Kite Pharma, Inc (KITE) announced the publication of positive results from an ongoing phase I-IIa study on KTE-C19 in patients suffering from aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the Aug 25, 2014 issue of the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Journal of Clinical Oncology. In the phase I-II study, KTE-C19 achieved 92% overall objective response rate. According to Kite Pharma, out of 13 patients with advanced B-cell … Continue reading Active Biotech Stocks: Kite Pharma Drug

Shares of Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD) soared 20.4% after the company announced positive data from its second phase III study (Study 012) on the oral small molecule chaperone migalastat HCl in Fabry patients with amenable mutations. The phase III study is evaluating the use of oral migalastat to standard-of-care enzyme replacement therapies (ERTs) − Sanofi’s (SNY) Fabrazyme and Shire’s (SHPG) Replagal − for Fabry disease. Eighteen-month … Continue reading Biotech Stocks: Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD) Soars High After Positive Results

Roche’s (RHHBY) $8.3 billion deal, announced over the weekend, to take over biotech firm InterMune (ITMN) triggered significant stock price appreciation in many mid-cap firms in the space on Aug 25. Switzerland-based Roche is looking to strengthen its respiratory portfolio through the impending InterMune buy. The offer price of $74.00 per share represents a premium of 37.5% to InterMune’s closing price on Aug 22, 2014. … Continue reading Biotech Stocks: The Consequences of Intermune Takeover

Fed Chair Janet Yellen testified before the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. She presented the Fed’s semiannual Monetary Policy Report (MPR) to the Congress. In her prepared remarks, she stated that while valuation seems “stretched” in some areas of the bond market, equities “remain generally in line with historical norms.” Yet in the MPR, which bears her signature, the following observation … Continue reading Biotech Stocks: Invest in Biotech, But at Your Own Risk

With second quarter earnings season coming to an end, focus in the biotech sector is back on pipeline and regulatory updates. Last week’s highlights included Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s (ACHN) impressive interim data on its experimental hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, Gilead Sciences’ (GILD – Analyst Report) legal victory and Amgen’s (AMGN – Analyst Report) hit and miss on the clinical front. Achillion, which focuses on … Continue reading Biotech Stocks Highlights: A look at Last Week’s Performance