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.
Sanofi mulls biotech buy on top of Regeneron stake
Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:15am EST
PARIS, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) does not rule out buying a biotechnology firm, it said on Thursday, after it revealed it had raised its stake in U.S. biopharmaceutical company Regeneron <REGN.O.
"The investment in Regeneron is part of the group strategy and does not exclude the possible acquisition of a biotechnology firm as indicated in September," a spokesman for the world's number four pharmaceuticals group said on Thursday. (Reporting by Noelle Mennella, editing by Will Waterman)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKWEB964320071129?rpc=44
REGN: Now I understand why the share price was getting held down yesterday during a huge market rally. ;)
Someone bought some 17.5, 20 and 22.5 calls for Dec. (around 70 contracts each). Cha Ching!
Pre-market: up 40% $24!
High testosterone linked to men's lower death risk By Will Dunham
Mon Nov 26, 4:06 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071126/hl_nm/testosterone_heart_dc_1
I just found this posted by Dew on the IHUB BV board
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Higher naturally occurring levels of the male hormone testosterone appear to protect men from fatal heart attacks or strokes and death from all manner of causes, researchers in Britain said on Monday.
But the researchers cautioned men not to begin testosterone supplementation based on the results of this 10-year study, saying the benefits and risks are unclear.
The role of testosterone in men's health is controversial, with the relationship between men's natural testosterone levels and overall health not well understood, according to the researchers.
But this study led by Dr. Kay-Tee Khaw, a professor of clinical gerontology at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine in Britain, found strong benefits in men with higher natural levels of the hormone.
Men in the upper 25 percent of natural testosterone levels had a 41 percent lower risk of dying from heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions, cancer and all other causes, compared to men with the lowest levels, the researchers found.
"Low testosterone seems to predict increased risk of total mortality in cardiovascular disease as well as cancer," Khaw said in a telephone interview.
The researchers tracked 11,606 British men ages 40 to 79 who had no known cancer or cardiovascular disease at the start of the study. They joined the study from 1993 to 1997 and were followed until 2003.
Among these men, 825 died during the study period. The researchers measured their testosterone levels using frozen blood samples provided earlier, and compared their levels to a group of men still alive at the end of the study period.
Khaw said the relationship between testosterone levels and cardiovascular disease mortality was comparable in magnitude to well-established risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Thus, low testosterone levels could point to men at elevated risk for cardiovascular death who may not have other known risk factors, the researchers reported in the journal Circulation.
Khaw said the findings suggest that men with low levels of testosterone might be able to cut their risk of death with testosterone supplementation, but did not recommend doing this without more research backing up these results.
She pointed to the experience involving hormone therapy in women. Early studies suggested hormone therapy could protect post-menopausal women from heart disease, but later and larger research yielded the opposite results.
"The anxiety about testosterone supplementation is that high testosterone may be a risk factor for prostate cancer," added Khaw, who noted that the study looked only at naturally occurring levels of the hormone and not supplementation.
Testosterone is the primary "male" hormone that helps maintain muscle mass and strength, fat distribution, bone mass, sperm production, sex drive and potency. Women have testosterone too, but at lower levels.
Doctors have used testosterone therapy to treat men with abnormally low testosterone levels. Some athletes and bodybuilders use it to promote muscle mass and strength.
(Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Crou, I agree that there has been tax loss selling the past week, and some general fear regarding the upcoming FDA meeting. Looks like the sellers are done for now, and a nice bid is back on the stock.
io_io, I think he meant to say Androxal, not Androgel in his last post.
Yesterday there was a large bid at 3.96
Today there is a large ask (476) at 3.85
Looks like more end of year tax selling.
OT: SSRX
I don't follow it but I hope you shorted it above $17, as its up 17% (16.8) in afterhours.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=ssrx
Regarding stock movement: I don't think anyone can say with confidence that the recent reversal was due only to David Miller's report. The two presentations last week may have resulted in a mixed reaction (some retail selling), but obviously someone was buying the shares from the 12's down to 9.7's, and throughout the reversal into the mid-10's.
It is nice though to see some interest again in the stock after the bloodletting the past week. ;)
WAG 12/04/2007 9:20 pm
Exactly 47 years after I entered the earth's atmosphere.
I expect to celebrate with some of the WAG cash prizes. ;)
Spartex
Mark, I assume the "biotech stock research" update was positive in light of today's trading. Nice to see money move from energies back into biotech, banks and some tech's.
