calling this the turning point for Omnicell. In short, inflation and lower hospital capital expenditures will likely weigh on the company in the near term. As care moves to retail and ambulatory sites, hospitals will need to partner with innovative companies like Omnicell in order to compete effectively. The company has an addressable market of about $90 billion and has created one of the largest and probably the best product suite on the market.
Omnicell operates primarily in the U.S., which has an aging population and the highest pharmaceutical spending per capita in the world. Omnicell’s products are positioned across the continuum of care, which gives it unique access to patient and hospital data. Nevertheless, we are revisiting our initial investment thesis to ensure that the company can deliver on our longer-term expectations."
Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 17 hedge fund portfolios held Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) at the end of the fourth quarter which was 23 in the previous quarter.
We discussed Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMCL) in another article and shared Meridian Growth Fund's views on the company. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q4 2022 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.
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>>> Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) - Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 92
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/12-best-environmental-dividend-stocks-161122815.html
Generation Investment Management’s Stake Value: $487,833,143
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) is an American provider of medical equipment, analytical instruments, and other consumables. The company aims to manufacture products with minimal environmental impact. At the end of Q4 2022, Generation Investment Management owned stakes worth over $487.8 million in the company, which represented 2.81% of its 13F portfolio.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, having raised it by 17% on February 22. Through this increase, the company took its dividend growth streak to six years. The stock has a dividend yield of 0.24%, as recorded on April 15. It is among the best dividend stocks on our list.
At the end of Q4 2022, 92 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database owned stakes in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO), the same as in the previous quarter. The collective value of these stakes is over $7 billion.
Polen Capital mentioned Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) in its Q4 2022 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:
“Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) is a leader in attractive end markets with a skilled management team who has demonstrated the ability to consistently and wisely allocate capital. It is the world leader in serving science. It is a globally scaled supplier serving more than 400,000 customers working within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, research institutions, and government agencies. Thermo provides many of the products and services that companies in these industries, particularly pharma and biotech, need to operate and drive science forward. The company manufactures and sells instruments, reagents, and consumables used for a wide range of applications in labs.
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Danaher - >>> Why Catalent Shares Are Falling Today
Benzinga
by Vandana Singh
April 18, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-catalent-shares-falling-today-155215466.html
Life-sciences company Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) is reportedly no longer considering a takeover of contract manufacturer Catalent Inc (NYSE: CTLT) after expressing interest in buying the company earlier this year.
While Danaher's interest has cooled, it's possible that Danaher could try and revive a deal conversation later, Bloomberg reported citing one of the people close to the matter.
A deal between the two would create a giant in bioprocessing or using living cells to create drugs or therapies.
A representative for Catalent declined to comment, while a representative for Danaher didn't immediately comment.
Danaher has become a life sciences-focused company since spinning out its industrial business arm Fortive Corp. in 2016. It provides bioprocessing tools and instruments to manufacture and research complex drugs.
Bloomberg reported back in February that Danaher has expressed interest in acquiring Catalent.
The report comes after Catalent announced that it had encountered productivity issues and higher-than-expected costs at three of its major manufacturing plants — expected to hurt its financial results for the fiscal year.
Catalent's CFO, Thomas Castellano, has also stepped down and has been temporarily replaced by company veteran Ricky Hopson.
Price Action: CTLT shares are down 2.11% at $44.35 on the last check Tuesday.
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>>> Quest Diagnostics and New York-Presbyterian Complete Laboratory Services Acquisition
PR Newswire
April 17, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/quest-diagnostics-newyork-presbyterian-complete-123300802.html
SECAUCUS, N.J., April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX), the nation's leading provider of diagnostic information services, and NewYork-Presbyterian, one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive academic medical centers, today announced that Quest has completed its previously announced acquisition of select assets of the laboratory services business of NewYork-Presbyterian. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
The goal of the collaboration is to enable providers and patients to access high quality, affordable testing from a service menu that combines the complementary strengths of both organizations. In addition, patients will benefit from access to Quest's network of nearly 100 patient service centers in the five boroughs.
Quest provides a complete portfolio of services to empower health systems and hospitals to improve the quality, innovation and insights of their diagnostic laboratory services, elevate the patient experience and lower costs for more accessible—and affordable—care. For more information, visit Hospitals & Health Systems | Quest Diagnostics.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our approximately 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
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Icon Plc (ICLR) - >>> Flexibility is the key for Icon
https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/03/25/2-clinical-research-stocks-that-could-grow-by-more/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
Icon has roughly 41,000 employees across 111 locations in 53 countries. The company has increased annual revenue by 479% over the past decade and doesn't seem to be slowing down. Over the same period, net income rose 392%, despite a massive drop during the pandemic years, and seems to have recovered fully.
For 2022, Icon's revenue rose by an impressive 41% from the previous year, to $7.7 billion. The company also saw a massive improvement in earnings, with diluted earnings per share (EPS) clocking in at $6.13, from $2.25 in 2021, a mouth-watering 172% increase.
The company's successful One Search Tool, which uses artificial intelligence to determine ideal trial locations, has helped it grow the business. A bigger key has been the company's flexibility. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, it will provide full-scale CRO services or a hybrid model, depending on the company.
This year, Icon's management guided revenue to grow between 2.6% to 7.7% to the range of $7.94 billion to $8.34 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 2.6% to 7.7%.
With net income growth on the road to full recovery (as seen in the above chart), Wall Street analysts expect Icon to generate 14% earnings growth annually over the next five years. If the stock's price-to-sales ratio of 2.2, and price-to-earning ratio of 34 -- both relatively inexpensive from a historical standpoint -- remain constant, a 10% rise in the stock price should easily happen this year.
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>>> IQVIA (IQV) - demonstrates its leadership role in the industry
https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/03/25/2-clinical-research-stocks-that-could-grow-by-more/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
IQVIA is one of the larger CROs with 86,000 employees who operate in over 100 countries. The company said it processes over 100 million patient records annually. Besides its size, what sets the company apart is its leadership in decentralized clinical trials, which helps keep costs down and increases the diversity of the patient pool.
The company has three segments: research and development solutions, technology and analytics solutions, and contract sales and medical solutions. Over the past decade, IQVIA has grown revenue by 183%.
Like Icon, 2022 was a strong year of growth for IQVIA with yearly revenue of $14.4 billion, up 3.9%. Full-year EPS grew 15.6% to $5.72.
The company's 2023 guidance said it expected revenue to be between $15.2 billion and $15.4 billion, showing growth of between 5.1% to 6.9%. If the company can hit those numbers, it will be the 13th consecutive year it has improved revenue.
But more importantly, IQVIA has been hugely profitable over the last three years. While its trailing-12-month revenue increased a modest 29%, its net income shot up 407%, driving up net margins by over five and a half percentage points (or 550 basis points), to 7.6%. Despite the pandemic years, management has ensured that the business remains highly profitable amid slowing sales growth.
From a valuation standpoint, IQVIA's shares have lost 33% of their value since peaking in Dec. 2021. But that means its shares are now trading quite cheaply despite the massive earnings growth. At 33 times trailing-12-month earnings, IQVIA's PE ratio has actually fallen over 50% in the last 15 months.
Wall Street analysts expect IQVIA to generate nearly 12% earnings growth annually over the next five years. With shares trading relatively cheaply from a historical standpoint, once the market realizes that IQVIA grows earnings faster than its revenue, shares could rally more than 10% this year, and even more after that.
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>>> Molina Healthcare (MOH) - >>> Millions of medical membership plans and counting
https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/04/04/build-wealth-buy-these-growth-stocks/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
Focusing primarily on providing government-sponsored health insurance plans (mostly Medicaid and, to a lesser extent, Medicare and Marketplace insurance), Molina Healthcare (MOH) is a major health insurer. As of Dec. 31, 2022, the company's membership base was nearly 5.3 million. This explains how Molina Healthcare's market capitalization is just shy of $16 billion, which makes it the seventh-biggest health insurer in the U.S.
As one of the major medical insurers in the country, Molina Healthcare could continue to be a powerful growth stock in the future. Market research company Precedence Research anticipates that the global health insurance market will compound by almost 7% annually, from $2.2 trillion last year to $3.8 trillion by 2030. Organic growth from rising frequency of chronic medical conditions paired with acquisitions leaves the company with a lengthy growth runway.
This is why analysts believe Molina Healthcare's non-GAAP (adjusted) diluted earnings per share (EPS) will grow by 17.8% annually over the next five years. For context, that is well above the healthcare plans industry average annual growth outlook of 12.7%.
Yet, the stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 11.6. Putting this into perspective, that is significantly below the healthcare plans industry average forward P/E ratio of 13.5. Thanks to its above-average growth prospects and below-average valuation, I believe Molina Healthcare could deliver annual total returns around 17% over the next five to 10 years.
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>>> Insulet's (PODD) New Omnipod, Strategic Moves Drive Growth
Zacks Equity Research
April 18, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/insulets-podd-omnipod-strategic-moves-162804712.html
Insulet PODD continues to gain on solid prospects in the diabetes market. The company is progressing well with respect to its four-pillar strategy. Yet, its heavy reliance on the Omnipod System and a tough competitive landscape add to the woes. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
In the past year, Insulet has been outperforming its industry. The stock has risen 24.1% against the industry’s 35.2% fall.
Insulet exited the fourth quarter of 2022 with better-than-expected earnings and revenues. The company’s performance benefited from record quarterly U.S. and Total Omnipod new customer starts. This was driven mainly by a strong start to the company’s U.S. full market release of the Omnipod 5 automated insulin delivery system.
The company recently achieved the milestone of 360,000 estimated active global customers using the Omnipod System, with more than 100,000 customers in the United States using Omnipod 5.
Insulet has been progressing well with respect to its four-pillar strategy, where the first two pillars are expanding access and awareness, and delivering consumer-focused innovation.
In terms of the first strategy of access and awareness, the global diabetes market is growing rapidly, with millions of people expected to be newly diagnosed in 2022. Further, there has been a rapid adoption of CGM among people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
During the fourth quarter, the company witnessed continued uptake of Omnipod through the U.S. pharmacy channel. This includes a growing contribution from Omnipod 5 and a premium for the pod, given the PDM is provided at no charge in the pharmacy channel.
In terms of the second strategy of delivering consumer-focused innovation, Insulet’s sales and marketing teams and international expansion efforts are aligned with its long-term growth profile. The company is focused on advancing its initiatives. Notably, Insulet will continue to work to expand access to Omnipod 5 as well as increase the total addressable market for the Omnipod platform.
The third part of Insulet’s four-pillar strategy is to grow its global addressable market. In this regard, Insulet expanded its efforts and the rollout of Omnipod DASH across the international markets through targeted geographic expansion. It entered the Asia Pacific region through Australia and also expanded into Turkey. The Omnipod DASH was also launched in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Together, these countries expand Insulet’s total addressable market by nearly 1 million.
Per the fourth-quarter earnings update, Omnipod 5 continues to drive customer adoption from all market segments. In Q4, individuals with type 2 represented an estimated 15% to 20% of new U.S. customer starts. Insulet expects to build on the leading competitive position in this market and expand its total addressable market with the planned 2024 commercialization of the new basal-only pod.
On the flip side, during the fourth quarter, the substantial fall in Insulet’s Drug Delivery sales is discouraging. Contraction in margins does not bode well. On a year-over-year basis, the company expects gross margin to be impacted by higher costs associated with the U.S. manufacturing ramp, product line mix due to the ramp-up of Omnipod 5 and lower drug delivery revenues. Supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures continue to challenge business operations.
Gross margin of 58.8% contracted a significant 1051 basis points. Meanwhile, selling, general & administrative expenses rose 18.6%. Research and development expenses rose 18.4% year over year.
We note that Insulet’s financial results continue to largely depend on the performance of its lead product — Omnipod System. Per the company, any adverse changes in the market acceptance of the product or worsening of factors that negatively influence the sale will dent the company’s financials majorly.
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>>> Quipt Home Medical Announces $35 Million Bought Deal Public Offering and Approximate $2 Million Private Placement
CNW Group
April 17, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/quipt-home-medical-announces-35-204100464.html
CINCINNATI, April 17, 2023 /CNW/ - Quipt Home Medical Corp. ("Quipt" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: QIPT) (TSXV: QIPT), a U.S. based home medical equipment provider focused on end-to-end respiratory care?, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Beacon Securities Limited and Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the "Co-Lead Underwriters") on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (together with the Co-Lead Underwriters, the "Underwriters"). The Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal basis pursuant to the filing of a prospectus supplement, an aggregate of 4,460,000 common shares (the "Common Shares") in the capital of the Company at a price of $7.85 per Common Share (the "Issue Price") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $35,011,000 (the "Public Offering"). Concurrent with the Public Offering, the Company and the Underwriters also intend to complete a brokered private placement of Common Shares at the Issue Price for gross proceeds of approximately $2,000,000 in the Province of Québec on a commercially reasonably best efforts basis (the "?Private Placement" and together with the Public Offering, the "Offering").
The Company has granted the Underwriters an option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable in whole or in part and from time to time, at any time until 30 days after the closing date of the Public Offering, to purchase up to an additional number of Common Shares equal to 15% of the number of Common Shares sold pursuant to the Public Offering at the Issue Price.
The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering for repayment of debt, potential future acquisitions, working capital and general corporate purposes. The Offering is expected to close on or about April 25, 2023 and is subject to certain closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and stock exchange approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the applicable securities regulatory authorities.
The Common Shares will be offered under the Public Offering in the Provinces and Territories of Canada (other than Quebec) by way of a prospectus supplement to the Company's existing short form base shelf prospectus dated November 11, 2021 to be filed in each of the Provinces and Territories of Canada, and may be offered in the United States to Qualified Institutional Buyers (as defined in Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act")) by way of private placement pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, or under other exemptions from the registration requirement that are available under the 1933 Act, and pursuant to any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States. The Common Shares may also be sold in the Province of Quebec pursuant to the Private Placement and in such other jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States, as mutually agreed to by the Company and the Co-Lead Underwriters.
The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the 1933 Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States or, directly or indirectly, to, or for ?the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. ?registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation ?for offers to buy any securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of ?a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial ?statements.?
ABOUT QUIPT HOME MEDICAL CORP.
The Company provides in-home monitoring and disease management services including end-to-end respiratory solutions for patients in the United States healthcare market. It seeks to continue to expand its offerings to include the management of several chronic disease states focusing on patients with heart or pulmonary disease, sleep disorders, reduced mobility, and other chronic health conditions. The primary business objective of the Company is to create shareholder value by offering a broader range of services to patients in need of in-home monitoring and chronic disease management. The Company's organic growth strategy is to increase annual revenue per patient by offering multiple services to the same patient, consolidating the patient's services, and making life easier for the patient.
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DexCom - >>> Diabetes is a growing concern for the healthcare industry as the disease is related to many other health problems. And while 28.7 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there's another 8.5 million people that it estimates are undiagnosed. An estimated 38% of the adult U.S. population has pre-diabetes, which in many cases will end up resulting in diabetes.
https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/04/13/2-stocks-turned-40000-into-1-million-in-10-years/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
DexCom, which makes continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices that help people stay on top of their blood glucose levels, has made for a phenomenal growth investment over the years. In the past decade the company's top line has soared, and the business is now consistently profitable as well.
The company's future looks bright as DexCom is always coming out with newer, smaller devices to help make monitoring glucose levels easier than before. Late last year, the Food and Drug Administration approved the company's G7 device for use in all types of diabetes, for anyone two years of age and older. The new device is 60% smaller than the previous iteration, and DexCom calls it "the most accurate CGM cleared by the FDA."
