NEWS & COMMENTS

PROHOST    FILTER

CHROMOSOME 1 AND THE MARKET

The influence of the negative market factor overshadowed the biotech small and large firms’ achievements. Investors are pushed to react with fear from the unknown, instead of celebrating the victories over intractable diseases. While scientists have accomplished one of the world's most important human projects - sequencing the last chromosome in the Human Genome, the so-called "book of life, investors in the biotech sector are being pushed to the edge of their patience and tolerance. The sequencing of Chromosome 1, where 3,141 genes are linked to 350 illnesses including cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease is being celebrated by researchers around the Globe while investors in the scientific industry are losing their money based on the stock market momentum and criteria. 

Dr Simon Gregory who headed the sequencing project at the Sanger Institute in England said "This achievement effectively closes the book on an important volume of the Human Genome Project, Chromosome 1 is the region of the genome to which the greatest number of diseases have been localized."  

Excellent news, but probably not heard, as the major news was about the sinking Dow and the underperforming NASDAQ.   

THE HEART

Decode GENETICS (DCGN)

While biotech analysts are still judging the firms based on quarterly results, which must meet their expectations, deCODE genetics ( DCGN) initiated patient enrollment in the pivotal Phase 3 trial for DG031, deCODE's lead developmental compound for the prevention of heart attack.

Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE said the study is important for deCODE and a small milestone in the history of drug development. Scientists used human genetics to take aim at the underlying biological causes of heart attack – an  approach that enables conducting a highly sensitive study on a relatively small number of participants, The recruited patients are those that are at high identifiable risk through a pathway confirmed in many populations. deCODE’s goal is to bring forward a new drug to prevent one of the biggest indications in medicine. It is, indeed, exciting.  

Is anybody listening?

THE BRAIN

TEVA (TEVA)

THE FDA Approves A Treatment For Parkinson’s Disease

Good news also came from Jerusalem where Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) announced it has received approval from FDA for once-daily AZILECT® (rasagiline tablets) as a treatment for Parkinson's disease both as initial monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease patients and as adjunct therapy to levodopa in moderate-to-advanced stages of the disease. AZILECT® will become available in the U.S. within 8 to 10 weeks. AZILECT® is the only once-daily product and one of the few treatment options in the U.S. indicated for all stages of Parkinson's disease.  The drug fills an important unmet need.

Many good news is coming from the biotech sector. The more achievements are  declared, the more reduced becomes the biotech index.

Is this industry well evaluated by stock market analysts?

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