Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Avacta and OncoSec to Collaborate on Innovative Gene Delivery of Therapeutic Affimers
https://www.avacta.com/news/avacta-and-oncosec-collaborate-innovative-gene-delivery-therapeutic-affimers
Nice, congrats Jim! The M&A season seems to have started. Hopefully we will see more deals in the weeks and months ahead.
Biopharma names in which GS sees highest M&A Probability list is working: $BIVV $JUNO ... who next?
Sanofi Nears Deal to Buy Hemophilia Drugmaker Bioverativ for More Than $11.5 Billion
https://www.wsj.com/articles/sanofi-nears-deal-to-buy-hemophilia-drugmaker-bioverativ-for-more-than-11-5-billion-1516584141
—Deal would value hemophilia drugmaker at $105 a share, a 63% premium to its closing price Friday
Sanofi has been looking to add to its portfolio as generic-drug companies prepare to launch lower-priced versions of Lantus insulin, its best-seller. Lantus accounted for €3.5 billion ($4.3 billion) of Sanofi’s €26.4 billion in sales during the first nine months of last year.
But Sanofi has missed out on a number of deals. In 2016, the company kicked off a bidding war for U.S. biotechnology firm Medivation Inc. Sanofi’s offer for the company caused other bidders to pile in, and Medivation signed a deal to sell itself to Pfizer Inc. for $14 billion. Sanofi also lost out to Johnson & Johnson last year in its pursuit of Swiss biotech Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
By adding Waltham, Mass.-based Bioverativ, Sanofi would bolster its thriving rare-disease business and gain access to the market for treatments for hemophilia. Therapies for the rare bleeding disorder ring up more than $10 billion a year in sales world-wide.
[OT]Making the Case for Bitcoin $400,000
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-12-05/making-the-case-for-bitcoin-400-000-video
China, Unhampered by Rules, Races Ahead in Gene-Editing Trials
https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-unhampered-by-rules-races-ahead-in-gene-editing-trials-1516562360
—U.S. scientists helped devise the Crispr biotechnology tool. First to test it in humans are Chinese doctors
There is little doubt China was first out of the block testing Crispr on humans. Nine trials in China are listed in a U.S. National Library of Medicine database. The Wall Street Journal found at least two other hospital trials, including one beginning in 2015—a year earlier than previously reported. Journal reporting found at least 86 Chinese patients have had their genes edited.
The trials align with China’s industrial policy. As part of its drive to place China on the global stage in a multitude of industries, Beijing in a 2016 five-year plan highlighted gene editing. Many of the Crispr trials emerged after that call-to-arms.
Carl June, lead scientist for the Crispr research team at Penn, says China could beat the U.S. to apply medical technologies such as Crispr pioneered in the West. “We are at a dangerous point in losing our lead in biomedicine,” he says. There is a “regulatory asymmetry” between America and China, Dr. June says, but Crispr science is so new “it is hard to know what the ideal is between moving quickly and making sure patients are safe.”
VKTX—More discussions re: elevated liver enzymes
"elevated liver enzymes" were reported on 2016 poster due to how Metabasis defined an adverse event. Instead of usual (>3X ULN) they defined it as >3X baseline. ALT/AST notorious for changing wildly from week to week for no particular reason. 2809 safety OK so far. $VKTX
— David Bautz, PhD (@DavidBautz) January 19, 2018
They are skipping an IST for this so there might be some potential for that.
Saw some but not any listing this trial. Given the small size of this trial (yet promising data) I wouldn’t expect them to be eager to go to a conference too. I’ll be looking forward to announcement of the TNBC combo trial. Will be interesting to see if it will be just a p2 trial or a p2/3 trial like PISCES.
I like the fact that the upcoming TNBC combo won’t be an IST (unlike the planned head & neck and squamous cell carcinoma trials). At a minimum it might be a free drug supply deal like PISCES, and it might be fair to assume BMY could be providing the drug for this one. Hoping the market keeps ignoring ONCS for a few more months.
Credit Suisse Outlines Top Biotech M&A Targets and Catalyst Stocks for 2018
http://247wallst.com/healthcare-business/2018/01/18/credit-suisse-outlines-top-biotech-ma-targets-and-catalyst-stocks-for-2018/
Get ready for more mergers and acquisitions in biotech and in emerging pharmaceuticals in 2018. This theme is believed by many investors, and now Credit Suisse is touting that tax reform may spark a wave of mergers in the space, which could produce sector outperformance. Credit Suisse added a 17-year biotech analyst named Martin Auster in 2017 as a managing director, and he is the lead small-cap and mid-cap biotechnology analyst for the firm.