Investing $40,000 into the stock a decade ago would have been enough to get your investment to over $1 million today. It was a much riskier stock back then; in 2012, DexCom was coming off a year when sales were $100 million, and its net loss of $54.5 million was more than half of its top line.
Today, DexCom is a much safer investment, and while it may not produce the same kinds of returns over the next decade, this is still a great stock to buy and hold, given the ongoing need to manage diabetes.
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>>> Dexcom, A Top 3% Stock, Nears A Breakout On A 'Landmark' Medicare Win
Investor's Business Daily
ALLISON GATLIN
04/17/2023
Dexcom (DXCM) stock closed in on a breakout Monday after Medicare officials announced the biggest-ever expansion for coverage of continuous glucose monitors in the U.S.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will now reimburse the cost of continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, for all Medicare patients who require insulin to manage their diabetes. Patients with a history of problematic glucose incidents will also receive coverage.
The new coverage opens up access to Dexcom's newest CGM, dubbed G7, to 1.5 million more Americans, Dexcom said in a news release.
On today's stock market, Dexcom stock jumped 2.6%, closing at 118.65. Dexcom shares have a strong Composite Rating of 97 out of a best-possible 99. This puts them in the top 3% of all stocks when it comes to fundamental and technical measures, according to IBD Digital.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) stock also inched ahead 0.5% to close at 104.52. Shares of Medtronic (MDT), another CGM maker, rose 1.8% and closed at 82.12.
Dexcom Stock: A "Landmark' Decision
Teri Lawver, Dexcom's chief commercial officer, called the CMS decision a "landmark" for people with diabetes. CGMs are body-worn medical devices that track a patient's blood sugar in real time. This allows them to appropriately time their treatment with insulin.
"Our Mobile study, which helped lead to this decision, is part of Dexcom's ongoing efforts to help increase access to the most accurate, easy-to-use CGM technology that offers people a better way to manage diabetes and improve their quality of life," she said in written remarks.
In the test, called Mobile, Dexcom found patients with type 2 diabetes using basal insulin had better glycemic outcomes than those pricking their fingers and using another device called a glucometer. Dexcom stock could rise further on greater demand for its devices among type 2 diabetes patients.
Jared Watkin, senior vice president of Abbott's diabetes care business, noted the need to expand access to CGM technology as diabetes prevalence grows in the U.S. Abbott estimates almost 11 million people over the age of 65 are living with diabetes in the country. Abbott makes a body-worn glucose monitor called Freestyle Libre.
"Increasing access is a monumental step by Medicare to allow more people to have access to Freestyle Libre so they can spend less time worry and more time living healthier, better lives," Watkin said in a written statement.
Expanding To More Type 2 Patients
CGMs are typically used by patients with the genetic form of diabetes, known as type 1. In this type of diabetes, patients' bodies don't make insulin. They rely on multiple injections of insulin everyday or body-worn insulin pumps.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition. But patients can progress to the point of needing insulin injections.
"This is a major win for the diabetes community, and another validation of how CGM can benefit all people living with diabetes," said Dr. Thomas Martens in a written statement. Martens is an internal medicine physician and led Dexcom's Mobile study.
The news pushed Dexcom stock closer to a breakout. Shares are consolidating with a buy point at 125.65, according to MarketSmith.com. Medtronic stock retook its 50-day line on Monday, and Abbott shares closed above that key mark for the second trading day running.
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UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - >>> Boasting a market cap of $477 billion, UnitedHealth is one of the biggest revenue generators in the world. This global mega-cap provides healthcare products and insurance services. Its activities are split into two separate segments: UnitedHealthcare, which offers health insurance, and Optum, which offers data and technology services.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rob-arnott-says-time-buy-233751545.html
The worldwide health insurance industry is seeing robust growth and the stock has reaped the benefits; UNH shares have bettered the S&P 500’s annual performance in all but one of the last 10 years, 2022 included.
That said, that has not materialized so far in 2023, as investors reacted negatively to the recently reported Q1 numbers. That might seem weird at first glance, considering the results beat expectations on both the top-and bottom-line. Revenue increased by 14.7% year-over-year to $91.9 billion, trumping Street expectations by $2.12 billion. Adj. EPS of $6.26 came in $0.18 above the $6.08 forecast. As for the outlook, the company raised its adjusted net earnings forecast from the prior range of $24.40-$24.90 to between $24.50 to $25.00 per share. The consensus had previously been at $24.93.
Despite increasing its outlook, Deutsche Bank analyst George Hill thinks the relatively tame raise is partly to blame for investors’ disappointed reaction.
“UNH management was particularly vague on the outlook for its fully capitated care delivery business as a result of the final rate notice and we consider the guidance raise of 10c (in line with the beat) relatively pedestrian by UNH standards,” Hill explained.
However, that does little to change Hill’s bullish thesis: “We continue to see the company as a high-quality defensive name in the large-cap healthcare services space given UNH’s increasing diversification into complementary businesses and the continued erosion of regulatory risks, which is reflected in the premium we granted in our target multiple.”
To this end, Hill has given UNH a Buy rating and a $627 price target, indicating potential growth of 22.5% over the next year. (To watch Hill’s track record, click here)
Overall, UNH has the bulls on its’ side; barring one skeptic, all 8 other recent reviews are positive, providing the healthcare giant with a Strong Buy consensus rating. The analysts see shares rising by 18% in the months ahead, considering the average target clocks in at $605.11.
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>>> A man in California has tested positive for a new tick-borne disease. Here's what to know about hard tick relapsing fever, and where it is in the US.
Insider
by Andrea Michelson
April 12, 2023
https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-california-tested-positive-tick-160000963.html
Deer ticks, also called backlegged ticks, are known for transmitting the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, but they can also spread other illnesses.
A man in California had recurrent fevers that came and went during a three-month period.
He had the state's first documented infection with the tick-borne bacteria Borrelia miyamotoi.
These infections may become more common as people spend time outside and diagnostics improve.
It started with a fever in October 2021.
The patient, an adult man in the San Francisco area, suffered through night sweats and nausea for a day before his symptoms resolved. He felt better — until the fever came back around two weeks later. Again, it persisted for about 24 hours and stopped without explanation.
Recurring fevers are a hallmark symptom of infection with certain tick-borne bacteria, Dr. Luis Rubio, an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, told Insider.
Rubio treated the sick man and co-authored a report describing his rare case, which was published today in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Rubio took several blood tests to uncover clues about the man's condition. He screened for antibodies that would indicate an infection with Lyme disease, as well as markers related to other environmental infections.
The patient's immune system was suppressed by a medicine he was taking for multiple sclerosis, so he was at a higher risk for infections in general. But these fevers were new, and they continued on and off through December 2021.
The first blood panel was unremarkable, so Rubio said the team next used a new type of DNA sequencing to inspect the man's blood on the molecular level. Eventually, finding the bacteria's DNA led them to the diagnosis and treatment of an extremely rare disease.
'Doctors can't test for things that they don't know about.'
The test revealed the man was infected with bacteria called Borrelia miyamotoi. The bacteria can cause an illness known as hard tick relapsing fever, and it's spread by the same blacklegged tick species, also sometimes called deer ticks, that can transmit Lyme disease.
B. miyamotoi was first identified in ticks in Japan in 1995, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has since been found in blacklegged ticks on both coasts of the US, and the first human infection in North America was recorded in 2013.
Rubio said that people in California have tested positive for antibodies that could indicate exposure to B. miyamotoi in the past, but this case report describes the first time a human has been officially diagnosed and treated in the state.
"It's probably been around and we just haven't been able to identify it," Rubio said of the infectious agent, calling for more awareness of tick-borne pathogens. "Doctors can't test for things that they don't know about."
Symptoms include 'cyclical' fevers, chills, and headache
Symptoms of infection with B. miyamotoi may appear non-specific: According to the CDC, the most commonly reported symptoms are recurrent fevers, chills, and headache.
But the cyclical nature of the fevers should be a telltale sign for doctors to test for B. miyamotoi, Rubio said.
Fortunately, most tick-borne infections, including this one, can be treated with a hefty dose of the common antibiotic doxycycline, Rubio said. After four weeks on the antibiotic, the California man made a full recovery, according to the report.
"I think a lot of people let their guards down in terms of thinking about tick borne illnesses on the West Coast," Rubio said. "Public awareness is important, given that it reinforces the preventative measures that people can take when hiking in these areas in California."
Anyone spending time outside during tick season, which spans from April through September in the US, should protect themselves with tick repellent, long sleeves, and diligent checks after walking or hiking in wooded areas, Rubio said.
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>>> US to build $300 million database to fuel Alzheimer's research
Reuters
By Julie Steenhuysen
4-3-23
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/exclusive-us-to-build-300-million-database-to-fuel-alzheimer-s-research/ar-AA19pBhy?OCID=ansmsnnews11
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) is funding a 6-year, up to $300 million project to build a massive Alzheimer's research database that can track the health of Americans for decades and enable researchers to gain new insights on the brain-wasting disease.
The NIA, part of the government's National Institutes of Health (NIH), aims to build a data platform capable of housing long-term health information on 70% to 90% of the U.S. population, officials told Reuters of the grant, which had not been previously reported.
The platform will draw on data from medical records, insurance claims, pharmacies, mobile devices, sensors and various government agencies, they said.
"Real-world data is what we need to make a lot of decisions about the effectiveness of medications and looking really at a much broader population than most clinical trials can cover," Dr. Nina Silverberg, director of the NIA's Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers program, said in an interview.
Tracking patients before and after they develop Alzheimer’s symptoms is seen as integral to making advances against the disease, which can start some 20 years before memory issues develop.
Alzheimer's research has been galvanized by Leqembi, a new treatment from Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc that slows advance of the disease in early-stage patients.
The database could help identify healthy people at risk for Alzheimer's, which affects about 6 million Americans, for future drug trials. It also aims to address chronic underrepresentation of people of color and different ethnicities in Alzheimer’s clinical trials and could help increase enrollment from outside of urban academic medical centers.
Once built, the platform could also track patients after they receive treatments such as Leqembi, which won accelerated U.S. approval in January, and is widely expected to receive traditional FDA approval by July 6.
The U.S. Medicare health plan for older adults will likely require such tracking in a registry as a condition of reimbursement for Leqembi.
"We didn't design it for that purpose," Silverberg said, but "it might be possible" to use it for that purpose.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which runs the U.S. Medicare insurance program, did not respond to a request for comment.
Silverberg said the data platform could also help researchers working in other disease areas understand which patients are most at risk and the impact of medications.
During the pandemic, the U.S. lagged other countries with national health systems in being able to analyze patient data for COVID-19.
The system would be built in a secure computing environment with a number of restrictions to ensure the privacy of people's health data, Silverberg said.
The grant, which was posted on March 13, has been years in the making. The funding announcement sets its earliest start date at April 2024, with a goal to establish an Alzheimer’s registry 21 months later.
Several stakeholders including Medicare and patient advocacy groups the Alzheimer's Association and UsAgainstAlzheimer's took part in a workshop last spring to discuss the design of the platform.
Alzheimer's Association Chief Science Officer Maria Carrillo said in an interview that the organization plans to apply for the NIA platform grant, which will award $50 million a year for up to six years.
Partha Bhattacharyya, chief data officer of the NIH Office of Data Resources and Analytics said: "We envision this platform will allow researchers to recruit across the United States."
"If we are to play a greater role in prevention, we must start early. That is not at age 65," he said.'
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>>> Stryker Now Offers the Only FDA-Cleared Pyrocarbon Bearing Material Option for Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty
Business Wire
March 30, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/stryker-now-offers-only-fda-122700485.html
First clinical use of Stryker’s Tornier Pyrocarbon Humeral Head completed at Denver Surgery Center in Colorado
DENVER, March 30, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stryker (NYSE:SYK), one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, today announced that Armodios M. Hatzidakis, MD, FAAOS, Western Orthopaedics, PC, Denver Surgery Center and Rose Medical Center, has successfully completed the first case in the United States, since the De Novo clearance, using the Tornier Pyrocarbon Humeral Head. Stryker’s De Novo request was granted in late 2022 after completing an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study with the FDA.
Stryker's Tornier Pyrocarbon Humeral Head is the first FDA-cleared pyrocarbon implant for shoulder hemiarthroplasty in the U.S.
"Historically, joint replacement surgery for younger patients with severe shoulder arthritis has been challenging, with a high early failure risk due to socket component loosening," said Dr. Hatzidakis, the primary investigator for the IDE. "I'm very pleased with the results my patients in the clinical trial have had with Stryker’s Tornier Pyrocarbon Humeral Head, including those with up to seven years of follow up. It’s encouraging to have an alternative for patients without the risk of socket component loosening."
Pyrocarbon is an advanced bearing material that has surface properties more similar to bone than traditional orthopaedic metallic bearing surfaces. It has been utilized internationally for a variety of orthopaedic procedures since the early 1990s and in shoulder cases since 2013. Stryker is the first company to offer an FDA-cleared pyrocarbon implant for shoulder hemiarthroplasty in the U.S.
"As a global leader in shoulder arthroplasty, we are excited to bring this technology to the United States," said Tim Lanier, vice president and general manager, Upper Extremities, Stryker. "Dr. Hatzidakis’ first clinical usage of the Pyrocarbon Humeral Head for shoulder hemiarthroplasty is another milestone demonstrating our drive to provide new options for shoulder surgeons and their patients and make healthcare better."
About Stryker
Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. The company offers innovative products and services in Medical and Surgical, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics and Spine that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 130 million patients annually. More information is available at www.stryker.com.
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>>> Lyme is not the only disease to worry about this tick season. What you need to know this spring.
Cases of babesiosis — a tick-borne disease that can cause flulike symptoms — are on the rise in the Northeast, according to the CDC.
Yahoo Finance
Laura Ramirez-Feldman
March 30, 2023
https://www.yahoo.com/news/tick-season-lyme-disease-babesiosis-spring-what-to-know-162107246.html
Spring is in full swing, and that means more sunlight, warmer temperatures and more time spent outdoors. It also means that for most of the United States, tick season has begun. Although tick exposure can occur year round, these insects are most active during the warmer months, starting in April.
Some states with greater tick activity have started to urge citizens to take precautions when enjoying the outdoors. Ticks carry several types of disease — Lyme disease being the most common — but health experts say Americans should be aware of a rise in other tick-borne illnesses in some regions of the country, including babesiosis.
What is babesiosis?
Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by a parasite called Babesia microti and spread by the black-legged tick, otherwise known as the deer tick. In the U.S., the disease is more commonly found in the Northeast and Midwest, where deer ticks are abundant.
A bite from a tick carrying this parasite can infect red blood cells. While not everyone who is infected develops symptoms, some people can experience flulike symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle pain and fatigue.
Severe cases of babesiosis are rare, but the disease can be fatal for some people, particularly those who are immunocompromised, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency also notes that the disease can lead to health complications, including acute respiratory distress and kidney failure.
Cases of babesiosis are increasing in the Northeast
This month, the CDC warned about a significant increase in tick-borne illnesses in the U.S. A study conducted by the agency found that U.S. tick-borne disease cases had risen by 25%, from 40,795 cases reported in 2011 to 50,856 in 2019. During the same period, "a total of 16,456 cases of babesiosis were reported to CDC by 37 states, including 16,174 (98.2%) reported from the 10 states included in this analysis," the report noted.
Cases of babesiosis in particular climbed significantly in eight Northeastern states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Three New England states — Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont — saw the fastest growth in cases, which prompted the CDC to add them to the list of places where the disease is considered endemic (meaning it is consistently present).
