Category Archives: Biotechnology

The Indian Express

More funds to flow into Department of Biotechnology's kitty The Indian Express Though there has been an overall 10 per cent hike in the total budget allotted for science, biotechnology and earth sciences this year, it is the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) that has won the jackpot by being awarded the highest hike to Rs 2,222 ... and more »

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More funds to flow into Department of Biotechnology's kitty - The Indian Express

Federal US agencies need to prepare for greater quantity, range of biotechnology products Science Daily A profusion of biotechnology products is expected over the next five to 10 years, and the number and diversity of new products has the potential to overwhelm the U.S. regulatory system, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences ...

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Federal US agencies need to prepare for greater quantity, range of biotechnology products - Science Daily

While the broader stock market fell Monday, many biotech shares continued to outperform.

The big mover was TG Therapeutics Inc. TGTX, -6.88% which soared 90% after releasing positive results from its Phase 3 clinical trial of its treatment for high-risk leukemia patients. The stock closed up $4.85 to $10.20 on 33.7 million shares, which is 34 times its daily average. The stock blew through several layers of resistance, but pulled back at the close below resistance from the April high at around $10.50. A breakthrough there should get the stock to $13 and then $15. Support is at the days low of $9.10 and then $8. Short interest of 22 times its average volume could accelerate the advance.

Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc. CNCE, +5.11% rocketed 62% Monday on news that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. VRTX, +0.94% will be acquiring the companys cystic fibrosis drug, CTP-656. The stock closed at $15.64, up $5.99, at around the mid-range of the days action, which bodes well for a follow-through. Volume of 10.5 million shares was more than 85 times its average. Watch for a retest the days intraday high at $18.48, a breakthrough that could get the stock moving to test its highs from November 2015 at just under $25.

Kite Pharma Inc. KITE, +1.90% which we highlighted in our biotech article on Friday, followed through on Monday, up $1.37 to $73.90. FBR Capital mentioned the company in a research note in which it said that potential tax reform and FDA policy changes under President Trump could fuel acquisitions of clinical-stage biotech companies. RBC Capital Markets boosted its price target from $85 to $95. KITE surged last week after the company released a favorable earnings report and positive clinical data on its lead product candidate for treating patients with rare forms of blood cancer. Pulling back slightly on Thursday and Friday, the stock is now in a high-level mini-wedge formation, a break of which could lead to the next target at $90.

Amicus Therapeutics Inc. FOLD, +2.85% was relatively flat on Monday, down just 10 cents to $7.69, but is looking strong. As we noted in our article Friday, the stock rocketed 17% on Wednesday after the company CEOs daughter, Megan Crowley, who has Pompe disease, was highlighted during President Trumps address to Congress Tuesday night. The stock has broken out of a mini-consolidation pattern and across lateral resistance from its December high. At its intraday highs last week, the stock nearly reached the level it was at before its big gap down in December. If it can fill that gap, watch for a move next to $9.50.

Among other biotechs to watch, Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc. SUPN, +5.30% reached a new all-time at $30.37 on Monday, before closing at $29.75, still up $1 in a down market. The drugmaker has been rallying in the past week since topping analysts forecasts in its fourth-quarter report last Wednesday. Watch for $32-$33 in the short term.

Foundation Medicine Inc. FMI, +2.49% gained $3, or 10.6%, to $31.30 on no news Monday. Stock in the diagnostic cancer analyses company has been up six days in a row since closing at $23.10 on Feb. 24. The rally has broken the stock out of a falling wedge pattern. Our initial target of $29 was exceeded Monday, and next target is near $35.

See Harrys video-chart analysis on these stocks.

The writer has no holdings in any securities mentioned.

Harry Boxer is founder of TheTechTrader.com, a live trading room featuring his stock picks, technical market analysis, and live chart presentations.

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Opinion: Harry Boxer's six biotechnology stocks to watch - MarketWatch

Several area high schools will start offering students the opportunity to take dual credit courses through Ivy Tech and earn free college credit this spring.

Last fall, Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington was awarded a Perkins Competitive Grant from the Indiana Department of Education, worth $85,000, to increase rural career and technical education pathways in biotechnology, according to Cook Medical Content Specialist, Moriah Sowders.

