NEWS & COMMENTS

PROHOST    FILTER

Synopsis

PAST WEEK’S NEWS

        In the past week, we had news – excellent news from many od Prohost selected firms. The news was followed in each case by rallying which was overdue for these stocks.

DYNAVAX (DVAX) rallied on early data demonstrating that its influenza (flu) vaccine can improve the immunogenicity of standard flu vaccines. The co-administration of Dynavax's flu vaccine with standard vaccine enhances the immune response of the standard vaccine, allows reduction of standard vaccine dosage, and provides extra layers of protection that are not strain-dependent. Dynavax's vaccine is based on the company's proprietary TLR 9 agonist-based immunostimulatory sequence (ISS) technology.

VICAL (VICL) rallied after announcing that a single injection of the company's lead avian influenza (flu) DNA vaccine candidate provided 100% protection in ferrets against lethal challenge with a highly virulent H5N1 virus (Vietnam/1203/2004). Conventional vaccines under development for avian flu typically have required two or more doses in humans, even with novel adjuvants, to produce the immunogenicity levels expected to provide protection.

OSIRIS (OSIR) rallied after announcing positive results from a pilot phase II study using PROCHYMAL for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease who had failed to respond to standard treatments such as steroids and infliximab (Remicade®).

Earlier this month Osiris received regulatory approval in Canada to conduct trials on the treatment for a life-threatening immune system reaction called graft-vs.-host disease, which occurs in patients who receive transplants or donated bone marrow.

Osiris was picked by Preohost in the past N-Letter at $10.31. The stock trades now at over $17. (Ask for Prohost N-Letter Issue # 115.)  

Good news has also come from AMGEN (AMGN)  after U.S. Federal District Court in Boston denied a motion from Roche Holding Ltd. to dismiss a patent-infringement lawsuit filed by Amgen. Amgen's lawsuit claims that Roche's anemia-treatment drug Cera violates patents on Amgen's Epogen and Aranesp, which also treat anemia. The court has also also denied a motion for Ortho Biotech to intervene in the case as a co-plaintiff.

RECENT GOOD NEWS

PDL BIOPHARMA (PDLI) and the European Crohn's and Colitis Organization (ECCO) announced that they are collaborating to increase awareness among European physicians about a clinical research program for visilizumab, an antibody treatment under investigation for intravenous steroid refractory ulcerative colitis (IVSR-UC). The collaboration furthers ECCO's mission to optimize care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, a serious condition that affects more than 1.5 million people in Europe.

XENOPORT (XNPT) announced that additional data from the company's Phase 2a single-dose clinical trial of XP19986 in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD indicate that single doses of XP19986 were well tolerated and produced statistically significant reductions in the number of reflux episodes and reflux-associated heartburn symptoms.

READ MORE: XenoPort Announces Positive Results From XP19986 Phase 2a Trial in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

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