“It's certainly something that is of concern,” Griffin Dill, tick lab coordinator at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, told Yahoo News. “It hasn't reached the kind of case numbers that we're seeing with Lyme disease or anaplasmosis quite yet, but it is certainly on the rise and something to be aware of.”
Although babesiosis cases are increasing, Lyme disease continues to be the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the U.S., with approximately 35,000 cases reported to the CDC each year.
Dill and his team provide tick identification and testing services in Maine. By testing ticks that people bring to the lab, his team can identify the type of pathogens the insects could be carrying. Dill explained that this tool is an important one because it provides people with “a piece of risk information about the ticks on their property.” It also gives researchers a better understanding of the geographical spread of ticks and the diseases they carry.
The recent CDC report, Dill said, confirms what he’s been seeing in his lab.
“Just over the past five years that we've been doing this, we've seen an increase over time in the infection rate for Babesia,” he said. “So even just in a relatively short, five-year time frame, we're seeing increases in the parasite within the tick itself, which then can correspond to increases in human cases as well.”
Experts believe that the actual number of cases is probably higher, because babesiosis is not reportable in all states. A main concern about the increased prevalence of the disease is that the parasite that causes it can be transmitted via blood transfusions. This, the CDC said, could pose a threat to the blood supply.
“Persons who acquire babesiosis through contaminated blood have been shown to have significantly worse health outcomes and a higher risk for death than do those who acquire the disease from a tick bite,” the agency said in the report.
However, government health agencies have already taken steps to protect the blood supply from the tick-borne disease. Since 2019, the Food and Drug Administration has recommended screening for the parasite at blood donation centers in 14 states and Washington, D.C., where the disease is more prevalent.
Why are tick-borne diseases on the rise?
The CDC hasn’t explained why cases of babesiosis and other tick-borne diseases are up, but tick experts have a few theories as to why this may be happening.
Researchers say global warming is a contributing factor. Ticks thrive in warm and humid weather, usually anywhere there is lush greenery. As winters get warmer and shorter, the pests can stay active year round, causing more infections.
Dill said that seasonality patterns of black-legged ticks have almost disappeared.
“Normally, we get kind of a break in tick activity during the winter months, when it's cold, it's snowy, but with warmer weather [and] warmer temperatures, we can and do see them active year round, unfortunately,” he said.
The changes in climate and weather patterns have also had an impact on the geographic range of ticks. The habitat of black-legged ticks and other tick species is expanding, Dill explained.
“The black-legged tick, we're certainly seeing them advance further and further north into northern New England and into Canada,” he said.
Another type of tick that has been on the move in the past two decades is the lone star tick. These ticks can spread an unusual disease called alpha-gal syndrome, which causes an allergic reaction to mammal meats such as beef, pork and lamb. They were historically found in the Southern U.S., but Stephen Rich, director of the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, said they are moving north, and farther inland. Their population is also growing.
“There are spots like Long Island, N.Y., where basically the lone star ticks have almost replaced the ticks that transmit Lyme disease — the black-legged ticks. So they're definitely moving northward,” he said.
Both Dill and Rich said climate change is not the only reason why ticks and tick-borne diseases have spread throughout the country.
“We can't say that it's not global warming. But the stronger evidence is that this has to do with the way we manage our landscapes,” Rich said.
The way we like to see our properties, with stone walls and lawns with wooded edges, turns out to be perfect for deer and for deer ticks or black-legged ticks. "We've cultivated landscapes that are perfect for ticks and tick-borne diseases,” he added.
How to prevent tick-borne disease
The best way to protect yourself from babesiosis and other tick-borne illnesses is to avoid getting bitten by a tick.
These critters live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, so you are more likely to have encounters with them when going outside to garden, walk your dog or go camping or hiking.
To prevent tick bites, Dill recommends that people create a layer of protection.
“That barrier can be something as simple as just wearing protective clothing, so wearing long pants and tucking those pants into your boots or into your socks, just anything that's going to prevent a tick from actually getting to your skin,” he said.
Using repellents is also a good option. Certain repellents are designed to be used on clothing; others can be applied directly to the skin. The CDC recommends using Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents. If you are not sure which product to use, the EPA has a search tool that can help find the best fit for you.
Checking your body for ticks after spending time outdoors is also highly recommended.
“Just make it a routine to look over your body and see if you have ticks,” Rich said, adding that people should check their children and pets as well.
Finally, if you do find a tick on yourself, the experts said there’s no reason to panic, because not every tick is carrying a disease. If the insect has bitten you, the CDC recommends removing it with fine-tipped tweezers and cleaning the bite area with rubbing alcohol or with soap and water.
Rich told Yahoo News that people should also consider saving or photographing the tick so a professional can evaluate it and determine if it is carrying harmful bacteria. He recommended the University of Rhode Island’s TickSpotters program, which offers free tick identification service, as one place where this can be done.
If you develop a rash or fever after getting bitten by a tick, the CDC recommends that you consult a medical professional.
“I think awareness is kind of the key there,” Dill said. "We don't want people to be afraid of these illnesses and … prevent people from going outdoors and enjoying outdoor activities. But be aware and take some precautions when recreating outside."
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UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - >>> Primarily a provider of health insurance policies, and in partnership with employers, providers, and governments, it makes healthcare accessible to more than 151 million people.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/end-bear-market-may-sight-204211341.html
The scale of this business is visible in the company’s earnings reports. In the last reported quarter, 4Q22, UnitedHealth showed a quarterly top line of $82.8 billion, up 12% year-over-year and some $270 million ahead of expectations. At the bottom line, the company had a non-GAAP EPS of $5.34, up 19% y/y, and above consensus estimate of $5.17. For the full year, UnitedHealth had revenues of $324 billion, for a 13% y/y gain. The firm’s full-year adjusted net earnings came to $22.19 per share.
Looking ahead, UNH is guiding toward $357 billion to $360 billion in revenues for 2023, and is projecting to bring in $24.40 to $24.90 in adjusted net EPS.
Covering this stock for Morgan Stanley, 5-star analyst Erin Wright lays out a simple case for investors to consider, saying, “In health insurance, scale is king and UNH is the largest national insurer with top-three position in almost all insurance end markets. We believe the resiliency of UNH’s diversified businesses will generate long-term double-digit earnings growth with high visibility as a best-in-class vertically integrated MCO in a highly defensive category.”
To this end, Wright rates UNH shares an Overweight (i.e. Buy), and her price target of $587 implies a gain of ~22% on the one-year time horizon. (To watch Wright’s track record, click here)
Overall, the Strong Buy consensus on this stock is backed by 10 recent analyst reviews, featuring a 9 to 1 breakdown favoring Buys over Holds. The stock’s average price target of $599.33 indicates potential for a 24% one-year upside from the current share price of $481.82. As a small bonus, the company also pays regular dividends that currently yield 1.4% annually.
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Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) - >>> An important player in the field of laboratory research.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/end-bear-market-may-sight-204211341.html
Thermo Fisher is a maker and supplier of laboratory equipment – scientific instruments, chemicals and reagents, sampling and testing supplies, and even lab-related software systems. Thermo Fisher works with a broad customer base, serving any clients in any field involving lab work; the company frequently deals with academics, medical researchers, and government entities.
While Thermo Fisher occupies a highly particular niche, supplying research labs has been profitable in the post-pandemic world. The company’s 4Q22 results saw both the top and bottom line beat expectations, even if they did not expand year-over-year. At the top line, the quarterly revenue of $11.45 billion was a full $1.04 billion above the forecast, while at the bottom line the non-GAAP EPS of $5.40 was 20 cents ahead of consensus estimates.
Thermo Fisher caught the eye of Morgan Stanley analyst Tejas Savant who writes: “We like TMO for the breadth of its portfolio, diversified customer base and scale – attributes that we believe will prove advantageous in navigating a potential recession, in addition to inflationary pressures and geopolitical uncertainty. TMO’s favorable end market exposure, PPI business system, and track record of consistent all-weather execution underpin our confidence in management’s long-term core organic growth target of 7- 9% with mid-teens EPS growth.”
Unsurprisingly, Savant rates TMO shares an Overweight (i.e. Buy), while his $670 suggests the stock will grow 19% in the year ahead. (To watch Savant’s track record, click here)
Overall, this stock has picked up 14 recent analyst reviews, and these include 12 Buys that overbalance 1 Hold and 1 Sell for a Strong Buy consensus rating. The stock’s average price target of $656.71 implies ~17% one-year gain from the current share price of $561.69.
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>>> Possible culprit identified in outbreak of severe liver damage cases in children
NBC News
Erika Edwards
March 30, 2023
https://www.yahoo.com/news/possible-culprit-identified-outbreak-severe-212517865.html
An onslaught of common childhood viruses may have been behind the mysterious outbreak of cases of severe liver damage in children that began popping up in late 2021, as lockdowns were relaxed and schools reopened.
Severe acute hepatitis and liver failure are extremely rare in otherwise healthy children, and the cases puzzled experts. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has investigated 390 cases in 46 states since the fall of 2021. Twenty-two children needed a liver transplant, and 13 have died. Worldwide, there have been about 1,000 cases, according to the World Health Organization.
Research published Thursday in the journal Nature homes in on a possible culprit: adeno-associated virus 2, or AAV2, a virus not previously known to cause illness. In 93% of the cases investigated, the researchers detected AAV2.
But importantly, the researchers found that AAV2 didn’t appear to be acting alone. It needed “helper” viruses — other infections — to get into liver cells.
The study focused on 16 U.S. children with severe hepatitis, analyzing samples of blood, stool and liver biopsies. In a majority of the cases, patients were infected with three or four common viruses at the same time.
Multiple co-infections “was an unexpected finding,” said senior study author Dr. Charles Chiu, director of the University of California-San Francisco’s Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.
In 75% of the cases, researchers found evidence of infection with at least three viruses at the same time. In about a third of the cases, there was evidence of four viruses.
A range of viruses was detected. One was adenovirus type 41, which had previously been identified as a potential suspect in the illnesses. That virus usually causes an upset stomach. Researchers also found a herpes virus, an enterovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause mononucleosis.
The findings do not prove that co-infections directly caused the severe hepatitis, but give important clues.
The results were compared to 113 pediatric patients who were either healthy or had liver problems in which the cause was known. There was no evidence of multiple viruses in this control group.
Two other studies first released as preprints last summer also detected AAV2 in severe pediatric hepatitis cases in the United Kingdom.
“Similar findings by three independent studies give strong credibility to the results,” Thomas Baumert, head of the Inserm Research Institute for Viral and Liver Diseases and the University of Strasbourg in France said in a statement to the media. Baumert was not part of the new research.
It is not uncommon to see children with several viruses at the same time, usually without dire outcomes, said Dr. Ibukun Kalu, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. “You might have a toddler that has a sniffly nose for a month, even though we would expect a standard viral infection to last about two weeks.”
What concerns Kalu, however, is the potential that “historically nonpathogenic viruses are now becoming pathogenic when they combine with or are present with some other virus.”
What about Covid?
There was no indication that Covid or the Covid vaccines were related to these clusters of cases. But the cases are likely a consequence of the pandemic, Chiu said.
When schools were closed, children were not exposed to the common viruses that usually circulate. Once restrictions began to lift, kids were suddenly exposed to multiple viruses at once.
Globally, cases have been in young children, ages 10 or younger. “This is precisely the time period in which immune systems are being formed,” Chiu said. “What I suspect has happened is that for this certain population of children at this critical age, their immune development was simply disrupted over two years.”
“One of the unintended consequences of the Covid pandemic may have been that we now have a population of children who have altered immunity,” Chiu said. “We need to be alert for the possibility that we may be seeing unusual disease manifestations such as hepatitis in the future.”
While cases linked to the recent outbreak appear to be waning, Dr. Amy Feldman, the pediatric liver transplant medical director at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs, said she sees about a “handful” of unexplained liver failure cases each year.
Her team has now added adenovirus screening for her pediatric patients with liver inflammation. Understanding potential causes of such cases can help doctors “better understand how to prevent and how to treat them,” Feldman said.
“Stopping the spread of germs is important,” Feldman said. “The more that you can wash your hands, the better.”
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>>> Early Alzheimer’s disease could be diagnosed through eye exams, new study suggests
Fox News
by Melissa Rudy
3-24-23
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/early-alzheimer-s-disease-could-be-diagnosed-through-eye-exams-new-study-suggests/ar-AA193hGN?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=ef6529abf90d42808a07ff87bb58f3e3&ei=15
Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain, usually diagnosed through MRI scans and a battery of other tests.
Researchers, however, have found that the human eye can show early signals of this common form of dementia long before symptoms become apparent.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, led the study, which was published in the journal Acta Neuropathologica last month.
The researchers analyzed human eyes and brain tissue from 86 deceased patients who had been diagnosed with either Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment before they died.
The researchers also compared samples from people who had normal cognitive function to those who had early-stage symptoms and to those who had late-stage Alzheimer’s.
The retinas of the patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers found, had an excess amount of amyloid beta 42, a protein that forms the "plaques" that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, the retinas contained cells called microglia, which are also associated with progression of the disease.
"We discovered the accumulation of highly toxic proteins in the retinas of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, causing severe degeneration of cells," said Dr. Yosef Koronyo, research associate in the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery and first author of the study, in a statement on the Cedars-Sinai website.
The changes were also detected in patients who did not display any cognitive decline or had only very mild signs, indicating that retinal tests could help enable early diagnosis.
This study is the most comprehensive analysis of the human retina in terms of how it relates to the brains and cognitive functions of Alzheimer’s patients.
That's according to Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, PhD, professor of neurosurgery, neurology and biomedical sciences at Cedars-Sinai, in a statement.
"These findings may eventually lead to the development of imaging techniques that allow us to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease earlier and more accurately, and monitor its progression non-invasively by looking through the eye," said Koronyo-Hamaoui, senior author of the study.
More than six million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The disease is expected to affect 12.7 million people by 2050 as the population ages.
"The population of people age 65 and older is expected to grow from 58 million in 2021 to 88 million in 2050," Nicole Purcell, DO, general neurologist and senior director of clinical practice at the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago, Illinois, told Fox News Digital in an earlier interview.
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UFP Technologies (UFPT) - >>> Don’t sleep on medical device maker UFP Technologies. The Newburyport, Massachusetts company has been around since 1963 and UFPT stock has been a long-term gainer. In fact, as portfolio manager Eddy Elfenbein notes, the share price has increased 150-fold over the past two decades. “That’s enough to turn $7,000 into over $1 million,” Elfenbein writes.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-stocks-watch-looking-next-005316983.html
The company operates in a niche market for medical devices and its strong position in that market is reflected in its earnings. In the third quarter of 2022, UFP’s sales grew 91% year over year, while organic sales rose 21.7% and operating income swelled by 37%. Earnings per share rose 173% to $1.36, trouncing analyst estimates of 94 cents a share. The company is expected to report Q4 and full-year results in early March.
Stellar earnings have propelled UFPT stock higher both in the short and long term. Despite a 7% year-to-date decline over the past 12 months, the share price has risen 51%. Over the past five years, the stock is up nearly 283%.
UFP Technologies doesn’t offer a dividend, but its current price-earnings ratio of 23 looks fair given the company’s consistent earnings growth and its share price appreciation.
