Ahead of Dextenza’s planned mid-2019 U.S. launch for post-cataract pain, Ocular Therapeutix is expected to report data from both OTX-TP and OTX-TIC in glaucoma are expected in first half of 2019, Piper Jaffray analyst Joseph Catanzaro tells investors in a research note. Now funded into 2020, Ocular shares remain undervalued for its suite of hydrogel-based products for both the front and back of the eye, Catanzaro contends. He maintains an Overweight rating on the shares with a $14 price target.
Friday, March 8, 2019
Sangamo announces publication of ZFN data in Nature Communications
Sangamo Therapeutics announced the publication in Nature Communications of improvements to its zinc finger nuclease, or ZFN, platform technology, which yield a 64-fold increase in the diversity of ZFNs available for targeting any DNA segment. As demonstrated in the manuscript, this improved targeting capability enables highly precise editing of chosen genomic loci. ZFN technology is an engineerable gene editing platform that is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I, MPS II, hemophilia B, beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease. The manuscript, “Diversifying the Structure of Zinc Finger Nucleases for High-Precision Genome Editing,” describes protein engineering work by Dr. David Paschon and colleagues at Sangamo that has led to the development of new ZFN architectures. The modifications include the reversal of the order of the DNA binding and nuclease domains, as well as the incorporation of new linkers that enable base skipping between otherwise adjacent fingers within each ZFN.
Pacira price target lowered to $33 from $41 at Stifel
Stifel analyst Derek Archila lowered his price target on Pacira (PCRX) shares to $33 and reiterated a Sell rating on the stock, stating that the company’s 22% year-over-year growth guidance for Exparel “is no lay-up” and he sees meaningful competitive pressure coming from Heron Therapeutics’ (HRTX) HTX-011 and its expected positive news flow ahead of launch. While MyoScience’s Iovera seems like it will fit very well within Pacira’s current sales infrastructure, the acquisition of MyoScience “was certainly not the deal investors were looking for,” added Archila.
Insys faces ‘pivotal and transformational’ year in 2019, says Cantor Fitzgerald
Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brandon Folkes reiterates an Overweight rating on Insys Therapeutics with a $9 price target following the company’s Q4 results. The analyst believes 2019 will be a “pivotal and transformational year” for the company. Insys has two potential filings with its spray platform this year, along with two “significant” data readouts from the company’s cannabinoids platform, Folkes tells investors in a post-earnings research note titled “CBD Epilepsy Is a Significant Near-Term Catalyst Not to Be Ignored.” Data readouts should drive stock momentum, making 2019 the year in which investors are able to return to Insys Therapeutics and appreciate the value that could be unlocked from within the company’s spray and cannabinoids pipeline, adds the analyst.
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2876437
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2876437
Endo weakness a buying opportunity, says Canaccord
Canaccord analyst Dewey Steadman noted Endo shares have been under pressure due to concerns over the sustainability of the company’s ex-injectables generics business and from competitors’ news on the opioid litigation front. The analyst is looking for several upcoming catalysts for the company this year and continued execution on the company’s key franchises, which he believes will lead to a second half of the year impact. Steadman reiterated his Buy rating and lowered his price target to $17 from $20 on Endo shares.
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2876449
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2876449
GSK’s ViiV Healthcare says ATLAS Phase III study met primary endpoint
ViiV Healthcare (GSK) presented comprehensive 48-week data from the ATLAS pivotal phase III studies of the novel, investigational, long-acting regimen of cabotegravir and rilpivirine. These two studies met their primary endpoints, showing that the combination of ViiV Healthcare’s cabotegravir and Janssen’s (JNJ) rilpivirine, injected every four weeks, was non-inferior in maintaining viral suppression in adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 when compared to a standard of care, daily, oral three-drug regimen. These data were presented at the 2019 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle, Washington. The phase III ATLAS study met its primary endpoint, with cabotegravir and rilpivirine demonstrating non-inferiority to an oral three-drug regimen of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors plus a third agent, as measured by the proportion of participants with plasma HIV-1 RNA greater than or equal to50 copies per millilitre using the FDA Snapshot algorithm at Week 48. The study found virologic suppression rates at Week 48 were similar between treatment arms.
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2876465
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2876465
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