I also don't understand an FDA argument that says Androxal needs to have additional endpoints to move into the T space. The key to reviewing a new drug (and MOA) imo is that it works as well, and even better than current drugs. Androxal has the efficacy and also the lack of side effects of currently approved T drugs. What am I missing? Politics?
I would think that a European partner would make even more sense so now so that the drug can get into the European and even Japanese market. Thoughts?
I've noticed that RPRX is getting low volume accumulation (past week), even during the market sell off like today. Looks bullish imo.
<if I could sell right here at $5, I would, but there's now way in hell I could get out of 200k shares anywhere near the price its at now.>
Where were you yesterday when the volume was over 1.2 mil shares and price over $5.3??? ;) You could have gotten rid of 100k+ shares no problem.
Insulin produced inside lettuce cells. Thanks Dew, I also just reread this article.
What I find funny is the quote in the article is from UCF Professor Henry Daniell, and not the writer's words. And, Daniell says this methodology would "not simply provide temporary relief", which is also a strange use of words. Insulin provides blood sugar treatment/management, but has to be administered each day and at specified times for meals. So in some ways my insulin injections do provide temporary relief, but I need to use it daily to treat my condition over the long term. I would assume the same would hold true for this lettuce. Now I hope he is using a tasty species of lettuce so people will actually eat it! :)
"Once it's put inside the plant cell and when it's ingested in the stomach, that plant cell is surrounded by a cell wall and the cell wall protects it from amino acids in the stomach and also from enzymes for digesting. However, when the plant cell reaches the gut, bacteria poke holes in the plant cell wall and release the insulin and that is when it is absorbed. When this is absorbed we anticipate that this methodology would cure diabetes and not simply provide temporary relief," said UCF Professor Henry Daniell.
Daniell expects clinical trials to begin soon. The next step would be FDA approval.
Dew, any comments on this insulin research finding?
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/8/1/making_insulin_inside_lettuce.html
I can't quite understand how it would cure a Type I diabetics condition, other than providing a new way to administer insulin, but how would this allow a diabetic to regain their beta islets cells in the pancreas???
If Jimmy Rogers thinks we're now in a recession, shouldn't that be the time to buy US dollars and/or stocks?? IOW, but at the bottom, not the top! ;)
I sent Joe P. (CEO) an email regarding updates or conf calls on their Androxal trial plans following the Oct 15 FDA meeting. He said that he'll be "presenting at both the Rodman and CIBC conferences the week of November 5. I will be providing more information at that time. Both presentations will be webcast."
They aren't planning on having any conf calls following the Oct 15 meeting with FDA at this time.
Bio_pete, do you have an email address I can email you on?
Not sure if you still have my yahoo email.
Low testosterone in men linked to earlier death By Amy Norton
Tue Oct 23, 3:53 PM ET
Thanks markvi62 for that link! Interesting implications and potential support for increased application for drugs like Androxal in this population.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older men with low levels of the hormone testosterone may die sooner than other men their age with normal testosterone levels, a study suggests.
Researchers found that among 794 generally healthy older men, those with the lowest testosterone levels were 40 percent more likely to die within the 1985-2004 study period.
The findings do not mean, however, that older men should start taking testosterone supplements to achieve a longer life, the study authors are quick to point out.
The study shows only an association between low testosterone and earlier death -- not a cause-and-effect relationship, lead author Dr. Gail A. Laughlin told Reuters Health. What's more, there was no evidence that having above-average testosterone levels gave men any longevity advantage.
"We cannot recommend that any man take testosterone based on these results," Laughlin stressed.
She and her colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, report their findings in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
In theory, low testosterone could affect older men's longevity through metabolic effects. Some past studies have found that low testosterone can precede the development of abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome -- a collection of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease that includes obesity, high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels.
In their study, Laughlin and her colleagues found that low testosterone was associated with abdominal obesity and aspects of the metabolic syndrome, but when these factors were excluded, low testosterone remained independently linked to earlier death.
The study included 794 men between 50 and 91 year old (average age 73.6 years) who were followed for an average of 11.6 years. Overall, the one quarter with the lowest testosterone levels at study entry were 40 percent more likely to die over the course of the study than men with higher levels of the hormone.
There is some disagreement among experts on how to define overt testosterone deficiency, with some saying it should be diagnosed when levels fall below 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) and others advocating lower cutoffs.