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DexCom - >>> DexCom (DXCM) has constructed a robust revenue-producing and profitable business in the lucrative diabetes care market with its industry-leading continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices. The company recently saw the latest generation of its flagship CGM device, the G7, receive the green light from the FDA, and launches of the product are already underway in key global markets, including Europe and Asia.
https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/03/09/2-top-stocks-to-buy-in-march-and-hold-forever/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
The G7 device is being marketed as having the fastest warmup time of any such device to date, at only 30 minutes total. It's also 60% smaller than its predecessor, DexCom's top-selling CGM, the G6. Like the G6, the G7 CGM doesn't require any finger sticks, and it sends readings to the wearer's compatible device every five minutes in order to enable seamless tracking of blood sugar levels and trends. Although the launch is only in its early days, management said in the 2022 earnings call that "97% of initial users surveyed have found the G7 easy to use."
Moreover, as of the end of 2022, 1.7 million people around the globe were wearing a DexCom device, an increase of an incredible 450,000 lives compared to 2021. DexCom's revenue shot up 20% in 2022, while earnings surged nearly 60%. Given the ongoing expansion of public and private coverage for current and prospective CGM wearers -- including a recent U.S. ruling extending G7 coverage to Medicare beneficiaries who meet eligibility -- DexCom still has a broad, growing addressable market to tap into today.
There are millions of type 1 and type 2 diabetics around the globe who could benefit from such a device but are not yet wearing one. And the prevalence of diabetes is on the rise. There's also data to indicate that pre-diabetics may benefit from wearing CGMs. In short, there's a lot of growth runway left for DexCom here, and investors who stay with this stock for the long haul could tap into this growth story, too.
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>>> The Ensign Group Acquires Two Skilled Nursing Facilities in Colorado
GlobeNewswire
The Ensign Group, Inc.
March 2, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ensign-group-acquires-two-skilled-110000473.html
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif., March 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensign Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENSG), the parent company of the EnsignTM group of companies, which invest in and provide skilled nursing and senior living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, other rehabilitative and healthcare services, and real estate, announced today that it acquired the operations of Hampden Hills Post Acute, a 218-bed skilled nursing facility located in Aurora, Colorado, and Mapleton Post Acute, an 84-bed skilled nursing facility located in Lakewood, Colorado. These acquisitions were effective March 1, 2023 and will be subject to long-term, triple net leases.
“We are thrilled about our continued growth in Colorado,” said Barry Port, Ensign's Chief Executive Officer. “We have admired these facilities for some time and are excited for the opportunity to combine these with our existing facilities in Colorado,” he added.
Dave Jorgensen, President of Endura Healthcare LLC, Ensign’s Colorado-based subsidiary, added “we have been very impressed with the teams at these facilities, and we look forward to providing additional resources to support them as they strive to meet the needs of the residents and families we are honored to serve.”
These acquisitions bring Ensign's growing portfolio to 290 healthcare operations, 26 of which also include senior living operations, across thirteen states. Ensign subsidiaries, including Standard Bearer, own 108 real estate assets and sublease 3 healthcare operations to a third-party. Mr. Port reaffirmed that Ensign is actively seeking opportunities to acquire real estate and to lease both well-performing and struggling skilled nursing, assisted living and other healthcare related businesses throughout the United States.
About EnsignTM
The Ensign Group, Inc.'s independent operating subsidiaries provide a broad spectrum of skilled nursing and senior living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies and other rehabilitative and healthcare services at 290 healthcare facilities, in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. More information about Ensign is available at http://www.ensigngroup.net.
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>>> Bird flu is killing bald eagles at an 'alarming rate,' researchers say
by Dinah Voyles Pulver
USA TODAY
March 4, 2023
https://www.yahoo.com/news/bird-flu-killing-bald-eagles-173121257.html
Bald eagle nest failures and deaths are piling up at an “alarming rate” as a result of the highly infectious avian influenza, University of Georgia researchers announced this week.
The avian influenza strain known as H5N1 is killing an unprecedented number of mating pairs of the national symbol birds, University of Georgia researchers concluded in a study published in Nature’s Scientific Reports.
“Even just one year of losses of productivity like we’ve documented regionally is very concerning and could have effects for decades to come if representative of broader regions,” said Nicole Nemeth, an associate professor at UGA’s college of veterinary medicine, who led the study with 10 other researchers. “There were nights where I couldn’t sleep based on what we were hearing and seeing.”
What did the research show?
“We had reports from people who faithfully monitor eagle nests year after year with these heartbreaking stories of an adult eagle found dead below their nest, Nemeth said. “Within a few days, often its mate and the chicks were also found dead below the nest. It is clear the virus is causing nest failures.”
Just under half the bald eagle nests in coastal Georgia fledged an eaglet in 2022, 30% below average for the season.
The influenza was documented in Georgia’s bald eagles for the first time in April 2022 after dead eagles were found in Chatham, Glynn and Liberty counties in March.
The success rate for nests in one Florida County was 50% lower than average, dropping from an average of 86.5% to 41%.
What about bald eagles elsewhere?
There have been many reports of bald eagles dying across the U.S. and Canada, said Nemeth, a part of the University of Georgia's Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.
The study has diagnosed cases of the influenza in high numbers of bald eagles and other avian species from member states. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service also revealed the influenza is widespread in bald eagles, she said.
Eagles and other raptors probably contract the virus by eating other diseased birds, federal officials say.
BACKGROUND: Bird flu costs accumulate as avian influenza outbreak enters second year
What other birds have been affected?
Since it was first detected in the United States in January 2022, the H5N1 virus has exploded in birds across the country, federal data shows, but also infects other wildlife.
Reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the virus has:
Has struck more than 58 million domestic poultry animals, including chickens and turkeys, in 777 outbreaks.
Been the subject of 4,672 reports in wild birds.
Infected at least 146 avian species .
Been documented in every state but Hawaii and every Canadian province and territory.
Has spread to 17 other wildlife species in 22 states, including 60 red fox, 16 harbor seals and 14 striped skunks.
Nearly half the infected red foxes were reported in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Nemeth suspects the number of wild bird cases “is drastically underreported.”
“People will submit one snow goose, for example, and it will test positive for the virus,” she said. “And then they’ll tell you, ‘Well, there are thousands of geese dying at the same site.’ But it only goes down as one infected bird.
“We can’t contain the virus, and we can’t vaccinate wild birds," Nemeth said. "But we can document the losses and try to help conserve affected species and populations the best we can.”
Experts say it's likely the virus is being spread when birds or other mammals eat infected birds. The virus affects birds by impairing their nervous systems and making them unable to fly. But some species are more susceptible than others, including the bald eagle.
The CDC says bird flu strikes primarily in animals, but it has been detected in four people in the United States. Symptoms include eye redness, flulike upper respiratory symptoms that range from mild to severe, fever and body aches.
Also, an 11-year-old girl died in Cambodia in late February.
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>>> Quipt Home Medical Reports Record First Quarter Fiscal 2023 Financial Results Posting Positive Net Income, Revenue Growth of 38% and Adjusted EBITDA Growth of 50%
GlobeNewswire
Quipt Home Medical Corp.
February 14, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/quipt-home-medical-reports-record-123000564.html
Posts Strong Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 22% and Sequential Organic Growth of 2%
CINCINNATI
Feb. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quipt Home Medical Corp. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ:QIPT; TSXV:QIPT), a U.S. based home medical equipment provider, focused on end-to-end respiratory care, today announced its first quarter fiscal 2023 financial results and operational highlights. These results pertain to the three months ended December 31, 2022 and are reported in U.S. Dollars.
Quipt will host its Earnings Conference Call on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The dial-in number is 1 (800) 319-4610 or 1 (604) 638-5340. The live audio webcast can be found on the investor section of the Company’s website through the following link: www.quipthomemedical.com.
Financial Highlights:
Revenue for fiscal Q1 2023 was $40.8 million compared to $29.5 million for fiscal Q1 2022, representing a 38% increase year-over-year.
Organic growth increased by 2% sequentially compared to fiscal Q4 2022. The Company anticipates organic growth meeting and surpassing historical levels of 8-10% as calendar 2023 progresses.
Recurring Revenue (as defined below) for fiscal Q1 2023 continues to be strong and exceeded 77% of total revenue.
Adjusted EBITDA (defined below) for fiscal Q1 2023 was $9.0 million (22.0% margin), compared to Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal Q1 2022 of $6.0 million (20.3% margin), representing a 50% increase year-over-year. The Company expects to continue seeing strong margin performance in fiscal 2023.
Net income for fiscal Q1 2023 was $325,000 or $0.01 per fully diluted share, compared to a net loss for fiscal Q1 2022 of $2.1 million or ($0.06) per fully diluted share. The Company believes the recent consumer price index updates by the United States Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) fee schedule will have a positive impact on the Company’s net income in calendar 2023.
For fiscal Q1 2023, bad debt expense was at 5.6% of total revenues compared to 8.2% of total revenues in fiscal Q1 2022. This decrease is primarily due to improved collections and is an example of how the Company can scale and add more revenue through add-on acquisitions without compromising billing and collection capabilities.
Cash flow from continuing operations was $4.8 million for fiscal Q1 2023, compared to $5.1 million for fiscal Q1 2022. The decrease was largely due to the increase in net working capital.
The Company reported $3.7 million of cash on hand and total credit availability of $101.9 million as of December 31, 2022 with $16.9 million available towards a line of credit and $85.0 million available on a delayed draw term loan (DDTL). The Company paid down $3.9 million of its line of credit during fiscal Q1 2023.
Operational Highlights:
The Company’s customer base increased 32% year over year to 99,420 unique patients served in fiscal Q1 2023 from 75,309 unique patients served in fiscal Q1 2022.
Compared to 118,100 unique set-ups/deliveries in fiscal Q1 2022, the Company completed 146,350 unique set-ups/deliveries in fiscal Q1 2023, an increase of 24%. There were 69,482 respiratory resupply set-ups/deliveries during fiscal Q1 2023 compared to 51,137 during fiscal Q1 2022, an increase of 36%, which the Company credits to its continued use of technology and centralized intake processes.
The Company has seen the supply chain for sleep devices rapidly improve in real time with the expectation that supply levels will be back to pre-pandemic levels in the first half of calendar 2023. The team is actively driving set-ups across the organization to match the robust demand which we feel will continue for the foreseeable future.
The Company continues to experience robust demand for respiratory equipment, such as oxygen concentrators, ventilators, as well as the CPAP resupply and other supplies business.
The Company has expanded its sales reach, which now spans across 26 U.S. states with the addition of experienced sales personnel.
Subsequent Highlights:
On January 3, 2023, the Company announced the completed acquisition of Great Elm Healthcare, LLC (“Great Elm”), a clinical respiratory company with locations across eight states in the Midwest, Southwest and Pacific Northwest, for a total purchase price of $80 million (subject to customary adjustments of Great Elm’s working capital, existing debt and expenses). Based on an independent quality of earnings report, Great Elm had unaudited revenues for the 12 months ended August 31, 2022 of $60 million ?with an Adjusted EBITDA (defined below) of $13 million.
Quipt has identified $2 million in cost savings and synergies, which it expects to capture during the first six months post-closing and would result in Great Elm’s Anticipated Annualized Adjusted EBITDA (defined below) to be $15 million, representing a purchase price of 5.2x Adjusted EBITDA post cost savings and synergies.
Post-acquisition, the Company anticipates Annualized Revenue (defined below) and Anticipated Annualized Adjusted EBITDA of $220 million and $49 million, inclusive of the $2 million of anticipated synergies and cost savings.
Post-acquisition, Quipt's Recurring Revenue (defined below) is expected to increase from 77% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, to 82%, on a pro forma basis.
The Company has now reached 270,000 active patients, 32,500 referring physicians and 115 locations.
Management Commentary:
“We are pleased to announce another record quarter in the first quarter of our fiscal year 2023, and we are seeing considerable momentum throughout the business as calendar year 2023 gets underway. Organic growth has returned to historic levels, our Adjusted EBITDA margin has accelerated, supply chain concerns have subsided, and we just completed our largest acquisition to date. The strong performance during the first quarter of the fiscal year is evidence of the ongoing operational excellence in which we take great pride. We are thrilled that our Adjusted EBITDA margin has reached 22% as we get closer to critical scale, and we expect that margins will continue to increase in the future,” said CEO and Chairman Greg Crawford.
“Our nationwide expansion of our patient centric ecosystem has been targeted on geographies with a high prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) COPD and we have made tremendous progress reaching 26 states. As we can see from the current environment, a lot is being done to make sure that a patient is treated at home whenever it is practical. Therefore, we will continue to develop our healthcare network through the utilization of our clinical service model, which is based on technological applications like remote patient monitoring, to minimize the load that is being placed on the conventional healthcare system. Given the favorable regulatory environment, the ongoing strong demand for respiratory equipment, the positive demographic trends, and Quipt's continuous operational success across the board, the Company is in the best position it has ever been in as we start 2023.”
Chief Financial Officer Hardik Mehta added, “Our exceptional financial and operational success in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2023 has given us a lot to be proud of. It is a remarkable success for the team that we were able to improve our Adjusted EBITDA margin to 22%, recover to 2% sequential organic growth, and post positive net income. We expect our margins to remain strong as we progress through 2023 given the continued scaling of the business. In addition, at the beginning of the year, we announced the closing of our most significant acquisition to date, which was the purchase of Great Elm Healthcare. This acquisition encompassed eight states, seven of which had not previously been covered by Quipt. We have been successful in maintaining a conservative net leverage ratio of 1.96x, allowing us to have a significant amount of financial flexibility going ahead. We believe that we will be able to increase the amount of our senior credit facilities as soon as the ?right opportunity presents itself to us. The combined Annualized Revenue and Anticipated Annualized Adjusted EBITDA for Quipt in real time is $220 million and $49 million, respectively. This figure considers the cost reductions and synergies that resulted from the transaction, which totaled $2 million, but does not include the recent increase in the consumer price index updates to the DMEPOS fee schedule. Given our solid financial position, improved supply chain, and favorable operating climate, we continue to concentrate our efforts on our strong organic growth initiatives, and strategic acquisition candidates that would allow us to expand our company into existing and new favorable geographic areas in the United States.”
ABOUT QUIPT HOME MEDICAL CORP.
The Company provides in-home monitoring and disease management services including end-to-end respiratory solutions for patients in the United States healthcare market. It seeks to continue to expand its offerings to include the management of several chronic disease states focusing on patients with heart or pulmonary disease, sleep disorders, reduced mobility, and other chronic health conditions. The primary business objective of the Company is to create shareholder value by offering a broader range of services to patients in need of in-home monitoring and chronic disease management. The Company’s organic growth strategy is to increase annual revenue per patient by offering multiple services to the same patient, consolidating the patient’s services, and making life easier for the patient.
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>>> Top 10 CROs to watch in 2022
Proclinical
by Theodora Savlovschi - Wicks
31/03/2022
https://www.proclinical.com/blogs/2022-3/top-10-cros-to-watch-in-2022
Top 10 CROs to watch in 2022
Contract research organisations, also called Clinical research organizations, (CROs) are essential to the pharma, biotech, and medtech industries, supporting their efforts to test, refine and market their latest drugs and devices. In 2021, the global CRO market was valued at US$50 billion and by 2028, it is expected to reach an impressive US$88 billion, with a CAGR of 8.5% from 2021 to 2028.
Growth is being powered by a surge in research and development expenditures and activities, and a significant rise in the number of clinical trials with the need for new innovation. This is due to patent expiration, an increase in generic medications, and technological innovations like mHealth and big data influence on product development, all leading to greater outsourcing of work to CRO companies.
