Myriad Genetics pulls guidance amid COVID-19 headwinds

Citing COVID-19 disruptions, Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) has withdrawn its 2020 guidance. Shares down 2% premarket.
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3559268-myriad-genetics-pulls-guidance-amid-covidminus-19-headwinds

Pacific Bio up 11% on use of sequencing technology in COVID-19

Pacific Biosciences of California (NASDAQ:PACB) announces that it is working with commercial, academic and government research teams investigating SARS-CoV-2 citing the highly accurate long leads produced by its Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT) Sequencing technology that can be used to resolve variants of the virus that exist within one individual or across a population of patients, essential for developing and maintaining effective diagnostics, vaccines and medicines.

It is collaborating with LabCorp (NYSE:LH) sequencing a large number of SARS-CoV-2 viruses from positive samples. LH scientists will use the data to inform in virus evolution, mutations found in different geographic regions and implications for disease severity and outcomes, helping to support more informed patient treatment decisions.

Shares up 11% premarket on light volume.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3559297-pacific-bio-up-11-on-use-of-sequencing-technology-in-covidminus-19

Lannett to meet with FDA on biosimilar insulin

Lannett Company (NYSE:LCI) is set to meet with the FDA on June 9, 2020 to plan the next steps for the clinical advancement of its biosimilar insulin glargine partnered product candidate.

Insulin glargine is used to treat adults with Type 2 diabetes, as well as adults and pediatric patients with Type 1 diabetes.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3559302-lannett-to-meet-fda-on-biosimilar-insulin

Bellerophon files IND for INOpulse for COVID-19

Bellerophon Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BLPH) has submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA seeking sign-off for an open-label study evaluating INOpulse inhaled nitric oxide therapy in COVID-19 patients who require supplemental oxygen.

Shares up 3% premarket on modest volume.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3559304-bellerophon-files-ind-for-inopulse-for-covidminus-19-share-up-3-premarket

Akers Biosciences (AKER +11.8%) perks up on double normal volume in reaction to its announcement that it, and collaboration partner Premas Biotech, have successfully expressed three coronavirus antigens (spike, envelope and membrane) that they selected for their vaccine candidate, the second milestone in their partnership.

Two days ago, it announced that they had cloned the three antigens which was the first milestone.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3559328-akers-bio-up-12-on-progress-in-coronavirus-partnership

Intuitive Surgical yanks guidance amid COVID-19 headwinds

Citing COVID-disruptions that have dampened da Vinci procedure growth, especially in mid-March onward, Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) has withdrawn its 2020 financial and procedure guidance.

On a preliminary basis, global da Vinci procedures in Q1 were up ~10% from a year ago (procedures were up ~19% in Q4 2019). It shipped 237 da Vinci systems in the quarter, up 2 units from last year.

Management will host its Q1 earnings call on Thursday, April 16, after the close.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3559317-intuitive-surgical-yanks-guidance-amid-covidminus-19-headwinds

Moleculin Biotech rockets on potential COVID-19 treatment

Nano cap Moleculin Biotech (NASDAQ:MBRX) announces the results of in vitro testing in Germany showing that 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) totally stopped the replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Specifically, researchers at the University of Frankfurt reported that inhibiting glycolysis (sugar metabolism) with non-toxic concentrations of 2-DG prevented the coronavirus from replicating in cell culture. 2-DG inhibits glycolysis because it is a decoy that cannot be converted into energy.

The company’s WP112 candidate is a prodrug of 2-DG (a prodrug is an inactive compound that is metabolized in the body to produce the active drug) that, it says, may have therapeutic potential in COVID-19 since 2-DG in its normal state is metabolized too quickly to be effective. WP112 is only metabolized once it is inside the cell, enabling much higher tissue and organ concentrations of 2-DG.

An IND filing, clearing the way for clinical studies, is next up.

Shares up 115% premarket on robust volume.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3559263-moleculin-biotech-rockets-on-potential-covidminus-19-treatment