The course will be available to students attending Brown County, Owen Valley, Eastern Greene and Bloomfield high schools.

Currently, the courses are taught by an Ivy Tech instructor, though the grant will also provide training for high school science teachers to begin teaching the course in the 2017-18 school year.

In an article previously published by the Greene County Daily World, Bloomfield Jr./Sr. High School announced it would begin piloting two courses, BIOT (biotechnology) 102, the survey of good manufacturing practices, in the fall semester beginning on Jan. 17, and BIOT 100, the survey of biotechnology in the spring semester.

Eastern Greene Principal Doug Lewis said a course began there in mid January and has been going well.

It helps prepare them for going into that field, they can get a leg up going into other classes or straight into the workforce, said Lewis.

Currently, Lewis said the course is taught by an instructor from Ivy Tech once a week, and the students also login online daily for course work. The course will be offered by an Eastern Greene teacher next semester, according to Lewis.

Cook Pharmica also provided an additional $15,000 to Ivy Tech Bloomington to help launch and sustain the program in the future by providing funding for textbooks which can then be reused by participating high schools.

We have a mission at Ivy Tech Bloomington to help fill the local industry skills gap, and one way we do that is through partnerships like this with Cook Pharmica, said Jennie Vaughan, chancellor at Ivy Tech Bloomington. With the help of this grant, high school students can take dual credit classes in biotechnology, developing a clear pathway toward employment in the life sciences, an industry thats thriving in our region.

Tedd Green, president of Cook Pharmica said, We appreciate the work Ivy Tech does to help students in the local community develop the skills they need to enter the workforce upon graduating high school. This program is a true community partnership that supports the education of our local youth and the workforce development needs of the growing life sciences industry in South Central Indiana. We are pleased to be a partner in this program.

According to Sowders, Cook Pharmica has grown to 715 employees and introduced its new My Cook Pathway education assistance program in 2016, which provides employees the opportunity to continue their education at no cost to them from day one when with the company.

To find out more information about Cook Pharmica visit http://www.cookpharmica.com or to find out more information about Ivy Tech Community College visit http://www.ivytech.edu

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Area high schools to offer dual credit biotechnology courses through Ivy Tech - Greene County Daily World

The biotech industry had a rough 12 months. First the beatings came from presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton as she vowed to crush their pricing models. Now President Donald Trump is following up with similar promises.

For a long while, tickers like the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (ETF) (NASDAQ:IBB) were toxic to investors. The thesis was that healthcare and biotech companies were untouchable with the political cloud looming above them.

Recently, and in spite of the fact that that nothing has changed from the political standpoint, the worrisome headlines became stale and lost their zing. Thats what usually happens. Traders initially over-react to the headline and then after a while, return to trading the fundamentals.

The companies in the IBB have legitimate, viable businesses. This is a classic case of a bad apples who spoil the bunch.

Technically the IBB stock price is in a breakout that I rode higher on Feb. 11 with debit call spreads.

The important price action came when the IBB reclaimed the $280 per share pivotal zone. From here at the $300 per share level, it can once again provide a base from which to mount another leg higher. This area is an important long term pivot level so has the potential to be a solid base once it is cleared.

Click to Enlarge The ongoing IBB measured move has more upside potential, but there is also resistance looming above. Whats important to me as a premium seller is to find areas where price is not going so I can safely sell risk for income.

Now that Wall Street is repricing the IBB where it should be in spite of the headlines, I want to sell downside risk.

Finding the right level can be tricky. Biotech companies are susceptible to big moves on surprise headlines. Even though the IBB risk is spread among its components, they tend to trade in unison. So if one component of the IBB moves on a headline, the rest would follow in sympathy. This makes trading IBB via sold premium as risky as a single momentum headline stock.

The Bullish Trade: Sell the IBB Jan 2018 $255/$250 credit put spread. I collected $1 per contract to open which would be a 25% yield on risk if I win. The 15% price buffer gives this trade an 85% theoretical chance of success.

Usually I like to hedge my bet. In this case I will sell opposite risk so to balance the trade. There is no rush to do so in this uber-bullish markets. So I could delay entry until I see an abatement in the exuberance over biotech stocks.