At the start of 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic first hit, it forced clinical trial activity to be paused as priorities were shifted. However, once the market took stock and assessed, clinical research operations started to steady themselves again and new ways to grow were revealed, either through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or becoming a more niche specific entity.
M&A is progressively changing the marketplace and some of the largest CROs have been strengthened through joining forces or being bought out by other companies. In the last few years, notable changes in the market have included:
• Clintec being absorbed by IQVIA
• PRA being bought by ICON
• Thermo Fisher Scientific acquiring PPD
• EQT Private Equity and Goldman Sachs Asset Management buying out Parexel
It was also recently announced, at the start of 2022, that CATO SMS and Pharm-Olam would merge to strengthen their position as a global biopharmaceutical services leader. The ripple effect of these M&A activities is felt across the wider research industry with the need for more and more outsourcing, creating a boom for functional service provider (FSP) programmes in larger organisations.
With expansions, consolidations, and innovations continuing throughout the CRO industry, 2022 is set to be another year of change. The top ten CROs to watch in 2022 are listed below, they are in no particular order but include both industry leaders by market share and revenue, and up-and-comers who are steadily increasing their presence through strategic partnerships and innovative service offerings:
1. PPD
Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) is a leading global CRO that employs over 30,000 people worldwide. They are considered a premium CRO provider for many pharma and biotech companies, and in 2021 they received a number of prestigious industry awards including Clinical Research Company of the Year, Best Vaccine CRO of the Year, and the Eagle Award from the Society for Clinical Research Sites.
After acquiring Evidera in 2016, PPD solidified itself as a leader in real-world research. The company has leveraged Evidera’s real-world evidence expertise to provide life science companies with an increasingly crucial element of the clinical development process, helping PPD to remain competitive. Since then, PPD has acquired Synexus (now Accelerated Enrollment Solutions), a patient recruitment company, and Bioclinica, a clinical research site business. Evidera has also further strengthened its capabilities by attaining Medimix, a global technology company providing real-world evidence insights.
In 2021, PPD was officially acquired by ThermoFisher, becoming part of ThermoFisher's Laboratory Products and Services Segment. This means PPD are still operating as a CRO with traditional CRO services, as well as their accelerated site solutions. Together, PPD and ThermoFisher are able to further leverage their capabilities to bring life-changing therapies to market and are set for a very promising future with an established drug development platform, patient enrolment expertise and robust laboratory services.
2. KCR
KCR is a boutique international full-service contract research organisation, operating in three main service areas: trial execution, consulting and placement. Over the last 8 years KCR has been expanding across Europe, and since establishing their headquarters in Boston in 2017, the company has also been further increasing their presence across the US. Their growing impact on the industry is the pride they take in a human approach, with a belief that there is an individual behind every number. KCR’s services are closely related to patient data and patient recruitment and it will be interesting to see them continue to develop rapidly in this space.
In an interview with Oursourcing Pharma in 2021, CEO Mike Jagielski said “KCR aims to continue to be the clinical development partner of choice for global biotech companies, while pushing boundaries in the innovation and adaption of direct patient engagement technology and development strategies. In doing so, it is our mission to remain a private enterprise – growing organically to ensure secure, long-term development.”
3. ICON
Operating from 46 locations across the world, the top-tier CRO, ICON, offers a full range of consulting, clinical development and commercialisation services.
In 2016, ICON partnered with Genomics England on the UK’s 100,000 Genomes Project, and IBM Watson for oncology research support to further expand service offerings and clinical research jobs in the genomic science and oncology sectors. In the last few years, ICON has completed a series of acquisitions, including: Symphony Clinical Research, MediNova, MolecularMD, and MedPass International and PRA.
In 2021, ICON generated impressive revenues of $ 5.5 billion, after aiding with the development of 30 customer drug and device approvals in the year, including breakthrough Covid vaccines and therapies. It is on track to continue to achieve exceptional growth as it reaches to transform into the world’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare intelligence organisation, making it an exciting one to watch.
4. IQVIA
In 2016, Quintiles and IMS Health came together to become IQVIA. As the largest CRO in the world, IQVIA operates in over 100 countries across the globe and brings together advances in data science, technology, and human science expertise, offering their clients an end-to-end clinical and commercial service. After a string of further acquisitions of smaller specialist companies, the company is going from strength-to-strength and remains truly at the forefront of the CRO world.
With revenues of $13,874 million for the full year of 2021, the company grew 22.1% on a reported basis and 21.1% at constant currencies compared to 2020. IQVIA had a record year of net new business in research and development, strong double-digit revenue growth for their technology and analytics solutions division. In a press release, chairman and CEO of IQVIA, Ari Bousbib, confirmed demand from end markets remains favourable and they expect to continue to experience high demand for their differentiated offerings, meaning the company is on track to reach its next phase of growth and achieve ambitious 2025 targets.
5. Parexel
Parexel was founded in 1982 and specialises in conducting clinical studies on behalf of its pharmaceutical partners, to speed up and ensure the drug approval process runs smoothly. The company has a wide range of service offerings, covering nearly every type of clinical trial service to assist sponsors in running successful clinical studies.
In July 2021 it was announced that Parexel would be acquired by EQT Private Equity and Goldman Sachs for $8.4 billion. Parexel CEO, Jamie Macdonald, commented: “Parexel has continued its strong growth trajectory delivering on its patients-first focus and accelerating new therapies to patients in need around the world. With the market for outsourced clinical research services anticipated to grow at a conservative CAGR of 8 to 9%, our focus remains on advancing and innovating Parexel to meet our customers’ needs across the evolving clinical development landscape. EQT and Goldman Sachs support this vision and are committed to investing in Parexel and our people to capitalize on this exciting market opportunity and make a difference for patients.”
6. Medpace (MEDP)
A mid-sized CRO, Medpace focuses on clinical research for drugs and devices globally. Unlike many of the larger CROs, Medpace has not invested in acquisitions, but instead chosen to reinvest in their own workforce and grow organically.
Even with a general shift towards hybrid working models due to the pandemic, Medpace’s smaller size helps it retain the intimacy of a cohesive office culture in contrast to much of the rest of the sector which is heavily home-based. This is thought to directly affect how employees feel about the job and how they interact with clients on a daily basis, offering a unique service and collaboration with their partners.
In the latter half of 2021, Medpace announced changes to their senior leadership team with the appointment of Jesse Geiger as president and Kevin Brady as chief financial officer. Dr August Troendle, chairman and CEO commented “This step positions Medpace for continued success as we accelerate the global development of safe and effective medical therapeutics.”
Medpace recently reported strong full year 2021 results, with revenues of $1,142.4 million, an increase of 23.4% from full year 2020. Further to this, Medpace were able to grow headcount by 24.3% from the prior year in a challenging and competitive labor environment. Employee retention and continued robust hiring for future business will remain top priorities in 2022.
7. Syenos Health
Formerly known as InVentiv Health Incorporated and INC Research, Syneos Health specialises in assisting companies with late-stage clinical trials. Headquartered in Northern Carolina, USA, the company employs more than 25,000 people over 91 locations worldwide.
In the last year, the business levelled up with two acquisitions: StudyKIK, a leading technology-enabled clinical trial recruitment and retention company, boosting Syneos Health’s ability to deliver technology-enabled, insight-powered solutions, and RxData Science, a leading healthcare-focused data analytics, data management and artificial intelligence (AI) company. Together, Syneos Health and RxDataScience will offer biopharma customers technology-enabled, insights-powered solutions with the aim of fast-tracking performance across the product lifecycle.
In 2021, the company generated revenues of $5,213.0 million and increased 18.1% on a reported basis and 17.0% on a constant currency basis, compared to the same period in the prior year, due in part to the prior period being impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the earnings press release, Alistair Macdonald, CEO, Syneos Health commented, “The market for our services remains strong, driven in part by customer adoption of our unique product development strategy, new drug approvals and biotech funding. In 2022, we expect robust growth propelled by recent acquisitions, uptake for our Syneos One and Medical Affairs offerings, and continued execution of our Value Creation Plan.”
8. Labcorp
Labcorp, provides comprehensive drug development solutions for a range of industries. In February 2015, LabCorp completed its $6 billion purchase of Covance. The combination of Covance’s drug development leadership and LabCorp’s medical testing expertise created the world’s leading health care diagnostics company. In addition to this, over the last decade, LabCorp has made a further series of acquisitions including: LipoScience, Inc., Bode Technology Group, Sequenom and, most recently, MNG Laboratories and Personal Genome Diagnostics (PGDx).
Moving forward, the company continues to grow organically through targeted acquisitions adding to its geographic and technological scope. Recently, the company furthered its efforts to advance cancer testing and the development of innovative treatments through the acquisition of Personal Genome Diagnostics. Also, by entering into a long-term relationship with Ascension, the company expects to broaden access to its clinical laboratory services in 10 states. Further to this, they are also set to acquire select assets of the health system’s outreach laboratory – making it an exciting period of growth for the company.
9. CTI
CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting Services is a medium-sized global contract research organisation that has been in operation since 1999. With offices in over 60 locations around the world, the company has a presence in North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle-East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions.
In 2021, CTI announced they were acquiring Dynakin, a European based strategic consulting company. Timothy J. Schroeder, CTI’s Chairman & CEO commented “We are excited to have Dynakin join CTI to create a stronger and more robust global full-service clinical research organisation. Dynakin and CTI share common philosophies and cultures, with a focus on teamwork, employee retention and career development. We are passionate about continued growth and expansion for the continued success of the company, so this acquisition is a great fit for the next phase of growth at CTI.”
10. PSI
PSI is a fast-growing CRO that specialises in a range of fields such as oncology, haematology, infectious diseases and multiple sclerosis. Headquartered in Switzerland, PSI has a global reach that operates clinical trials in over 50 countries and has expanded into new locations rapidly in over the last few years. They plan to continue expanding, having recently announced a new office in Israel. The company’s mission is to be the best CRO in the world in the eyes of employees, clients, sites, and vendors, showing that their reputation is at the forefront of everything they do.
In 2021, PSI received CRO Leadership Awards in five categories, including Compatibility, Expertise, Quality, Reliability, and Capabilities across two respondent groups (Overall and Small Pharma).
Interested in working for one of the top CRO companies? At Proclinical Staffing, we are specialists at recruiting for all types of jobs at contract research organisations. If you’re looking for a new position, simply send us your CV or use our job search tool to find the right role for you.
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DexCom - >>> DexCom (DXCM) executed a 4-for-1 stock split on June 10, 2022. The company remains a leader in the diabetes care industry with its continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices. Bear in mind, the global market for CGMs is rapidly growing both as the incidence of diabetes rises and the adoption of these devices expands in the patient population.
https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/02/24/2-stock-split-stocks-with-explosive-potential-in/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
According to an analysis by Grand View Research, the global CGM market is expected to reach a valuation of $11 billion by 2030, compared to its 2022 valuation of $7.8 billion. To give you an idea of the scale of DexCom's footprint in that market, the company reported revenue just shy of $3 billion in 2022, giving it an estimated market share of about 40% globally.
And as of the end of 2022, roughly 1.7 million people around the world were using DexCom's CGM devices, a whopping increase of nearly half a million individuals compared to 2021. DexCom has built a steadily growing and profitable business around its CGM devices, and is in the process of releasing the latest version of its flagship product, the G7.
The new G7 CGM was just officially launched in the U.S. and has already been launched in key international markets including Europe, the U.K., and Asia. The product is billed as being 60% smaller than its predecessor, and with recent coverage expansion by Medicare, remains the most covered and reimbursed device of its kind.
2022 saw the company report earnings to the tune of $341 million, a 57% increase from 2021. DexCom's revenue rose 19% year over year, driven by revenue increases of 16% in the U.S. and 28% in international markets. Meanwhile, the healthcare company's operating income of $391 million represented a 250-basis point hike from 2021.
Another successful product launch and a strong track record of growth portend well for this market leader's continued expansion in the years ahead. Long-term shareholders can benefit in the process.
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All Fooled - BREAKING: Fully Vaccinated Adults Account for Over 90% of COVID-Related Deaths!
Posted on February 25, 2023 by Constitutional Nobody
Key Points:
https://ussanews.com/2023/02/25/breaking-fully-vaccinated-adults-account-for-over-90-of-covid-related-deaths/
JESUS PRAYERS Needed Against - NWO = OWG KHZARIAN DEEPSTATE EVIL - THE ILLUMINATI AND ONE WORLD
GOVERNMENT WARMONGLERS NECON NAZIS =
DEPOPULATION AGAINST ALL HUMANITY -
WATCH
The Illuminati and One World Government
From Genesis to the Tower of Babel, to the
Egyptian Pharaohs, to Goat God's, to the World Bank, and the
FreeMasons, Secret Societies, Rosicrucians,
Rothschild bloodline, sexual perversions,
Marxism, Communism, Illuminati, Evil 666 -
https://www.bitchute.com/video/wzXLOeEAGm1d/
JESUS PRAYERS THANKS - SITUATION UPDATE GCR REPORT 2/20: JFK JR DECODE! HARRIS STARTS WW3?! EPSTEIN/CHASE BANK REVEAL! WOW!
