CHICAGO, March 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include the InterMune (Nasdaq:ITMN-Free Report), Alexion (Nasdaq:ALXN-Free Report), Regeneron (Nasdaq:REGN-Free Report), VIVUS (Nasdaq:VVUS-Free Report) and Arena (Nasdaq:ARNA-Free Report).
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog:
Biotech Stock Roundup
Last week, the spotlight was firmly on InterMune (Nasdaq:ITMN-Free Report), which was an outperformer with shares shooting up and reaching a 52-week high on impressive late-stage data on the company's lung disease drug.
InterMune Scores Huge Win in Phase III Study: InterMune's shares skyrocketed 170.8% on impressive data from the company's phase III study on its lung disease drug, Esbriet. Results from the phase III ASCEND study showed that Esbriet significantly reduced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) disease progression.
Esbriet, currently approved in the EU, is yet to gain U.S. approval. With the ASCEND data in hand, InterMune is set to resubmit an NDA early in the third quarter. The results are compelling enough for the company to succeed in gaining FDA approval.
Approval in the U.S. would boost sales of the drug significantly. Esbriet sales were $70.3 million in 2013. However, it is yet to be seen how Esbriet compares with Boehringer Ingelheim's BIBF-1120 (nintedanib), which has shown potential efficacy in IPF. BIBF-1120 is in a couple of phase III studies for IPF with results due in the first half of 2014.
Orphan Drug Designation for Soliris – Again: Alexion's (Nasdaq:ALXN-Free Report) Soliris was granted orphan drug designation in the EU for yet another indication: the prevention of delayed graft function (DGF) after solid organ transplantation. The designation, which is granted to drugs being developed for diseases or conditions that affect ≤ 5 in 10,000 people in the EU, provides benefits and incentives including a particular period of marketing exclusivity to the developing company.
Regeneron's Eylea Under FDA Review: Regeneron (Nasdaq:REGN-Free Report) continues to make progress with its label expansion efforts for eye drug, Eylea. The FDA has granted standard review to Eylea for an additional indication – the treatment of macular edema following branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). The FDA will issue a response by Oct 23. Eylea is already approved for two indications and under review for another indication (diabetic macular edema) apart from BRVO.
Breaking Down VIVUS' Results: Licensing revenue helped VIVUS (Nasdaq:VVUS-Free Report) post a lower loss as well as significantly higher fourth quarter revenues. Despite this, shares fell 13.2% as investors remained focused on obesity drug Qsymia's performance. Qsymia sales improved sequentially but not enough to ensure investor confidence in the product's ability to gain traction. Prescriptions are yet to bounce back following the post-holiday season and a partnership deal for Qsymia is yet to materialize.
Investors also expressed disappointment inArena's (Nasdaq:ARNA-Free Report) fourth quarter results sending the shares down 3.8%. Sales of obesity drug, Belviq, continued to disappoint. Partner Eisai is putting in a lot of effort (doubling of sales force, DTC campaign) to drive sales. However, it is difficult to get physicians to prescribe obesity treatments. Moreover, new competition could enter the market in the form of Orexigen's Contrave.
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
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