The Hedge (optional): Sell the IBB Jan 2018 $355/$360 credit call spread. I collect an additional $1 per contract to open.

If I take both sides then I would be in a sold iron condor where I need IBB to stay between $255 and $355 per share. If IBB stays in the range, this trade would yield over 60% on money risked.

I am not required to hold my options trades open through expiration. I can close either at any time for partial gains or losses.

Nicolas Chahine is the managing director of SellSpreads.com. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can follow him on Twitter at @racernicand stocktwits at@racernic.

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Study Free Profits From iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (ETF) (IBB) Stock - Investorplace.com

SIOUX FALLS Sen. John Thune (RS.D.) has been named Legislator of the Year from the international Biotechnology Innovation Organizations Industrial & Environmental Health Section.

The award recognizes Senator Thunes support of the biotechnology industry and steadfast commitment to growing South Dakotas and the nations bio-based economy.

Thunes award was presented by Doug Berven, a member of BIOs governing board and vice president of corporate affairs at Sioux Falls-based POET, and Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIOs Industrial & Environmental Section.

Sen. John Thune has been a strong and constant champion of policies that support industrial biotechnology companies in creating jobs, revitalizing manufacturing, improving U.S. energy security and building a bio-based economy, Erickson said.

Senator Thune was first elected to the Senate in 2004, when the first Renewable Fuel Standard was under development. He helped expand the program in 2007 and has been a determined advocate in encouraging the Environmental Protection Agency to get the program on track for future growth.

Thune also was recognized helping renew tax credits for second-generation biofuels and for co-sponsoring legislation to ensure mandatory funding for energy programs in the Agriculture Act of 2014.

Through his efforts, Congress has incorporated innovative programs in the Farm bill to spur the development of biomass, purpose grown energy crops, bio-based products and renewable chemicals, Erickson said.

Thune is a strong and consistent advocate for biotechnology in his home state as well, said Joni Johnson, executive director of South Dakota Biotech, the state affiliate for BIO.

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Biotechnology group names Thune its legislator of the year - Watertown Public Opinion

By Serge Berger, Head Trader & Strategist, The Steady Trader|Mar 7, 2017, 8:02 am EST Popular Posts: Recent Posts:

Biotechnology stocks as represented by theiShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (ETF)(NASDAQ:IBB) have rallied 13% year-to-date. Thats notable considering that over the past 12 months, the IBB ETF has only rallied by about 14%.

Many traders in recent days have pointed to the continued strength in biotech stocks as a sign that the broader market is not yet ready to roll over. But it is notable that the IBB, as a result of the recent rally, has now reached an important technical level on the charts that may offer better technical resistance.

A simple yet effective trick that I repeatedly use to gauge the internal strength of the broader stock market is by checking the pulse of the so calledrisk-on groups. While these groups change over the years, they often include technology and financial stocks. In recent years, biotech, tech as a whole and small-cap stocks, among others, have led the risk-on pack.

Over the past few weeks, biotech stocks and the IBB ETF have showed both absolute and relative strength versus the broader stock market. Through this lens, one could argue that it is premature to get too defensive on the stock market in the near-term and possibly the intermediate-term until biotech stocks begin to back off some.

When I last discussed the state of biotech stocks on Feb. 1,I offered that the IBBs bullish reversal from Jan. 31 could be the beginning of a next swing higher with price targets in the$285-$290 area. Two weeks later, the upper end of this price target had been reached, and last week the IBB ETF further extended this rally into the $300 level.

Now, lets look at the charts.

On the multiyear weekly chart, we see that this recent rally has brought the IBB back to the very upper end of a sideways channel, which now also lines up with the 100-week simple moving average (blue).

Click to Enlarge

This confluence of technical resistance around the $300 area could provide a more meaningful challenge to be overcome.

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Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, http://investorplace.com/2017/03/ishares-nasdaq-biotechnology-index-etf-ibb-is-at-a-crossroads/.