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/IdhwLuCqaUg6/
https://www.bitchute.com/video/JrOIjbfGtLKs/
TRUMP LIFTS SPIRITS IN EAST PALESTINE, OHIO, WHILE BIDEN RESTS FROM
BANGING THE WAR DRUMS IN UKRAINE
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/YST1BSDWdsRw/
WATCH = NWO KHAZARIANS MAFIA MURDER OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS AND THE HUMANITY -
SECRET ISRAELI AND PFIZER CONTRACT EXPOSED BY STEVE KIRSCH AND STEW
PETERS
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/0eh6vANp9pOj/
Pp Watch - STEW PETERS: MARXISTS HIJACKED AMERICA, WHO IS RUNNING THE UNITED STATES - 2/20/23
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/wTE2J0hekgIK/
Evil eugenics MAID in Canada: Socialist left's massive genocide disguised as medical care
Mirror. Source
Evil Eugenics MAID In Canada: Socialist Left's MASSIVE Genocide Disguised As Medical Care https://odysee.com/@TimTruth:b/canada-maid-genocide:1
https://www.bitchute.com/video/K4zArax8Es6v/
Quote: "Evil Eugenics MAID In Canada: Socialist Left's MASSIVE Genocide Disguised As Medical Care Want more videos? Join https://GroupDiscover.com to find the best videos from across the free speech internet platforms like Odysee, Rumble, Bitchute & Brighteon all in one huge video repository. Add me on these great platforms: https://rokfin.com/timtruth https://odysee.com/@TimTruth:b/ https://rumble.com/timtruth https://bitchute.com/timtruth/ https://GroupDiscover.com Support links (thank you to all the supporters!): Easy to do one time tips via https://rokfin.com/timtruth or https://odysee.com/@TimTruth:b https://timtruth.substack.com/subscribe https://subscribestar.com/timtruth "
-
5G is a weapon system - Don't be fooled by the fake narrative https://tinyurl.com/tf38xs3d ~ The agenda - They are destroying human kind https://tinyurl.com/2p82r3j9 ~ 60GHz in schools - Lena Pu and Mark Steele https://tinyurl.com/2c67ep66 ~ 5G target acquiring weapon system - This is not for control but an extermination technology https://tinyurl.com/4hetn32u ~ UK Government hacked https://tinyurl.com/337zjb4s ~ Report #133: David Noakes on GcMAF cancer treatments, FDA/MHRA/Pharma corruption, & wrongful charges https://tinyurl.com/ev8kms8n ~ BitChute { noakes falconscafe https://tinyurl.com/2h7z47ve } ~ The disciples of Ra: The deception of "medicine", viruses & vaccines https://tinyurl.com/2p8uc7as ~ Viruses don't exist https://is.gd/E4li0z ~ If you don't know what causes what they call a virus you will never know unless you read the science https://tinyurl.com/yj8j9pd2 ~ Assembling the kill grid ~ Excerpt: Mark Steele https://tinyurl.com/4cethr4b ~ Prof. Francis Boyle "The British must not take these frankenshots"! Interview https://tinyurl.com/3cbrwts2 ~ The MAC phenomenon in people "vaccinated" from COVID-19 https://tinyurl.com/2p8xhjz3 ~ Video summary of La Quinta Columna that shows evidence of genocide based on injectable analysis https://tinyurl.com/43bdk4na
Illegal organ trafficking of homeless people in Texas? Same thing happened during Hurricane Katrina https://tinyurl.com/ym7uyt3e ~ Homeless vet killing society https://tinyurl.com/y2ycpn6m ~ NATO satanism, testimony, Kay Griggs: Colonel's wife tell-all, oppression, deception, secret society https://tinyurl.com/2p8ybsjv ~ Horus matrix at Normandy Omaha Beach Overlord D-Day 666 Cemetery satanic ritual sacrifice https://tinyurl.com/yckjeu8r ~ The cover up continues - Share this with all vaccinated, who have been lied to by their doctors https://tinyurl.com/3w65f9ny ~ Whistleblower: Hospitals killing for organs, "This is absolutely evil and a crime against humanity!" https://tinyurl.com/4mp7h8vy ~ The world must know #PureEvil #HellOnEarth https://tinyurl.com/2p93msb3 ~ Bombshell: Pfizer vaccine study's massive list of "Adverse events of interest" https://tinyurl.com/yc7tyu2r
Did he just say snake venom? - Dr Bryan Ardis talks to Right Now https://tinyurl.com/4chrmwy8 ~ World premiere: Watch the Water https://tinyurl.com/3ybuwhxv ~ Part 1/3 - Dr. Bryan Ardis reveals bombshell origins of COVID, mRNA vaccines and treatments https://tinyurl.com/38earx4a ~ Biological weapons; Is there a link between the water supply system and the pandemic? https://tinyurl.com/2p8pvuze ~ Professor Darrel Hamamoto on persecution and inquisition at UC Davis https://tinyurl.com/4wkcjcu3 ~ The China-NHS lateral flow test, massive fraud, for those that lost work.. or murdered on COVID ward https://tinyurl.com/2mbamwmf ~ COVID-19 test fraud, also carcinogenic https://tinyurl.com/2p99uwws ~ Your future The SPARS pandemic 2025 - 2028 https://is.gd/kCajO1
Snuff Hill https://tinyurl.com/573ufnvj ~ Blood Hill https://tinyurl.com/ymckkptu ~ Fitzwilliam military cult https://tinyurl.com/bdhz7529 ~ Troy River https://tinyurl.com/2p86hv66 ~ Tent City https://tinyurl.com/56hfw4kf ~ 18 Brickyard Troy Depot, Troy School, Cemetery, Discount Tire, satanic stalking, ritual sacrifice https://tinyurl.com/2jvdutm2 ~ Bohemian Grove Jr, Bridgewater Associates - CIA corporate front, CIA role in snuff and pornography https://tinyurl.com/2p8v8yr5 ~ Hebron Coven ~ Part 1 to 4 of 9 https://tinyurl.com/yw952bnn ~ Body Organs Of Over 18,000 Syrian Children Sold in Six Years https://tinyurl.com/djarv3w8 ~ I saw kids in cages outside a masonic lodge being loaded into trucks https://tinyurl.com/46uxrvs5 ~ Amazon USB key - Part 1 to 2 - CYM Adrenochrome https://tinyurl.com/yckfvnn2
The men on the moon https://tinyurl.com/42dh2ejv ~ Moon truth https://tinyurl.com/mrxx5sks ~ 7 rockets hit dome ! https://tinyurl.com/46rd63v5 ~ Who shot the moon landing, classroom bloopers https://tinyurl.com/mw7xwh39
Oil is abundant and cheap https://tinyurl.com/3e2nkbbm
MAGA Prayers To Father GOD Needed - THE WORLD VS. THE KHAZARIAN MAFIA -- JIM WILLIE
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/PSIN2glcoaju/
Watch MAGA Thanks - Pray To Get Father GOD'S Remedies Back To US - ROCKEFELLER INFLUENCED THE WORLD TO REMOVE ALL THE NATURAL
REMEDIES FROM PRACTICE FOR HIS BENEFIT
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/uD36QiNCxC8O/
China Says Ready To "Join Forces With Russia" To "Defend National Interests" As Putin Confirms Xi Visit
Tyler Durden's Photo
BY TYLER DURDEN
WEDNESDAY, FEB 22, 2023 - 10:00 AM
Despite all latest among Washington's repeat warnings to Beijing against strategic or military cooperation with Moscow, China is now pledging to "join forces" with "like-minded" partner Russia to defend national interests. The statement came by the close of the first day of the director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee Wang Yi's trip to Moscow.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-says-ready-join-forces-russia-defend-national-interests-putin-confirms-xi-visit
CH - TOXIC FUMES FROM OHIO MAY SERIOUSLY AFFECT EVERYONE EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER 250 MILLION PEOPLE
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/hCb5IvRRkL7G/
$500 TRILLION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVT AND OVER 140 MONOPOLISTS (REMOVED BY YOUTUBE IN 5HRS)
WATCH
https://www.bitchute.com/video/QFcfDjifRl6u/
Even the doctors fell for it
https://rumble.com/v2aenx2-more-than-130-canadian-doctors-have-died-suddenly-since-c19-killshots-began.html
5G – Microwave as a weapon Part 2 - Dr. Reiner Fuellmich and Barrie Trower https://rumble.com/v2a3th8-5g-microwave-as-a-weapon-part-2- dr.-reiner-fuellmich-and-barrie-trower.html | Towards The Light channel https://www.bitchute.com/cha…
https://www.bitchute.com/video/RaEZsuhWr2G0/
NWO Biden like a 3 year old -
UnitedHealth Group - >>> ranks as the biggest health insurer in the world by far. Its UnitedHealthcare business unit offers health plans for employers and individuals and is also a major player in the markets for Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplemental plans, and Medicaid.
https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/financials/insurance-stocks/health-insurance-stocks/
The company’s Optum business segment provides information- and technology-enabled health services, including OptumRx pharmacy benefits management (PBM) services. While UnitedHealthcare generates more than three-fourths of the company’s total revenue, Optum is the bigger growth driver for UnitedHealth Group.
Optum could soon grow even larger. It plans to acquire home health provider LHC Group (NASDAQ:LHCG) for $5.4 billion this year. Optum already owns primary care and ambulatory surgery center facilities. The move into home health is a natural next step. However, the deal must first be approved by regulators.
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Dexcom (DXCM) - >>> The Internet of Things goes far beyond consumer devices. Dexcom is focused on diabetes management, specifically medical devices for continuous glucose monitoring. The company’s G6 system includes an auto-applicator, a sensor and transmitter, and a touchscreen receiver displaying real-time glucose data. Compatible smartphones and smartwatches can also be used to display data.
The number of people in the U.S. with diagnosed diabetes grew from 1.58 million in 1958 to 23.35 million in 2015, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. Today, more than 37 million Americans have diabetes, and 96 million American adults have prediabetes.
Dexcom estimates that market penetration for continuous glucose monitoring for people on intensive insulin therapy is 35% to 40% for type 1 diabetes and just 15% for type 2 diabetes.
The combination of growing rates of diabetes and the transition to continuous glucose monitoring will give Dexcom plenty of growth opportunities in the coming years. In 2021, its revenue grew 27% to $2.45 billion.
The pandemic didn’t derail Dexcom’s growth despite plenty of early uncertainty. For 2022, the company expects revenue to grow between 15% and 20%.
People with underlying medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, are at higher risk of developing severe cases of COVID-19. This could prompt more people to turn to continuous glucose monitoring in the long run, even after the pandemic has passed.
Dexcom has historically traded at expensive multiples, but for those willing to take on some risk to gain exposure to both IoT and healthcare, it’s a stock to consider.
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DexCom, Inc. (DXCM), a medical device company, focuses on the design, development, and commercialization of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems in the United States and internationally. The company provides its systems for use by people with diabetes, as well as for use by healthcare providers. Its products include Dexcom G6 and Dexcom G7, integrated CGM systems for diabetes management; Dexcom Share, a remote monitoring system; Dexcom Real-Time API, which enables authorized third-party software developers to integrate real-time CGM data into their digital health apps and devices for specific and permitted use cases, including non-medical device applications, medical device data analysis, integrated continuous glucose monitoring systems (iCGM) secondary display alarms, active patient monitoring, and treatment decisions; and Dexcom ONE, that is designed to replace finger stick blood glucose testing for diabetes treatment decisions. DexCom, Inc. has a collaboration and license agreement with Verily Life Sciences LLC and Verily Ireland Limited to develop blood-based or interstitial glucose monitoring products. The company markets its products directly to endocrinologists, physicians, and diabetes educators. DexCom, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
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>>> UnitedHealth Group (UNH) ranks as the largest health insurer in the world. It also operates one of the biggest PBMs and is a leader in healthcare delivery services. The company’s size, stability, and dividend make UnitedHealth Group one of the most attractive payer stocks on the market. UnitedHealth Group could also soon move more into the healthcare provider market with its pending acquisition of home health services provider LHC Group (NASDAQ:LHCG). <<<
https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/healthcare/
>>> UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs for preventive and acute health care services, as well as services dealing with chronic disease and other specialized issues for older individuals; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; health and dental benefits; and hospital and clinical services. The OptumHealth segment provides access to networks of care provider specialists, health management services, care delivery, consumer engagement, and financial services. This segment serves individuals directly through care delivery systems, employers, payers, and government entities. The OptumInsight segment offers software and information products, advisory consulting arrangements, and managed services outsourcing contracts to hospital systems, physicians, health plans, governments, life sciences companies, and other organizations. The OptumRx segment provides pharmacy care services and programs, including retail network contracting, home delivery, specialty and compounding pharmacy, and purchasing and clinical capabilities, as well as develops programs in the areas of step therapy, formulary management, drug adherence, and disease/drug therapy management. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated was incorporated in 1977 and is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
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Abbott Laboratories - 10 recession stocks -
https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/5-companies-and-industries-that-make-money-during-a-recession-1113601/4/
Industry: Healthcare Equipment
S&P 500 Outperformance in 2008: 33.6%
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is a company that discovers, develops, and sells healthcare products globally. It operates through its Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices segments.
An Overweight rating was reiterated on Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) shares on January 27. The analyst also placed a $125 price target on the stock.
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) has a highly diversified business that helped it outperform the S&P 500 by 33.6% in 2008. The company also fared better than the benchmark in 2020, with its 9.8% beat.
Stewart Asset Management, an investment management firm, mentioned Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) in its third-quarter 2022 investor letter. Here’s what the firm said:
“We also need to point out one global consequence of the rapid rise in interest rates: an irrepressibly strong dollar. This hurts the reported earnings of U.S. companies who sell their goods and services overseas. Foreign currency earnings translate into fewer dollars and thus lower earnings. Most of the companies in your portfolios gain a notable amount of earnings from their international operations. While the strength or weakness of a currency doesn’t change the quality of a business or its longer-term earnings power, it can change the reported earnings of a company over short periods of time. It is difficult to forecast this effect accurately because many of our companies manufacture where they sell, which to some extent dulls the sharp negative effect of a surging dollar. Abbott (NYSE:ABT), among others, is a good example.”
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Eli Lilly (LLY) - >>> In recent weeks, enthusiasm for Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) has waned. A top performer among pharma stocks during 2022, investors have shifted toward a more cautious stance with the stock lately.
Yet, as I put it recently, instead of following the crowd out of LLY stock, the best move is to ignore the worrywarts, and take advantage of this pullback. For one, investors have likely overreacted to the latest sales numbers for Mounjaro, arguably the company’s most promising new drug.
Between the fact that Eli Lilly is still ramping up production, and the strong chance this type 2 diabetes treatment also receives regulatory approval for use as an obesity treatment, Mounjaro still has a shot at becoming a “mega-blockbuster” drug, generating tens of billions in annual sales. Along with other growth catalysts, and there’s plenty that could shift sentiment back to bullish for this A-rated pharma stock.
<<<
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-great-growth-stocks-buy-110030242.html
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>>> Azenta, Inc. (AZTA) provides life science sample exploration and management solutions for the life sciences market in North America, Europe, China, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates through two reportable segments, Life Sciences Products and Life Sciences Services. The Life Sciences Products segment offers automated cold sample management systems for compound and biological sample storage; equipment for sample preparation and handling; consumables; and instruments that help customers in managing samples throughout their research discovery and development workflows. The Life Sciences Services segment provides comprehensive sample management programs, integrated cold chain solutions, informatics, and sample-based laboratory services to advance scientific research and support drug development. This segment's services include sample storage, genomic sequencing, gene synthesis, laboratory processing, laboratory analysis, biospecimen procurement, and other support services. It serves a range of life science customers, including pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, biorepositories, and research institutes. The company was formerly known as Brooks Automation, Inc. and changed its name to Azenta, Inc. in December 2021. Azenta, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
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Johnson & Johnson - >>> Johnson & Johnson is a healthcare giant that derives the majority of its growth from its pharmaceutical business. J&J boasts a large product lineup that includes immunology drugs Stelara and Tremfya and cancer drugs Darzalex and Erleada.
https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/healthcare/pharmaceutical-stocks/
The company’s pipeline features more than 50 late-stage clinical testing programs. These clinical trials are testing new drug candidates and seeking additional approvals for drugs such as Darzalex and Imbruvica, which treat cancer.
Johnson & Johnson plans to spin off its consumer health unit into a standalone entity in 2023. This will leave the company with its two fastest-growing segments -- pharmaceutical and medical devices.
J&J ranks as a Dividend King, having raised its annual dividend for 59 consecutive years. Investors don’t have to worry about the dividend with the spinoff of the company’s consumer health business, though. J&J expects that its dividend, combined with the anticipated dividend from the new entity, will remain at least at the same level as before the transaction completes.
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AbbVie - >>> AbbVie’s top-selling blockbuster drug -- defined as one that generates more than $1 billion in annual sales -- is the rheumatoid arthritis treatment Humira. Although sales from Humira are expected to decline in 2023 when AbbVie's patent for the drug expires, the drugmaker’s portfolio also includes several other products with strong sales performances.
https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/healthcare/pharmaceutical-stocks/
Blood cancer drug Venclexta continues to perform well. The company also expects to profit significantly from its anti-inflammatory drugs Rinvoq and Skyrizi. AbbVie projects combined risk-adjusted sales for the two drugs of $15 billion in 2025.
AbbVie’s pipeline includes 20 different programs in phase 3 testing. Most of the candidates target additional approvals for existing drugs. However, the company is also in the late stages of testing promising new candidate drugs to treat blood cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and wet age-related macular degeneration.
Investors also have a lot to like about AbbVie’s dividend. The company belongs to the elite group of stocks called Dividend Aristocrats that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years. In just the past five years, AbbVie has increased its dividend by 120%.
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>>> Abbott gets FTC notice for information on infant formula products
Reuters
February 17, 2023
https://news.yahoo.com/abbott-gets-ftc-notice-information-222145991.html
(Reuters) -Abbott Laboratories said on Friday it received a civil investigative demand in January from the Federal Trade Commission related to a probe of the companies participating in bids for women, infants and children formula contracts.