There was no evidence in this study that raising older men's testosterone above 300 ng/dL might boost survival, according to Laughlin's team.
This finding offers "no support for widespread testosterone therapy for aging men," the researchers write.
Indeed, it's unclear whether raising testosterone in men with a clear deficiency can safely prolong life. Only clinical trials that test hormonal supplementation against a placebo can answer this question, Laughlin said.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, October 2007.
io_io, lol. I read all posts on this MB. But that stuff goes in my eyeballs and then into the neural trash bin. ;) iow, non-essential chatter.
io_io, well I can only follow along so many things in my life. ;)
While I think it is a good thing that shorts are covering according to nasdaq updates, I am more interested to see more funds going long on RPRX based on their fundamentals.
Nerf, why do you say that??
I'm wondering if the 60k afterhours trade was from shares accumulated during the day by MM's for a specific client who is a "buyer" going long. That's not to say someone could be doing this to close out a short position too. I just don't know but I hope JP's meetings in Europe went well. I am curious of the timeframe for their conf call update on androxal.
RPRX afterhours shows 60k at $12.62 at 4:26 pm
16:26 $ 12.62 60,000
16:17 $ 12.5402 1,000
16:09 $ 12.6155 2,100
1
Thomas, do you know whether manufacturing for Dyloject is much of a concern/risk? I bought more JAV on Wed at around 4.7's.
Thanks for anyones thoughts on the manufacturing area and whether that's much of a risk at this point in the UK's review.
RPRX - David Miller
Corpstrat's answer of "the conference call" provided me a reference point to understand his point of view here, thereby allowing me an insight into what other market participants are thinking in bidding up the company stock based upon this news, when they haven't bid up the stock of this woefully undervalued company based on news I believe is arguably less 'nuanced'.
David, imo, I believe the reason RPRX was bid up almost $2 bucks yesterday was relief that FDA wasn't going to require the QOL endpoints, not necessarily from the details of RPRX's PR. My guess posted here on IHUB was we'd only go up a $1. If the FDA had said RPRX would only require T endpoint in one P3 pivotal trial, I speculate that the stock would have opened $12+ and moved to $14-15 price range. That said, I am hoping/believe that the street will continue to bid up the price of the stock based on the other "arguably less 'nuanced'" data that RPRX has reported already on Proellex, and the fact that the management still appears to be managing their FDA discussions and trials very well.
I haven't talked to management after the FDA meeting, but it would be my belief that in the discussions with the FDA their first stance was to try and get T endpoint only, and then if the FDA said "no" you still need to do QOL, Joe brought in his backup plan B which included these other endrocrine elements (as discussed on the conf call before meeting). Sounds like it was played out very strategically imo.
Charmed, from your summary of discussion with management, I'm wondering what this will do in terms of the cash needs of RPRX as it relates to covering costs of Androxal and Prollex trials in 2008 going forward? I wonder if they will still consider just selling the entire Androxal part of their company rather than work through all of these trials?
Thanks for your summary!
This is when I will pounce and add to my shares because I am also convinced that anything under $15 is a steal now
Where were you at the open, lol? I was buying some additional shares in the $11's until it got to 11.75. I'm done for now.
Doesn't look like there is much validity to daytraders pulling out after 3 pm today. They may have already pulled out earlier in the day. Looks like stock is holding nicely.
So BSR was downbeat? The one question that isn't clear in my mind is whether these additional endocrine endpoints (e.g. glucose levels in blood) are secondary endpoints, or primary (I posted this Q on Biotech value board too). In other words, androxal raises testosterone for sure, but I'm unclear whether these other endpoints they are considering are dealbreakers or not?
I have some RPRX Q's myself. The one question that isn't clear in my mind is whether these additional endocrine endpoints (e.g. glucose levels in blood) will become secondary endpoints, or primary. We all know androxal raises testosterone significantly w/ high efficacy, but I'm unclear whether these other endpoints they are considering are dealbreakers or not if not reached in a P3 trial.
Thoughts from rfj or others on this?
Dew, you buying any RPRX yet? ;) $12+ and climbing.
easy there now rfj,...you're starting to sound like a former dndn conspiracist sharheolder like me now
No, rfj just wants to finish building his RPRX position in the $10's. ;)
It's not going to happen, of course. There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding of this company and its products.
