Thursday's Movers in Healthcare include FDA play Sanuwave
08/25/2011 Shares of Sanuwave Healthcare (OTCBB:SNWV) continue to rise after report speculated that San Antonio based, Kinetic Concepts (NYSE:KCI) might look to acquire Sanuwave for a reasonable price; given the small-cap competitor's current market valuation and the fact Sanuwave's dermaPACE® device for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers poses a considerable threat to Kinetic's own V.A.C product. KCI generated $1 billion in U.S. revenue in 2010, healing the same types of wounds that dermaPACE® treated patients with during recently completed double-blind clinical studies. Sanuwave is on the clock for an FDA approval decision and expects to begin marketing dermaPACE® in 2012.
Sanuwave uses a promising technology which utilizes high-energy acoustic pressure waves in the "shock wave" spectrum to elicit biological effects and induce tissue regeneration and healing. Chronic and complex wounds, especially those seen in diabetic patients cost patients over $20 billion annually in the U.S. alone.
Physicians have noted that the Georgia based firm's treatment technology is non-invasive and devoid of significant clinical side effects. That has industry insiders and Wall Street commentators reasoning that the FDA approval for the acoustic pressure wave treatment device could exponentially increase the value of the firm.
Shares of California based Cutera, Inc. (Nasdaq:CUTR) rose in early trading after it was announced today that Kevin Connors, the Company's President and CEO, will be presenting at the Wedbush Securities 2011 Life Sciences Management Access Conference to be held on August 16-17, 2011 at Le Parker Meridien in NYC. Cutera is a leading provider of laser and other light-based aesthetic systems for practitioners worldwide, and a recent earning report filed by the firm indicated that second quarter 2011 revenue was $14.9 million, or 22% higher, when compared to $12.2 million in the same period last year. Net loss for the second quarter of 2011 was $2.5 million or $0.18 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $3.8 million or $0.28 per diluted share.
Shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:VNDA) also traded higher by $0.20, pushing the share price to $5.53 in early trading. Stock volume in Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc has returned as the stock continues to recover after they saw a 52-week high of $10.32. Current prices see shares trading -46% lower, but attempting to bounce off 52-week lows on low volume. Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for central nervous system disorders. In recent weeks, the company has announced various exclusive license agreements to export Fanapt™ (iloperidone); a medications for schizophrenia known as an atypical antipsychotic. The term "atypical" refers to the different mechanisms of action of second-generation antipsychotics.