Before investors get overly excited about biotech M&A, they should consider that Credit Suisse’s stance is cautiously optimistic on this front. The firm also pointed out that some perceived acquisition targets have pre-emptively run up over 2017.
Credit Suisse believes that the political and pricing rhetoric has faded into the background, but it also expects that the upcoming elections and other events will reawaken the pricing theme.
Auster further noted that M&A historically has been a driver for generalist interest in small to mid-cap names, and commentary from multiple larger biopharmaceutical companies have raised expectations for more deal-making in 2018. It was also noted that new company formation in the space continues at a high clip.
The following have been listed in alphabetical order, with the new initiations featured first with more detail and the assumed coverage listed second with basic data included. Consensus analyst target prices are from Thomson Reuters.
Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ARNA) was started as Outperform with a $44 price target. Credit Suisse noted that there is new management and multiple ways to win. The firm sees Arena as one in which the pipeline remains catalyst-rich, with proof-of-concept data expected on three compounds across multiple indications in the first half of 2018, highlighted by etrasimod in ulcerative colitis.
Arena shares were last seen trading at $34.21 apiece, with a $1.34 billion market cap, and its consensus analyst target price is $43.50.
AveXis Inc. (NASDAQ: AVXS) was started as Outperform and assigned a $134 price target. The firm believes that a lot of good news is being baked in, but it sees AVXS-101 emerging as a foundational therapy for type 1 SMA (and eventually in type 2/3). The firm also sees recent regulatory updates strengthening the case for a 2019 launch.
AveXis traded up 4% at $109.25, and its consensus target price was $116.20 ahead of the call. The market cap is $3.5 billion.
Esperion Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPR) was started as Outperform with a $103 price target (versus a $75.84 close) at Credit Suisse. The firm believes that upcoming Phase 3 data could support major upside in 2018. Its view is that the bempedoic acid franchise is well positioned to emerge as an orally-dosed and cost-efficient LDL-C lowering agent for roughly 12 million U.S. patients who are unable to achieve goals on traditional oral therapies.
Esperion was 0.4% at $75.52, and its market cap is $1.98 billion. The consensus target was $77.50.
Spark Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCE) was started as Outperform and assigned a $61 price target (versus a $51.53 prior close) at Credit Suisse. The firm sees Spark’s unique gene therapy development, manufacturing and regulatory expertise continuing to make the name an attractive investment opportunity. Near term, the firm feels this is a risk-reward play on a constructive SPK-8011 update in mid-2018, while its Luxturna plus the technology platform offer a solid base value for the stock. Potential upside is also seen from the hemophilia programs.
Spark Therapeutics had a $51.50 share price, a $1.9 billion market cap and a consensus price target of $70.32.
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) was started with an Outperform rating and assigned a $67 price target (versus a $47.77 close) at Credit Suisse. The firm is looking forward to 2018 being a transformational year, but its target is under the $65.65 consensus estimate. This view has multiple catalysts: burosumab is among the most positive it has received on near-term product launches; a $1 billion-plus opportunity setting a floor for the stock; a transition to a commercially-oriented biotech with two product launches in 2018; and an extensive pipeline.
Ultragenyx Pharma was last seen up 0.6% at $48.06, with a $2.04 billion market cap. The consensus target price is $65.65.
ALSO READ: Beyond Apple Repatriation: 16 US Corporate Giants Have $1 Trillion in Cash [see webpage]
Credit Suisse also has other Outperform ratings that were listed as assumed coverage by Auster. These were shown as follows:
Acceleron Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: XLRN) was assumed as Outperform with a $55 price target as a high-probability oasis within the binary biotech landscape. Shares were down almost 3% to $43.70, with a market cap of $1.98 billion and a $49.08 consensus target price.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) was assumed as Outperform with a $147 target. Its shares were trading down 0.5% at $121.46, with a $27.1 billion market cap and a consensus analyst target of $160.38.
Biomarin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: BMRN) was assumed as Outperform with a $113 price target. The stock was last seen up 0.8% at $90.40. The market cap is $15.9 billion, and the consensus target price was $110.14 ahead of the call.
Edge Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: EDGE) was assumed as Outperform with a $17 price target ahead of key interim analysis for NEWTON-2. Shares were trading up over 7% to $11.44, which compares with the consensus analyst target price of $18.33 ahead of the call. The market cap is $353 million market cap.
MyoKardia Inc. (NASDAQ: MYOK) was assumed as Outperform with a $60 price target as it is getting to the heart of HCM. The stock was last seen trading flat at $52.60. MyoKardia has a $1.9 billion market cap and a consensus target price of $57.00.