I agree, however this fundamental misunderstanding of RPRX and its products will eventually be corrected. As in, the price of the stock! ;)
Dew, imo I would anticipate a 3/4 to 1 dollar move up in the stock tomorrow. With further gains once the story is better understood by the greater wall street mor"asses".
I continue to see only positive news and results come out of this company the past 11 months. A rare feat for any biotech imho!
Dew, REGN has moved up $3.8 bucks (21%) in the past 3.5 trading sessions, from around 17.8 to 20.5
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=REGN&t=5d
I believe it is due to the news by DNA that they will curb Avastin sales for eye illness, thus keeping Lucentis sales from dropping due to sale of lower priced reformulated Avastin for eye illness. IMO I believe this news is helping REGN stock price, as the potential success for REGN's Trap trial drug could also compete w/ Lucentis if DNA maintains this higher sales price range. Any one pick up on this last Thurs as a trading opportunity? :) Sorry if I missed something reported here earlier, but I just checked in and found a lot of yours and other posts dealing more with Avastin vs. Lucentis and liability. And I see you posted this news to SI REGN board.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN1144748520071012?rpc=44
Jon R., was this your question that answered in yesterday
Feuerstein's Biotech-Stock Mailbag on Page 4? I find it interesting Androxal's different category may cause the FDA to consider adding some questionable endpoints, when the already approved testosterone drugs are known to have long-term use adverse effects. So here's a new drug that appears better (safer and high efficacy) for you in raising testosterone, but we are going to make your life harder because "its a differnt category" of drugs. Strange process the FDA uses to approve other drugs that cause the same affect (elevate testosterone) as other existing drugs, but in a safer manner.
http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/biotech/10384286_4.html
My column on "manopause" stocks prompted a couple of questions. Jon. R. asks, "Why has the FDA not also raised the bar on Nebido as they have done with Repros?"
As I wrote this week, Repros Therapeutics is in a bit of a bind with its testosterone-boosting drug Androxal because it hasn't yet reached agreement with the FDA on an approval-worthy clinical endpoint for a phase III study.
Androxal works by stimulating a man's body to produce more of his own testosterone. That puts the drug in a different category than currently marketed testosterone replacement products, including Indevus Pharmaceuticals and its long-acting, injectable testosterone replacement Nebido.
On the same topic, Dick F. asks, "Do any of these testosterone companies mention anything about artificial testosterone possibly causing cancer?"
Great question. Yes, the subject did come up at the UBS conference I attended last week because it is, or has been, a concern. There were two doctors -- a urologist and an endocrinologist - speaking at the conference, and both downplayed the testosterone replacement-cancer link.
At this point, there is no clinical data to suggest that men who use a testosterone replacement are at any greater risk for developing cancer, specifically, prostate cancer, the docs said. It is well understood that testosterone "feeds" prostate cancer, which is why prostate cancer patients are put on hormonal therapy to deplete testosterone. But there is no evidence that circulating testosterone causes prostate cancer to develop.
OT: The patient was drip-fed about three standard drinks an hour for three days in the intensive care unit," Dr Todd Fraser said in a statement.
This doesn't make physiological sense to me. 3 drinks/hr x 24 hrs/day = 72 standard drinks of vodka/day. My limited knowledge tells me that alcohol poisoning (vodka) would supercede the patients current problem of ethylene glycol toxicity.
I'm not familiar with the biochemistry of this antidote process. How does the alcohol interact/remove the ethylene glycol?? Is today April Fools Day in Queensland?? :)
<The Republican Fisherman> Zip, I'm ROTFLMAO!
Thanks! ;)
RPRX technicals
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ta?s=rprx&t=3m&l=on&z=m&q=b&p=m50,m100,m200,b&a=s...
Looks like stock keeps bumping into 200 and 50 dma. RSI (relative strength index) looks very positive and hasn't been this high in a while.
Although the TA charting link below gives a lower RSI reading. Not sure if there is a glitch between the two?
http://www.stockta.com/cgi-bin/analysis.pl?symb=RPRX&num1=9&cobrand=&mode=stock
Its been doing that the past few days Nerf. As if buyer and seller are trying to reach a equitable price before sales go through in volume.
Anyone following today's trading?
Seems like some stealth buying may be going on. Not sure if there were any block buys above 5k or not.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=RPRX&t=1d
Update: However that wasn't stealth buying into the last few minutes before market close! Someone selling again.