Ziopharm initiated with a Buy at Lake Street. Lake Street analyst Thomas Flaten started Ziopharm with a Buy rating and $7 price target. “By unlocking the potential of its Sleeping Beauty technology,” Ziopharm is poised to “deliver a leap forward” in the personalization of cancer therapy, Flaten tells investors in a research note. The analyst sees an opportunity for “significant value generation” with near-term clinical catalysts.
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2888599
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Cigna, Express Scripts launch two voice skills for Amazon Alexa
Cigna (CI) and Express Scripts (ESRX) have collaborated with Amazon (AMZN) Alexa to launch two voice skills to make health care more engaging, personalized and convenient for customers. The Cigna and Express Scripts Alexa skills will enable eligible customers to use voice technology to manage pharmacy prescriptions, engage in health improvement programs and track wellness incentives. The Express Scripts voice skill is available now to customers who use Express Scripts’ prescription home delivery services. Users can say, “Alexa, open Express Scripts” to check their prescription order status and set notifications for when orders are received, processed and shipped. Cigna is piloting “Cigna Health Today,” a voice skill aimed at increasing proactive health engagement with one of Cigna’s national clients. Eligible employees can opt-in to track personalized wellness incentives, including redeemable gift dollars, which are used to reward healthy behaviors. They can also receive daily motivational health and well-being tips.
CVS Health launches same-day, on-demand Rx delivery nationwide
CVS Health's retail division CVS Pharmacy is now offering prescription delivery within hours in addition to their 1-2 day prescription delivery service available nationwide. The service, delivered by Shipt, a same-day delivery marketplace, is available at 6,000 CVS Pharmacy locations across the country. The delivery service charge is $7.99 and the packages will be delivered by Shipt. The fee for 1-2 day delivery is $4.99.
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2888627
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2888627
Piper sees potentially ‘transformational opportunity’ for Horizon Pharma
After hosting a call featuring a key opinion leader who treats a “significant number” of patients with moderate-to-severely active thyroid eye disease, Piper Jaffray analyst David Amsellem says he continues to view teprotumumab as a “potentially transformational opportunity” for Horizon Pharma. The commentary on the call “clearly underscores the extent to which systemic corticosteroids are inadequate for these patients,” Amsellem tells investors in a research note. He believes experts views teprotumumab as “potentially paradigm-shifting” and reiterates an Overweight rating on Horizon Pharma with a $33 price target.
Palatin says results of PL-8177 study met all primary,secondary endpoints
Palatin Technologies announced positive results of a micro-dose study of radiolabeled PL-8177 using an oral, delayed-release, polymer formulation. The study met all primary and secondary endpoints. PL-8177 is a patented melanocortin receptor 1 agonist with potential application in treatment of ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases. The main objective of the study was to demonstrate release of polymer-bound PL-8177 in the lower gastrointestinal tract after oral administration. Top line data showed favorable pharmacokinetics, and demonstrated PL-8177 was released in the lower gastrointestinal tract, supporting oral administration of PL-8177 using the delayed release polymer formulation. A secondary objective of the study was also met, demonstrating that PL-8177 is not systemically absorbed after oral administration. There was no intact PL-8177 or its metabolite detected in plasma after oral administration. The oral formulation was well tolerated and there were no adverse events observed.
Viking Therapeutics to present new data on NAFLD candidate at liver congress
Viking Therapeutics announced that data from the company’s 12-week Phase 2 study of VK2809 in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, will be presented at the International Liver Congress 2019 being held April 10-14 in Vienna. The Phase 2 study achieved both its primary and secondary endpoints, and demonstrated an “encouraging” safety and tolerability profile for VK2089, Viking’s novel liver-selective thyroid receptor beta agonist. The presentation will include new data from the trial’s low-dose 5 mg cohort treatment arm, which demonstrated statistically significant reductions in liver fat content relative to placebo, as well as statistically significant response rates, defined by the proportion of patients experiencing at least a 30% or 50% relative reduction in liver fat, compared with placebo. VK2809 was well tolerated when dosed at 5 mg daily, and no serious adverse events were reported among patients receiving either VK2809 or placebo.
Natera remains ‘top idea’ following management meetings, says Baird
Baird analyst Catherine Ramsey Schulte maintained an Outperform rating and $24 price target on Natera, saying she continues to recommend Natera as a top idea following recent investor meetings with CEO Steve Chapman and CFO Mike Brophy. The analyst thinks Natera’s core business is healthy and believes transplant and oncology opportunities are only partially valued in the stock today and could drive meaningful upside over the next few years.
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