Ra Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: RARX) was assumed as Outperform with a $16 price target as a long-term complement play. It traded down almost 2% to $7.95, and the market cap is $180 million. The consensus target price was listed as $25.00, but that comes from just five firms with Buy or Outperform ratings.
I didn’t but hearing some third parties are trying to fish for some investment services. Do not engage with them would be my suggestion. No reason why someone else needs to butt in as an intermediary between investors and ONCS.
MRNS—“PhII data due shortly from i.v. #ganaxolone in PPD $MRNS, the results will be held up against #brexanolone $SAGE, my previous take...”
PhII data due shortly from i.v. #ganaxolone in PPD $MRNS, the results will be held up against #brexanolone $SAGE, my previous take: https://t.co/St4JjRhv7Y
— Joanne Fagg (@ByJoFagg) January 17, 2018
Celgene in Talks to Buy Juno Therapeutics as it tries to bolster its blood-cancer drugs
https://www.wsj.com/articles/celgene-in-talks-to-buy-juno-therapeutics-1516140153
Full story
Exelixis and Ipsen Announce Phase 3 Trial Results of Cabozantinib Demonstrating Significant Overall Survival Benefit in Patients with Previously Treated Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
– Pivotal phase 3 CELESTIAL trial results, including additional subset analyses, to be presented during oral session on Friday, January 19 at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO-GI) –
– Exelixis to submit supplemental New Drug Application to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the first quarter of 2018 –
EXEL halted, pending news
$EXEL halted
— Odi Bruckman (@odibro) January 16, 2018
DJ CELG is in talks to buy JUNO (+31%/AH)—sources
*DJ Celgene Is in Talks to Buy Juno Therapeutics -- Sources $CELG $JUNO
— zach (@zbiotech) January 16, 2018
This Google-Backed Biotech Is Trying to Create a Universal Flu Vaccine
http://fortune.com/2018/01/16/universal-flu-vaccine-google/
Why Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company, is trying to make vehicle engines more efficient
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/why-saudi-aramco-is-trying-to-make-vehicle-engines-more-efficient.html
—Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest energy company, is investing in research to make gas-powered cars more efficient.
—The investment comes at a time when nations around the world are considering bans on the sale, production or use of vehicles that run on fossil fuels.
—Improving fuel efficiency in these cars will play a bigger role in cutting emissions than adoption of electric vehicles in the near term, Aramco's chief technology officer says.
Electric vehicle purchases are expected to surge in the coming years, but making conventional, gas-powered cars and trucks more efficient will be the most effective way of driving down emissions in the near term, Saudi Aramco's chief technology officer said.
Aramco, the world's largest energy company, is investing in technologies that will allow the internal combustion engine to burn gasoline more efficiently. Much of that research is being done at a research facility near Detroit.
The initiative comes at a time when several European countries, China and California have announced plans to ban the use, sale or production of vehicles with combustion engines under the hood. In Norway, that deadline is 2025, while in many other areas the prohibition won't come until 2040.
However, the internal combustion engine will continue to propel most of the world's vehicles for the foreseeable future, Saudi Aramco CTO Ahmad Al Khowaiter told CNBC on the sidelines of the Detroit Auto Show.
"Electric vehicles have a role to play, but we believe the most effective means to bring down emissions is to actually improve the efficiency of the internal combustion engine," he said.
The number of electric vehicles grew to about 2 million in 2016, a nearly 60 percent rise from the previous year, according to the International Energy Agency.
But that is still just 0.2 percent of all cars on the road, and hybrid-electric vehicles, which include gas engines, accounted for about 40 percent of all electric vehicles in 2016.
Still, fuel efficiency standards are getting tougher around the world, said Khowaiter, who believes there are many opportunities to increase the combustion engine's efficiency.
Aramco has worked with European and American automakers to advance gasoline compression ignition, a technology that allows gas-powered engines to roughly match the efficiency of diesel engines.
Asked whether he's worried about a U.S. ban on the internal combustion energy, Khowaiter said polices that attempt to pick winners are often counterproductive.
"We believe policy should be technology agnostic. Let the best technology win because that usually serves the best purpose for policy," he said.
Saudi Aramco is planning to take a portion of the company public in what is widely expected to be the world's biggest ever share offering. The initial public offering is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's plans to create the world's largest sovereign wealth fund and diversify Saudi Arabia's oil-dependent economy.
I would avoid RXII at all costs.
