Replies to post #12 on Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR)

[SeriousMoney]

Took slugs of MAR 22.5 & MAY 25.

[SeriousMoney]

Talk about the power of suggestion... or me-too-ism!

[SeriousMoney]

Novo Nordisk Sales Climb
By Robert Steyer
TheStreet.com Staff Reporter
1/27/2006 3:18 PM EST

Novo Nordisk (NVO:NYSE ADR) , the world's biggest seller of insulin products, said Friday that it expects to resume late-stage clinical testing of its inhaled insulin device during the first quarter.

The Danish company's announcement comes one day after Pfizer (PFE:NYSE) and Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR:Nasdaq) received approval from the European Union for their inhaled insulin called Exubera. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration may rule today on Exubera.

Novo Nordisk's development of inhaled insulin has proceeded in fits and starts, punctuated with some setbacks. Even if the company's late-stage clinical research and regulatory efforts go smoothly in the future, analysts say a product probably wouldn't reach the market until the end of the decade. Novo Nordisk is using inhalation technology licensed from the U.S. company Aradigm (ARDMD:Nasdaq).

Novo Nordisk said improvements on its AERx inhaled insulin project are "almost completed," and that the company "expects to confirm" resumption of clinical trials during the first quarter. "This confirmation will be partly subject to FDA's acceptance of final specifications for the AERx system," the company said.

The announcement accompanied the release of full-year earnings. For the year ended Dec. 31, the company earned $978 million, or $2.97 a share. Net earnings rose 17% and earnings per share rose 20% vs. 2004.

Total sales rose 16% to $5.63 billion in 2005. Sales of diabetes-care products, which account for nearly three-fourths of corporate revenue, rose 17% to $4 billion.

"Novo Nordisk insulin now constitutes more than half of the insulin sold globally, and we expect the strong demand for our strategic products to continue in 2006 despite increased competition," said Lars Rebien Sorensen, president and CEO. In early afternoon trading, Novo Nordisk's stock was down 90 cents, or 1.6%, to $55.84.

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/stocks/biotech/10264822.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite...

[SeriousMoney]

Why the sell off on the news?

I believe it's only a buy-on-expectation (hardly a rumor, esp. after PFE CEO Hank McKinnell's gaff top of the morning), sell-on-the-news by speculators & momo players.

PFE recently bought Exubera world-wide rights for $1.3 billion. http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=9243955

The analysts & talking heads should show up with their guessessments soon.

If this is a multi-billion dollar drug & NTKR is years ahead of the competition as they say, then NKTR goes much higher as Exubera hits the streets & lungs.

Toughest competitor Novo Nordisk is way behind on this one. http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=9447409

[SeriousMoney]

NEKTAR UPDATE - 1/27/06
ChangeWave Biotech Investor Alert

The FDA approved Nektar's (NKTR) inhalable insulin product Exubera after the close today and the approval was for both Type I and Type II diabetes in adults.

The product will be marketed by Pfizer (PFE). The press release on the FDA Web site indicated that Exubera would only require a typical FDA Medication Guide (i.e., instructions for use) and is not recommended for people with lung problems and lung diseases -- or for people who have quit smoking in the past six months.

I have taken a lot of flak about Exubera for several years. And there is still debate on Wall Street whether it will be a blockbuster drug. The debate is utter nonsense based on ChangeWave Alliance physician surveys and plain common sense. Would you rather inhale a medication or stick yourself with a needle?

I don't expect a big pop in the stock (mainly due to Wall Street's reaction), but given the power of the Pfizer's sales force you can expect serious sales results within six to nine months -- and good sales results will really put a fire under the stock.