Panicked parents had emptied baby formula aisles at supermarkets last year as a recall of formulas produced at an Abbott facility in Michigan over complaints of bacterial infections worsened a shortage started by pandemic-led supply chain issues.
The FTC had launched an inquiry last year into the shortage for infant formula in the United States and had said it would examine the pattern of mergers and acquisitions in the formula market.
The agency declined to comment on the matter on Friday.
The Wall Street Journal had reported in January that Abbott's Michigan plant faced a criminal investigation by the Justice Department.
On Friday, Abbott said in a regulatory filing that multiple civil lawsuits have been filed against the company regarding its manufacturing of certain powder infant formula products.
Shares of the company were down 1.4% in extended trading.
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United Healthcare - >>> Why you should care about CVS acquiring Oak Street Health
Yahoo Finance
by Anjalee Khemlani
February 13, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-you-should-care-about-cvs-acquiring-oak-street-health-221052049.html
CVS's (CVS) announcement of its $10.6 billion deal for Oak Street Health (OSH) is just the latest example of how major health-care players are slowly expanding their reach throughout different segments of the industry.
In the past two decades, CVS has acquired an insurance company (Aetna), a pharmacy benefits manager (Caremark), launched its Minute Clinic, and is now expanding into more clinical care services. In addition, it is pursuing a strategy to help to diversify clinical trials.
All the major health care companies are in some way pursuing what is known as "vertical integration," or combining their business with other segments of the health industry.
Take for example the biggest commercial insurer, United Healthcare (UNH). It has the Optum brand, a pharmacy benefit manager and a healthcare provider used in physician's offices, and OptumRx which helps United compete in the pharmacy benefits space.
Experts have ongoing worries about the impact of these behemoth companies, especially the quality of care received by patients.
But there may not be enough data yet to determine if the benefits — ideally lower costs and better patient adherence to care plans — outweigh the risks of more centralized industry control.
In a separate, recent report from the New England Journal of Medicine's Catalyst group, CVS chief medical officer Dr. David Fairchild said the pandemic showed patients' affinity for convenience in health care.
"I think the health care industry still needs to focus on how to make health care more convenient and accessible because this is what people want and need," Fairchild said.
Oak Street Health, whose patients are older adults, is focused on a type of payment model that has been long-discussed but which has never taken off in a big way: value-based care.
This, according to health economist Craig Garthwaite, is key.
"If people have always said the problem with U.S. health care is the fee-for-service system where we don't really have a system to buy health, we have a system to buy health care services and everyone in this system makes money when you consumer more care...this takes away that incentive," said Garthwaite, director of the Program on Healthcare at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
"They make money, now that they are owned by an insurance company ... when you use less health care," Garthwaite explained.
But despite being owned by an insurer, the company says it will remain agnostic toward insurers that reimburse it for services.
CVS sees growth opportunity in Oak Street, which has already been able to scale to 169 clinics and is expected to reach 300 by 2026. CVS benefits from the transaction as it can contribute to Oak Street patient growth through its channels, as well as driving greater utilization of CVS pharmacy and Caremark, according to CFO Shawn Guertin during a recent earnings call.
"There's obviously things we can do for plan design offerings to highlight the Oak network or the Oak clinics. We can do that with the Aetna members. I mentioned Signify before as a potential sort of source of members, but when you just think about the vast array of members that we interact with and the vast array of seniors that we interact with every year, across this company, this is a much wider catch basin if you will for potential growth," Guertin said.
Analysts have hailed the move, even while criticizing the price tag.
David Larsen, an analyst at BTIG, said in a note that this new primary care business, along with its recent acquisition of Signify, makes CVS "one of the most dominant forces in health care services."
Larsen noted that while the transaction has been talked about for a while — CVS said it had been doing due diligence for 15 months prior — he was "somewhat surprised at the pace with which the market is moving" with regard to primary care acquisitions.
Cigna (CI) and Walgreens (WBA) recently invested in VillageMD, and Walgreens is acquiring Summit Health for $8.9 billion, while Amazon (AMZN) acquired One Medical (ONEM).
Scott Dunn, lead healthcare analyst at CB Insights said major health-care brands like CVS are no longer simply insurers or drug store chains.
"These moves demonstrate the continued push by many high-profile pharmacies into fast-growing healthcare markets such as senior care, primary care, and home health," Dunn said in a recent note.
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InMode - >>> Better Medtech Stock to Buy: InMode or Outset Medical?
Motley Fool
By Keith Speights
Feb 15, 2023
https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/02/15/better-medtech-stock-to-buy-inmode-or-outset-medic/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
KEY POINTS
Both InMode and Outset Medical have solid growth prospects.
The main knock against Outset is that it isn't profitable yet, while InMode already generates strong profits.
The better medtech stock to buy could depend on your investing time horizon.
Sometimes the best opportunities are found in the laggards. Take medical technology (or medtech) stocks, for example. As a group, medtech stocks haven't performed well over the last year. However, their long-term potential should be great.
Two underperforming medtech stocks especially stand out. Both InMode (INMD 0.78%) and Outset Medical (OM -1.71%) reported their fourth-quarter results this week.
Which is the better medtech stock to buy? Here's how InMode and Outset stack up against each other.
Growth prospects
InMode is an Israel-based company that makes radio-frequency (RF) energy technology used for face and body contouring, medical aesthetics, and women's health. Outset Medical is a California-based company that makes hemodialysis systems. The growth prospects for both companies appear to be strong.
On Tuesday, InMode reported record revenue of $133.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, up 21% year over year. It also achieved record adjusted earnings of $66.4 million. The company projects full-year 2023 revenue of between $525 million and $530 million. The midpoint of this range reflects 16% growth.
Wall Street thinks that InMode will be able to deliver average annual earnings growth of 33% over the next five years. Unsurprisingly, analysts are bullish about the stock, with the average 12-month price target reflecting an upside potential of nearly 40%.
Outset Medical announced its Q4 results after the market closed on Monday. The company's revenue jumped 15% year over year to $32 million. However, Outset remains unprofitable, posting a Q4 net loss of $41.4 million.
The company expects to increase its revenue by 22% to 30% in 2023. Over the longer term, Outset hopes to capture a big chunk of the U.S. total addressable market of $11.4 billion. The majority of this market is in home dialysis. Outset thinks that its Tablo system offers significant competitive advantages for home use.
Financial positions
InMode had a cash stockpile (including cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities, and short-term bank deposits) of $547.4 million at the end of 2022. The company should continue to be profitable. Therefore, it won't need to tap its cash to fund ongoing operations.
Outset Medical's cash position totaled $290.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2022. The company isn't likely to turn a profit in the near future, though. This means that Outset will use some of its cash to fund operations.
The good news is that management expects to burn less cash in 2023 than in 2022. Outset also has around $200 million that it can draw down with its term loan facilities.
Valuation
InMode's shares currently trade at 13.2 times expected earnings and nearly 6.9 times trailing-12-month sales. The stock's price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio is 2.9. This level indicates a relatively high valuation based on growth projections.
Because Outset Medical isn't profitable yet, earnings-based valuation metrics aren't applicable. However, the stock trades at nearly 12 times sales.
Better medtech stock?
So which of these two medtech stocks is the better pick right now? I think that InMode is more likely to beat the market in 2023 than Outset Medical is.
Analysts absolutely love the stock. Investors cheered InMode's Q4 update. Barring a severe recession, the stock should deliver solid returns this year.
Over the longer term, though, I suspect that Outset Medical will be the bigger winner. The company is currently only scratching the surface of its opportunity in the home dialysis market.
In my view, investors don't have to go with only "in" or "out." Both InMode and Outset are great picks.
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>>> Quipt Acquires $60 Million in Revenues and $13 Million Adjusted EBITDA with Strategic Acquisition of Great Elm Healthcare, LLC
Quipt Home Medical Corp.
January 3, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/quipt-acquires-60-million-revenues-213000813.html
Quipt Reaches $220 Million in Annualized Revenues and $49 Million of Anticipated Annualized Adjusted EBITDA
CINCINNATI, Jan. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quipt Home Medical Corp. (“Quipt” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:QIPT; TSXV:QIPT), a U.S. based home medical equipment provider, focused on end-to-end respiratory care, is very pleased to announce that it has acquired Great Elm Healthcare, LLC (“Great Elm”), a division of Great Elm Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEG) (the “Acquisition”), with an effective date of December 31, 2022. Great Elm operates a complete line of respiratory related durable medical equipment service locations across eight states in the Midwest, Southwest and Pacific Northwest. Based on an independent quality of earnings report, Great Elm had unaudited revenues for the 12 months ended August 31, 2022 of $60 million ?with an Adjusted EBITDA (defined below) of $13 million. As a reminder, all figures stated are in USD.
Transaction Highlights
Establishes Quipt as a leading respiratory-focused home medical equipment suppliers in the United States with significant scale, serving 270,000 patients with 32,500 referring physicians across 115 locations in 26 states.
The combination of Quipt and Great Elm has a combined Annualized Revenue (defined below) and Annualized Adjusted EBITDA (defined below) of $220 million and $47 million, respectively, based on Quipt’s reported audited results for the fourth quarter ended September 30, 2022 and Great Elm’s unaudited results for the 12 months ended August 31, 2022.
Pursuant to the membership interest purchase agreement dated January 3, 2022, the total purchase price is $80 million (subject to customary adjustments of Great Elm’s working capital, existing debt and expenses), comprised of $73 million in cash, $5 million in assumed debt, and 431,996 Quipt common shares at a deemed price per share equal to $4.63, representing a purchase price of 6.0x Adjusted EBITDA pre cost savings and synergies.
Quipt has identified $2 million in cost savings and synergies, which is expected to be captured over the first six months and is expected to result in Great Elm’s Anticipated Annualized Adjusted EBITDA (defined below) of $15 million, representing a purchase price of 5.2x Adjusted EBITDA post cost savings and synergies. The Anticipated Annualized Adjusted EBITDA is $49 million for Quipt.
Post-Acquisition, Quipt’s Recurring Revenue (defined below) are expected to increase from 77% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, to 82%, on a pro forma basis.
Quipt to drawdown a total of $73 million from its $110 million senior secured credit facility (announced on September 19, 2022), maintaining a conservative balance sheet with net debt to Adjusted EBITDA of 1.96x on a pro forma basis.
Expected to be financially accretive to overall growth and cash flow.
Adds tremendous cross-selling opportunities in which Quipt may sell products in Great Elm locations, including ventilation and oxygen.
Adds significant opportunity to increase resupply revenue and margins once Great Elm’s sleep patients are onboarded to Quipt’s resupply program.
Great Elm's footprint is expected to create additional opportunities to expand Quipt’s access for accretive tuck-in acquisitions.
The combination of two leading clinical respiratory providers is expected to enhance Quipt’s patient-centric ecosystem across the entire company by further collaborating with key sales touchpoints, including healthcare providers like hospitals, doctors, rehab centres, and long-term care facilities.
With this Acquisition Quipt successfully surpasses its previously announced outlook of achieving Annualized ?Revenue by the end of calendar 2022 (Q1 2023) of $180-$190 million.?
Acquisition Commentary
Great Elm is a leading operator of respiratory related durable medical equipment service with 21 locations across eight states in the Midwest, Southwest, and Pacific Northwest, adding seven new states to Quipt’s current geographic coverage including Arizona, Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington. The combination of Great Elm and Quipt positions Quipt to become a national HME provider with near coast to coast operations. The Acquisition adds 8,500 referring physicians bringing Quipt’s referring network base to over 32,500, and increases Quipt’s active patient count by 70,000, bringing Quipt’s total to 270,000 active patients. As a result of Great Elm’s significantly weighted respiratory product mix, respiratory products will now make up approximately 79% of Quipt’s product mix. By opening new markets and fostering connections with referral partners, patients, and payors, Great Elm considerably increases the Company’s scale and geographic reach.
Great Elm represents a turnkey platform acquisition for Quipt as it dramatically enhances Quipt’s operations and provides the Company with significant additional inorganic and organic growth opportunities. The advanced infrastructure of Great Elm, which includes strong leadership and strong internal processes, is expected to significantly expedite the integration process, and will greatly complement Quipt’s existing infrastructure. The Acquisition will also allow Quipt to cross sell its products in Great Elm locations with the opportunity to significantly increase revenue associated with Quipt’s subscription-based resupply program through the onboarding of Great Elm patients. Quipt has identified $2 million in cost savings and synergies, which is expected to be captured over the first six months.
Great Elm is focused on clinical excellence, and like Quipt, offers a high-quality, full-service line of respiratory equipment, and supplies. Great Elm has a diversified payor mix and several difficult to obtain insurance contracts. Additionally, Great Elm’s operating footprint aligns closely with regions that have a high prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (“COPD”), a key target patient group of Quipt. The eight states in which Great Elm operates includes over 1.5 million1 people suffering from COPD.
Management Commentary
“We are extremely thrilled to start 2023 with the milestone acquisition of Great Elm Healthcare, which gives us significant coast-to-coast presence across the United States and firmly establishes Quipt as one of the top clinical at-home respiratory providers in the nation. I would like to use this opportunity to extend a warm welcome from the Quipt family to the entire Great Elm team. We are eager to get started. Over 1.5 million people in the jurisdictions serviced by Great Elm suffer from COPD2, and this acquisition positions us to make progress in this primary target market,” said Greg Crawford, Chairman and CEO of Quipt. “Great Elm represents a true platform investment for Quipt and provides us with the opportunity to serve pulmonary and neurological disease states by utilizing the patient-centric ecosystem we have built focused on ventilation therapy, oxygen therapy and sleep therapy. This creates immediate and actionable revenue synergies for us. Moreover, the valuable commercial insurance contracts, strong referring physician network, and significant patient base we have accumulated across seven new states will give us the ability to cross sell our products into these new geographies. The highly skilled and seasoned leadership team at Great Elm bolsters our ability to further enhance organic growth and margin expansion across the combined organization when joined with our current executive team. On a combined basis, we expect to have Annualized Revenue of $220 million and Anticipated Annualized Adjusted EBITDA of $49 million on a pro forma basis, putting us in a formidable position to continue to capitalize on the opportunities in front of us as we continue to increase shareholder value.”
Chief Financial Officer, Hardik Mehta added, “Our prudent capital deployment strategy has once again yielded fantastic results. We wanted to focus on closing our largest deal first and the acquisition of Great Elm is a major accomplishment, providing us with a turnkey acquisition at a prudent purchase price while maintaining our conservative balance sheet and allowing for financial flexibility on a go forward basis. We fully expect to be able to expand our senior credit facilities when opportunities arise, and we will continue to leverage technology and data driven decision-making to unlock additional profitability and to ensure we continue to improve upon our patient centric ecosystem. We look forward to a seamless integration process and believe the increased geography of our business will allow us to create additional opportunities to further expand on our proven acquisition and integration approach with highly accretive tuck-in acquisitions for our full suite of respiratory care products and services. The Great Elm acquisition is a fantastic way to start the new year and we look forward to keeping investors apprised of our continued success.”
The Company will post updated corporate slides at www.quipthomemedical.com.
ABOUT QUIPT HOME MEDICAL CORP.