- did its 3rd(!) reverse split last week
- delayed dermal scarring results over a year, doing new cohorts every time
- their “cosmeceutical” program was billed as being a cash cow with big pharma interest. However, the head of the program, Pamela Pavco, “retired” before any data
- they said a list of companies were in the short list to partner with them. However, they ended up “partnering” with MirImmune, management of which are friends/have history with CEO Geert Cauwenberg. Then they acquired this company. CEO of MirImmune became CBO of RXI and then he also resigned from his post later in 2017
- History of empty promises and exaggerations
I got in this stock with free shares from GALE spinoff. Bought some more few years ago as well. Biggest mistake of my investing career. Nevertheless it has taught me to spot many biotech red flags. I anticipate a fourth reverse split in about 18 months. This is the DRYS of biotech.
ARMO Biosciences Sets Terms for $100M IPO
https://www.renaissancecapital.com/IPO-Center/News/54502/Immuno-oncology-biotech-ARMO-Biosciences-sets-terms-for-$100-million-IPO
January 16, 2018
ARMO Biosciences, which is developing immunotherapies targeting various cancers and solid tumors, announced terms for its IPO on Tuesday.
The Redwood City, CA-based company plans to raise $100 million by offering 6.7 million shares at a price range of $14 to $16. Insiders intend to purchase $40 million worth of shares in the offering. At the midpoint of the proposed range, ARMO Biosciences would command a fully diluted market value of $450 million.
ARMO Biosciences was founded in 2012 and plans to list on the Nasdaq under the symbol ARMO. Jefferies, Leerink Partners and BMO Capital Markets are the joint bookrunners on the deal. It is expected to price during the week of January 22, 2018.
Gene Therapy Biotech Solid Biosciences Sets Terms for $100M IPO
https://www.renaissancecapital.com/IPO-Center/News/54497/Gene-therapy-biotech-Solid-Biosciences-sets-terms-for-$100-million-IPO
January 16, 2018
Solid Biosciences, which is developing a gene therapy to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), announced terms for its IPO on Tuesday.
The Cambridge, MA-based company plans to raise $100 million by offering 5.9 million shares at a price range of $16 to $18. Insiders intend to purchase $40 million worth of shares in the offering. At the midpoint of the proposed range, Solid Biosciences would command a fully diluted market value of $551 million.
Solid Biosciences was founded in 2013 and plans to list on the Nasdaq under the symbol SLDB. J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Leerink Partners are the joint bookrunners on the deal. It is expected to price during the week of January 22, 2018.
I like the Pisces website! Looking forward to interim data. Don’t forget to cast your proxy votes folks.
Jamie Dimon says he regrets calling bitcoin a fraud and believes in the technology behind it
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/01/09/jamie-dimon-says-he-regrets-calling-bitcoin-a-fraud.html
Embracing change and adapting to it is never a bad idea.
The new tax law now defines taxable events with respect to not just bitcoin trades once you cash back to USD, but alt-coin trades (trades between other cryptocurrencies) as well, even before they are converted back to USD, thus legitimizing the crypto asset class once and for all.
You can find using both, searching company name or ticker symbol.
http://www.ebdgroup.com/bts/core/presenting-companies.php?_&_ga=2.27189501.1760092232.1515479314-716746957.1515479314
I don't think the post you were replying to was sincere.
Taxes, tech and China to fuel pharma M&A in 2018, says EY
https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/taxes-tech-and-china-to-fuel-pharma-ma-in-2018-says-ey/514237/
New Alzheimer’s drug once worth billions, headed for trash
https://www.statnews.com/2018/01/08/alzheimers-axovant-intepirdine/
Axovant Sciences (AXON), 2017’s most talked-about biotech company, is abandoning the drug that made it famous after yet another clinical trial failure.
The company, valued at more than $2.8 billion in September, will no longer study intepirdine after finding the drug to be useless against dementia with Lewy bodies, a memory-destroying disease that can affect mood and balance. Last year, intepirdine failed in a 1,300-patient Alzheimer’s disease trial, sending Axovant’s share price down more than 75 percent.
In the study of 269 patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, two doses of intepirdine were virtually indistinguishable from placebo in measures of motor function, cognition, and gait. The low dose of the drug, 35 milligrams a day, actually worsened patients’ symptoms compared with placebo.
