| NeoStem Moves Toward Overcoming Limitations in Stem Cell Therapy Development ChinaBio Today submits: NeoStem, Inc. (NBS) announced a stem cell collaboration with ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc. [OTCBB: IRBS]. NeoStem will investigate whether Homspera, ImmuneRegen’s lead product, will enhance stem cell activity when used in combination with NeoStem's VSEL technology. NeoStem holds an exclusive license for very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs), which are found in the bone marrow and can be harvested from the peripheral blood of adults. According to NeoStem, it is the first company to provide adult stem cell collection and banking for adults. NeoStem is also conducting R&D on adult stem cells, including VSEL-based therapies, for regenerative purposes in the US and China. Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Grifols Gets a Taste for Talecris Blood The Burrill Report submits: By Michael FitzhughGrifols (GIFLF.PK), a Spanish producer of plasma protein therapies, plans to pay $3.4 billion for Talecris Biotherapeutics (TLCR) in an effort to expand its blood-based medicines business to North America and leverage efficiencies of scale. The combination would make Grifols the number three blood products maker globally with pro-forma annual revenues of about $2.8 billion, a spot now occupied by Talecris. That would bring it much closer to competing with the number two player, Australia's CSL (CMXHY.PK), which had 2009 revenue of $2.9 billion. Baxter (BAX) is the industry's top player. CSL tried to buy Talecris in 2009, but was prevented from doing so when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission expressed concerns about anti-trust issues, a pitfall Grifols is trying to avoid by emphasizing the potential combination's replacement of Talecris among the industry's biggest players. If completed, the deal would be the third largest in the pharmaceutical sector this year, according to Reuters. Grifols' offer values Talecris at $26.16 per share, $19 of which would be paid in cash, with the remainder paid in non-voting shares. The 53 percent premium over the Talecris' 30-day average share price offers a rich exit for Cerberus and Ampersand, the private equity firms that own about 49 percent of Talecris. Grifols expects to save about $230 million over the next four years if the combination is successful, savings derived from plasma collection network efficiencies, as well as optimized manufacturing sales, marketing and R&D. It will also take a one-time charge of $100 million. The combination could create a vertically integrated and diversified plasma protein therapies company with complementary geographic footprints and increased manufacturing scale, says Grifols. New access to Grifols' manufacturing facilities could also allow Talecris, which has faced the specter of reaching its full production capacity by 2011, to ramp up its manufacturing productivity without making major new investments of its own. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2010.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Biomarker Diagnostics Drive Personalized Medicine but Path to Market Still Rife With Hurdles Rod Raynovich submits:Convergence of Genomics and Medicine At the 2010 BIO Conference in Chicago, with about 15,000 attendees, there were ten "Breakout Sessions on Biomarkers (BM)" encompassing Intellectual Property, commercialization, reimbursement, drug development and diagnostics. This explosive new technology niche is a nascent paradigm for exploiting breakthroughs in the molecular basis of disease and more targeted medicine, and assumes a need for co-development of diagnostics and drugs. Genomics transformed biology and now we are seeing the impact on drug development and personalized diagnostic services with a focus on cancer and cardiovascular diseases.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Plavix Rival Gains From Studies Two new studies question the value of using a genetic test to guide long-term use of the blood thinner Plavix, a potential boon for AstraZeneca and its blood thinner Brilinta. online.wsj.com |
Santarus: A Stock With Potential to Run Tony Pelz submits:A company in the small cap biotech space worth a quick look is Santarus (SNTS). Santarus is a special situations play with several near-to-medium term catalysts. As a background, the company currently markets(1) two products, Zegerid and Glumetza, and has several product candidates in Phase III. The company’s financial position is currently stable with positive net income, net cash per share of $1.45 (versus a recent share price of $2.45) and access to a $25 million revolving line of credit.(2) Why the depressed share price? In April 2010, the company’s shares plunged by over 30% on a (very) unfavorable court ruling regarding the company’s patents for Zegerid.(3) The case dated back to 2007 to challenge Par Pharmaceutical’s (PRX) ANDA filing for a generic form of Zegerid. This ruling coupled with Par’s ANDA application basically put SNTS’ core product and source of 75% of total revenues at substantial risk. In June the company implemented a comprehensive internal restructuring and a strategy to introduce their own generic version of Zegerid to offset the damage from the loss of product sales.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |