Hemispherx BioPharma (HEB)

[Investor100]

Swine Flu Index Back on the Radar

* On Wednesday June 3, 2009, 12:09 pm EDT

The W.H.O. is near declaring the H1/N1 virus a pandemic, but a hepatitis study drove the Swine Flu Index on Wednesday.

Swine flu fears coverage has abated somewhat in the media, but the World Health Organization suggested this week that it may classify the threat as a worldwide pandemic. To date, 64 countries have been affected by the virus. Select swine flu stocks are flying today, although H1/N1 virus treatments cannot be given credit. Dynavax Technologies (NASDAQ: DVAX - News) reported positive Phase III data for its hepatitis B vaccine, sending the stock up by more than 36%. Overall, the sector is mixed, but some of its peers are following by as much as 15%.

As a whole the Swine Flu and Bird Flu Stocks Index is up by 5.5%. It is now beating the S&P 500 by 33.5% over the last month.

AVI BioPharma (NASDAQ: AVII - News) and Hemispherx Biopharma (AMEX: HEB - News) are both following Dynavax higher by more than 14% today. Both are advancing to new 52-week highs.

Generex Biotechnology (NASDAQ: GNBT - News), Quidel (NASDAQ: QDEL - News), and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD - News) are all trading higher by more than 4%.

Approximately half of the Swine Flu Index is in negative territory, led by BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BCRX - News), which is down -3%.

Other losers include Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY - News), GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK - News), and Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX - News).

As of this writing the Swine Flu and Bird Flu Stocks Index is in the top-five performing tickerspy Indexes over the last month, gaining 40.2%.

Investors can follow the Swine Flu and Bird Flu Stocks Index and view related performance charts and metrics at tickerspy.com.