The Company provides in-home monitoring and disease management services including end-to-end respiratory solutions for patients in the United States healthcare market. It seeks to continue to expand its offerings to include the management of several chronic disease states focusing on patients with heart or pulmonary disease, sleep disorders, reduced mobility, and other chronic health conditions. The primary business objective of the Company is to create shareholder value by offering a broader range of services to patients in need of in-home monitoring and chronic disease management. The Company’s organic growth strategy is to increase annual revenue per patient by offering multiple services to the same patient, consolidating the patient’s services, and making life easier for the patient.
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Qiagen - >>> Strong core growth offsets dwindling COVID-19 demand for Qiagen
Reuters
February 7, 2023
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/strong-core-growth-offsets-dwindling-210500265.html
BERLIN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Medical diagnostics company Qiagen offset a sharp fall in demand for COVID-19 products at the end of the year with a strong performance in its core businesses, the company said, announcing its full-year and fourth quarter results on Tuesday.
Fourth quarter revenues came in at $498 million, a 14% fall compared with the same period last year. Revenues from COVID products fell 64% to $66 million, but this was offset by strong growth in non-COVID products, where revenues rose 8% to $432 million.
For 2023, the molecular diagnostics test maker expects revenues of $2.05 billion, compared with $2.14 billion for 2022, and an adjusted profit per share of $2.10.
"We have positioned Qiagen well to successfully navigate 2023's volatile macroeconomic environment," said Chief Executive Thierry Bernard.
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A Board to discuss Healthcare stock ideas -
Healthcare -
Abbott Labs (ABT) - Diverse healthcare products (209 Bil) --------------------------------------- 1.9% (Healthcare)
AbbVie (ABBV) - Research unit from Abbott Labs (286 Bil) --------------------------------------- 3.8% (Healthcare)
Amgen (AMGN) - Biopharma (166 Bil) ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.9% (Healthcare)
Cencora (COR) - Pharmaceuticals distribution (Amerisource Bergen) (44 Bil) --------------- 0.9% (Healthcare)
Chemed (CHE) - Hospice and palliative health care1 svs, Roto Rooter (9 Bil) --------------- 0.3% (Healthcare)
Danaher (DHR) - Diverse healthcare related, other (172 Bil) ------------------------------------- 0.4% (Healthcare)
Elevance Health (ELV) - Health benefits company (formerly Anthem) (120 Bil) -------------- 1.3% (Healthcare)
Eli Lilly (LLY) - Pharmaceuticals (607 Bil) -------------------------------------------------------------- 0.8% (Healthcare)
Ensign Group (ENSG) - Skilled nursing + rehabilitative svcs (5 Bil) ---------------------------- 0.3% (Healthcare)
Icon PLC (ICLR) - CRO development svcs to biopharma ind (Ireland) (23 Bil) --------------- 0% (Healthcare)
iShares US Medical Devices ETF (IHI) (0.42%) ----------------------------------------------------- 0.2% (Healthcare)
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) - Diverse healthcare products (389 Bil) (Berkshire) ----------- 2.9% (Healthcare)
McKesson (MCK) - Pharma distribution, med supplies, IT svcs (69 Bil) (Berkshire) ------- 0.5% (Healthcare)
Medpace Holdings (MEDP) - CRO (10 Bil) ------------------------------------------------------------- 0% (Healthcare)
Merck (MRK) - Pharmaceuticals (305 Bil) -------------------------------------------------------------- 2.6% (Healthcare)
Molina Healthcare (MOH) - Managed healthcare services, Medicare, Medicaid (21 Bil) --- 0% (Healthcare)
Novartis (NVS) - Pharmaceuticals (209 Bil) ------------------------------------------------------------ 3.7% (Healthcare)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) - Pharmaceuticals (482 Bil) (Denmark) ------------------------------------ 1.0% (Healthcare)
Steris (STE) - Infection prevention, heathcare products + svcs (Ireland) (23 Bil) ----------- 0.9% (Healthcare)
Stryker (SYK) - Diverse medical, surgical devices, implants (118 Bil) -------------------------- 1.0% (Healthcare)
UFP Technologies (UFPT) - Diverse packaging, component products (1.7 Bil) --------------- 0% (Healthcare)
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - Health benefits company (440 Bil) -------------------------------- 1.3% (Healthcare)
Zoetis (ZTS) Veterinary drugs and vaccines (80 Bil) ------------------------------------------------- 0.9% (Healthcare)
_______________________________________________________
Name | Symbol | % Assets |
---|---|---|
Johnson & Johnson | JNJ | 8.47% |
UnitedHealth Group Inc | UNH | 5.80% |
Merck & Co Inc | MRK | 5.39% |
Pfizer Inc | PFE | 5.06% |
Abbott Laboratories | ABT | 3.56% |
Medtronic PLC | MDT | 3.52% |
Amgen Inc | AMGN | 3.14% |
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc | TMO | 2.92% |
AbbVie Inc | ABBV | 2.84% |
Eli Lilly and Co | LLY | 2.40% |
Name | Symbol | % Assets |
---|---|---|
Abbott Laboratories | ABT | 12.57% |
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc | TMO | 12.41% |
Danaher Corp | DHR | 10.58% |
Medtronic PLC | MDT | 10.33% |
Intuitive Surgical Inc | ISRG | 4.71% |
Edwards Lifesciences Corp | EW | 4.47% |
Stryker Corp | SYK | 4.27% |
Becton, Dickinson and Co | BDX | 4.19% |
Boston Scientific Corp | BSX | 4.15% |
IDEXX Laboratories Inc | IDXX | 3.71% |
___________________________________________________________________________
HEALTHCARE -
Abbott Labs (ABT) - Diverse healthcare products (66 Bil) ------------------------------------- 2.2%
Acadia Healthcare (ACHC) - Behavioral healthcare services (5 Bil) ------------------------ 0%
Cerner (CERN) - Health care information technology (25 Bil) --------------------------------- 0%
Chemed (CHE) - Hospice and palliative health care svs, Roto Rooter (1.7 Bil) ---------- 0.9%
Danaher (DHR) - Diverse healthcare related, other (80 Bil) ---------------------------------- 0.52%
DaVita (DVA) - Kidney dialysis services (18 Bil) --------------------------------------------------- 0%
Healthcare Services (HCSG) - Laundry + maint to h.care facil, dietary svcs (1.9 Bil) -- 2.3%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) - Diverse healthcare related products (285 Bil) --------------- 2.8%
Mednax (MD) - Neonatal and pediatric medicine, anesthesiology (8 Bil) ------------------- 0%
Reckitt Benckiser (RBGLY) - Healthcare, hygiene, home care products, UK (62 Bil) -- 2.3%
HEALTHCARE - LONG TERM CARE -
Addus Homecare (ADUS) - Services for elderly and disabled (248 mil) ------------------- 0%
Capital Senior Living (CSU) - Senior living communities (660 mil) ------------------------- 0%
Ensign Group (ENSG) - Skilled nursing and rehabilitative services (746 mil) ------------ 0.85%
HEALTHCARE - REITS -
Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE) - Life sciences lab space (26 Bil) -------------- 2.8%
CareTrust (CTRE) - Healthcare facilities REIT (2 Bil, 31, 3.67%) --------------------------- 3.67%
HCP Inc (HCP) - Healthcare facilities REIT (18 Bil) ---------------------------------------------- 6.2%
LTC Properties (LTC) - Healthcare facilities REIT (1.7 Bil, 11) ------------------------------- 5.1%
Medical Properties Trust (MPW) - Hospital REIT (13 Bil) ------------------------------------ 5.4%
National Health Investors (NHI) - Healthcare facilities REIT (3 Bil) ------------------------ 6.1%
Omega Healthcare (OHI) - Healthcare facilities REIT (5 Bil) ---------------------------------- 3.7%
Universal Health Realty Income (UHT) - Healthcare facilities REIT (1 Bil, 43) --------- 3.6%
Ventas (VTR) - Healthcare facilities REIT (23 Bil) ------------------------------------------------ 3.3%
Welltower (WELL) - Heathcare related properties REIT (29 Bil, 37) ------------------------ 4.7%
HEALTHCARE - MEDICAL DEVICES / EQUIPMENT -
Abiomed (ABMD) - Medical devices for cardiology (4.1 Bil) ----------------------------------- 0%
Align Technology (ALGN) - Invisalign orthodontics (8.6 Bil) ---------------------------------- 0%
Atrion (ATRI) - Medical equipment and supplies (725 mil) ------------------------------------ 0.8%
Becton Dickinson (BDX) - Medical devices, instruments, reagents (29 Bil) -------------- 1.7%
Cantel Medical (CMN) - Medical equipment (2 Bil) ---------------------------------------------- 0.2%
Cooper Companies (COO) - Contact lenses, medical devices for women's health (7.6 Bil)
CR Bard (BCR) - Medical, surgical, diagnostic products (11 Bil) ----------------------------- 0.6%
Cyberonics (CYBX) - Neuromodulation medical devices (1.8 Bil) --------------------------- 0%
Edwards Lifesciences (EW) - Medical devices, cardiac (37 Bil, 53) ------------------------- 0%
ICU Medical (ICUI) - Medical devices for infusion, oncology, critical care (1.8 Bil) ------- 0%
InMode Ltd (INMD) - Minimally invasive aesthetic medical products (3 Bil) (Israel) 0%
Inogen (INGN) - Portable oxygen concentrators (1.5 Bil) ---------------------------------------- 0%
LeMaitre Vascular (LMAT) - Medical devices for peripheral vascular disease (244 mil) 1.2%
Mazor Robotics (MZOR) - Surgical guidance systems (781 mil)
ResMed (RMD) - Products for sleep apnea (10 Bil) ---------------------------------------------- 1.6%
Teleflex (TFX) - Single-use medical devices (5.7 Bil) -------------------------------------------- 1.0%
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO)- Analytical instruments, equipment, reagents(50 Bil)0.49%
Vascular Solutions (VASC) - Products for cardiology, catheter systems (609 mil) ------ 0%
Varian Medical (VAR) - Medical devices for cancer, other conditions (8 Bil) -------------- 0%
HEALTHCARE - DISTRIBUTION -
Cardinal Health (CAH) - Drug and medical product distribution (27 Bil) -------------------- 1.8%
Dentsply (XRAY) - Dental products (7 Bil) ---------------------------------------------------------- 0.6%
Henry Schein (HSIC) - Dental / medical products (10 Bil) -------------------------------------- 0%
McKesson (MCK) - Pharmaceutical distribution, medical supplies, IT services (53 Bil) 0.4%
Owens & Minor (OMI) - Distributor of medical and surgical supplies (2 Bil) --------------- 3.0%
HEALTHCARE - ANALYTICAL / RESEARCH -
Mettler-Toledo Intl (MTD) - Precision instruments for diverse applications (8.3 Bil) ----- 0%
Perkin Elmer (PKI) - Diverse analytical technologies, products, svcs (5 Bil) --------------- 0.6%
Sigma Aldrich (SIAL) - Chemicals, biochemicals, and equipment (17 Bil) ----------------- 0.7%
Waters Corp (WAT) - Analytical instruments (10 Bil) --------------------------------------------- 0%
HEALTHCARE - CROs -
Icon PLC (ICLR) - Biopharma development outsourcing services (4.7 Bil) (Ireland) ----- 0%
Parexel Intl (PRXL) - Biopharma development outsourcing services (3.9 Bil) ------------- 0%
Quintiles (Q) - Biopharma development outsourcing services (9 Bil) ------------------------ 0%
HEALTHCARE - DIAGNOSTICS -
Abaxis (ABAX) - Blood analysis systems (1 Bil) -------------------------------------------------- 0.90
Agilent (A) - Bio analytical solutions and services (14 Bil) ------------------------------------- 0.9%
Bio-Rad Labs (BIO) - Biochemical analysis services for research, other (4.4 Bil) ------- 0%
Bio-Techne (TECH) - Biotechnology products and diagnostics (4 Bil) ---------------------- 1.3%
Genomic Health (GHDX) - Genomic based lab services for cancer (815 mil) ------------ 0%
Idexx Labs (IDXX) - Veterinary diagnostic products and services (6 Bil) ------------------- 0%
Lab Corp of America (LH) - Diagnostic testing services (12 Bil) ----------------------------- 0%
Neogen (NEOG) - Food safety testing (2 Bil) -------------------------------------------------------- 0%
NeoGenomics (NEO) - Cancer-focused testing laboratories (397 mil) ----------------------- 0%
Quest Diagnostics (DGX) - Diagnostic testing services (9.7 Bil) ---------------------------- 2.3%
HEALTHCARE - DRUGS -
AbbVie (ABBV) - (96 Bil) - Research unit from Abbott Labs ( Bil) ---------------------------- 3.4%
Amgen (AMGN) - Biotechnology (129 Bil) --------------------------------------------------------- 1.9%
AstraZeneca (AZN) - Pharmaceuticals (89 Bil) --------------------------------------------------- 2.7%
Biomarin (BMRN) - Biotechnology (20 Bil) --------------------------------------------------------- 0%
Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) - Parmaceuticals (104 Bil) --------------------------------------- 2.3%
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) - Pharmaceuticals (115 Bil) ------------------------------------------- 5.9%
Novartis (NVS) - Pharmaceuticals (244 Bil) ------------------------------------------------------- 2.9%
Novo Nordisk (NVO) - Pharmaceuticals (129 Bil) ----------------------------------------------- 1.6%
Pfizer (PFE) - Pharmaceuticals (203 Bil) ----------------------------------------------------------- 3.4%
Taro Pharmaceuticals (TARO) - Pharmaceuticals, OTC, generic (Israel) (6 Bil) -------- 0%
Valeant (VRX) - Pharmaceuticals, OTC products, medical devices(Canada) (80 Bil) --- 0%
Zoetis (ZTS) - Veterinary drugs and vaccines (24 Bil) ------------------------------------------- 0.7%
HEALTHCARE - DRUG - MISC -
Cambrex (CBM) - Active pharmaceutical ingredients (1 Bil) ----------------------------------- 0%
West Pharmaceuticals (WST) - Drug packaging and delivery systems (4.1 Bil) ------- 0.81%
HEALTHCARE - DRUG DISTRIBUTION -
Amerisource Bergen (ABC) - Drug distribution (17 Bil) --------------------------------------- 1.25%
CVS Caremark (CVS) - Drugstores, retail products (91 Bil) ----------------------------------- 1.4%
HEALTHCARE - GENERIC DRUGS -
Dr. Reddy's Labs (RDY) - Generic drugs (9 Bil) -------------------------------------------------- 0.5%
Mylan Labs (MYL) - Generic drugs (25 Bil) -------------------------------------------------------- 0%
Teva (TEVA) - Pharmaceuticals, Israel (53 Bil) --------------------------------------------------- 2.2%
HEALTHCARE - ANTIBIOTICS -
Innovation Pharma (IPIX) - Broad spectrum antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflamatory (Brilacidin)(100 mil)
Cempra (CEMP) - Antibiotics (1.6 Bil) --------------------------------------------------------------- 0%
_________________________________________________________________________
MORE -
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HealthStream (HSTM) - Internet-based learning, talent mgt, and research solns
National Research (NRCIB) - Performance measurement services (258 mil)
Novadaq Technologies (NVDQ) - Fluorescence imaging products and devices, Canada
Perrigo (PRGO) - Generic / OTC drugs, consumer healthcare products (11 Bil)
PetMed Express (PETS) - Veterinary drugs and health products (264 mil)
_________________________________________________________________________
ACQUIRED -
********************
Allergan (AGN) - Generic drugs, other (acquired by Abbvie 2019)
Express Scripts (ESRX) - Phamacy benefit management (acquired by Cigna 2018)
VCA Antech (WOOF) - Veterinary hospitals (Mars)
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