2017 InvestorPlace Media, LLC

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iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (ETF) (IBB) Is at a Crossroads - Investorplace.com

Sex, Gene Editing, And Electronic Dance Music: How To Teach Entrepreneurship In Biotechnology Part 1 Forbes I assigned the readings for session 7 via class emails after sessions 4 and 5, disguised as the reading for sessions 5 and 6. First up: Trials, Amy Dockser Marcus' series on how a group of parents of children with Niemann-Pick type C disease tried to ...

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Sex, Gene Editing, And Electronic Dance Music: How To Teach Entrepreneurship In Biotechnology Part 1 - Forbes

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:AUPH) shares skyrocketed over 65% this morning, after the drug maker announced top-line results from its AURA-LV Phase IIb study with voclosporin (VCS) in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) that showed at 48 weeks, the study met its complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) endpoints.

FBR analyst Vernon T. Bernardino commented, We are impressed with the results, as CRs and PRs at 48 weeks exceeded CRs and PRs at 24 weeks, with one exception. As a reminder, each study arm included standard of care mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as background therapy and a forced steroid taper. There were no unexpected safety signals or deaths observed in VCS-treated patients. Thus, in addition to strong efficacy, VCS appears to allow safe steroid sparing. We think the results are robust and bode well for a successful Phase III trial, which could make VCS the first approved therapy for LN.

As of this writing,the 4 analysts polled by TipRanks (in the past 6months) rate Aurinia stock a Buy. With a return potential of 39%, the stocks consensus target price stands at $8.50.

Puma Biotechnology Inc (NASDAQ:PBYI) shares lost one-quarter of their value today, after competitor Roche announced positive top-line results from the highly anticipated APHINITY trial,which explores usefulness of Perjeta in adjuvant breast cancer. Recall, Puma has US/EU regulatory applications under review for neratinib in the extended adjuvant setting based on positive Phase 3 ExteNET data.

J.P Morgan Cory Kasimov commented, Todays PR is expectedly light on details, so well have to wait for ASCO to get the full picture. In our view, the future of neratinib in this indication largely rests on the nuances of the data, namely: 1) the magnitude of benefit, 2) the subgroups that drive this benefit (HR+ and/or HR-), and 3) details of the safety profile. The ultimate impact on Puma remains to be seen, but this outcome has obviously taken the near-term best-case scenario off the table. Our prevailing expectation was that on positive APHINITY results, PBYI shares could initially lose roughly 1/3 of their value. That said, investor feedback weve been getting has suggested that this potential dip could provide an opportunity ahead of the ASCO details as well as a number of pending neratinib data points in 1H17.

Out of the 8 analysts polled by TipRanks (in the past 12 months), 6 rate Puma Biotechnology stock a Buy, while 2 rate the stock a Hold. With a return potential of 180%, the stocks consensus target price stands at $79.

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Thursday's Biotech Insights: Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc (AUPH), Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) - Smarter Analyst

What happened

Puma Biotechnology (NASDAQ:PBYI) ended the day down 13.8% after Roche (NASDAQOTH:RHHBY) reported that its rival breast cancer drug, Perjeta, had passed its phase 3 trial, dubbed "Aphinity."

Image source: Getty Images.

In Roche's trial, patients either took Perjeta and Herceptin with chemotherapy or just Herceptin with chemotherapy, and then took Perjeta and Herceptin, or just Herceptin, for an additional year. Roche didn't release the full data from the clinical trial, but it did say the triple combination reduced the risk of recurrence of invasive disease or death compared to Herceptin and chemotherapy alone.

The potential to establish a new standard of care where patients take Herceptin and Perjeta for a year could be problematic for Puma Biotechnology because its drug candidate, neratinib, was tested after just Herceptin use, the current standard of care.

Without any data, doctors will likely wonder whether neratinib helps patients that have received Herceptin and Perjeta. And the relapse rate for patients on the current standard of care is already quite low; if adding Perjeta decreases it further, doctors and their patients may decide taking another drug after that isn't worth it, especially given neratinib's side-effect profile.

Investors will have to wait for the full data from Aphinity -- perhaps at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in June -- to know how much better Herceptin plus Perjeta is than Herceptin alone, and how that might affect neratinib's sales, assuming it's approved later this year.

Brian Orelliand The Motley Fool have no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.

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Why Puma Biotechnology Inc. Got Hammered Today - Motley Fool