Selected high-value unpartnered assets according to BioPharma Dealmakers
To coincide with the start of the annual JP Morgan conference #JPM18 — typically an event where major #pharma #deals are announced — we highlight some of the most valuable #assets that are currently unpartnered, using data provided by @evaluatepharma
To coincide with the start of the annual JP Morgan conference #JPM18 — typically an event where major #pharma #deals are announced — we highlight some of the most valuable #assets that are currently unpartnered, using data provided by @evaluatepharma pic.twitter.com/FdTTzqkuHm
— Biopharma Dealmakers (@bpdealmakers) January 8, 2018
Sanofi, Regeneron up ante on PD-1 I/O program by a billion dollars
https://endpts.com/sanofi-regeneron-up-the-ante-on-pd-1-i-o-program-by-a-billion-dollars/
Celgene Nears Deal to Buy Impact Biomedicines for as Much as $7 Billion
https://www.wsj.com/articles/celgene-nears-deal-to-buy-impact-biomedicines-for-as-much-as-7-billion-1515353759
—Potential deal calls for Celgene to buy the San Diego company in three stages
Celgene Corp. is nearing a deal to buy cancer biotechnology concern Impact Biomedicines for as much as $7 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
The potential deal, which could be announced Monday, calls for Celgene to buy the San Diego company in three stages, the people said.
First there would be an upfront payment of about $1 billion, with the next two stages dependent on approvals from the Food and Drug Administration and successful commercialization, the people said.
Celgene, based in Summit, N.J., is one of the biggest U.S. biotech companies, specializing in a form of cancer known as multiple myeloma.
—Dana Mattioli contributed to this article.
PFE axing neurosciences, firing 300, discarding new drugs
https://endpts.com/pfizer-is-axing-its-neurosciences-division-laying-off-300-and-discarding-new-drugs/
MRNS upcoming events
http://ir.marinuspharma.com/events.cfm
Feb 14, 2018
Leerink Partners 7th Annual Global Healthcare Conference
Location: New York
Feb 21–22, 2018
RBC Capital Markets Global Healthcare Conference
Location: New York
Mar 13–15, 2018
Barclays Global Healthcare Conference
Location: Miami
[OT] There is a 40% chance Apple will acquire Netflix, according to Citi
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-potential-merger-acquisition-candidates-aapl-2017-12
Happy New Year to you ahab and to everyone else on the board! May 2018 be full of success, happiness, and good health!
Calling cancer’s bluff with neoantigen vaccines
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-017-08706-3
—State-of-the art tumour-genome sequencing and analysis is enabling researchers to provide uniquely personalized immunotherapy.
5 Immuno-Oncology Developments To Watch In 2018
http://www.forbes.com/sites/arleneweintraub/2017/12/26/5-immuno-oncology-developments-to-watch-in-2018/#4491c1184b22
ADXS PT Set at $19 by Cantor Fitzgerald
https://www.themarketsdaily.com/2017/12/22/advaxis-adxs-pt-set-at-19-00-by-cantor-fitzgerald.html
Advaxis (NASDAQ:ADXS) received a $19.00 price target from research analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald in a report released on Friday. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the biotechnology company’s stock.
Combined checkpoint inhibitor therapy causing diabetic ketoacidosis in metastatic melanoma
https://jitc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40425-017-0303-9
Abstract
Background
There has been a significant improvement in survival of advanced malignancies with the advent of checkpoint inhibitors. These newer treatment modalities come with a wide spectrum of unique side effects, termed immune related adverse events (irAE), ranging from mild skin rash to severe colitis. Included in that spectrum is the rare side effect of autoimmune diabetes mellitus. Despite a few case reports illustrating the incidence of autoimmune diabetes associated with immunotherapy, there has not been much mentioned about exacerbation or acceleration of hyperglycemia in non-autoimmune settings leading to de novo diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Case presentation
We report the case of a 42 year old man with metastatic melanoma and no prior history of diabetes mellitus, who presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) after 3 cycles of combination checkpoint inhibitor therapy using nivolumab and ipilimumab. New onset diabetes mellitus was diagnosed on the basis of elevated hemoglobin A1c, in the absence of prior personal or family history. Autoimmune or type 1 diabetes mellitus was ruled out with normal levels of anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) antibody, zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) antibody, and islet antigen-2 (IA-2) antibody.
Conclusions
This case report highlights the importance of recognizing rare but serious adverse events related to immunotherapy and incorporation of appropriate tools for early identification and management in national cancer treatment guidelines.
Biopharma scores big win in tax overhaul
https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/biopharma-scores-big-win-in-tax-overhaul/513294/
SAGE/MRNS—For what it's worth, EcoR1 Capital was a VC investor in SAGE. They are now the largest shareholder in MRNS with 3.62M shares (acquired in August 2017).
EcoR1 Venture Portfolio
http://ecor1cap.com/
https://whalewisdom.com/stock/mrns-2