Cancer update

Abraxis BioScience, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABII) will present data on multiple clinical studies of the chemotherapy agent ABRAXANE® for Injectable Suspension. Clinical results will be shown from an ongoing study evaluating three dosing regimens of nab®-paclitaxel in combination with targeted agent bevacizumab for first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Around $50.00, its 52-week range is $42.40 to $78.95 and its market cap is $2 billion.
AEterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS) will show results supporting the evaluation of its targeted cytotoxic peptide conjugate compound, AEZS-108, in prostate cancer in a poster presentation. At $1.30, its 52-week range is $0.26 to $1.48 and its market cap is only $69 million.
Allos Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTH) is not seen yet, but it gave data demonstrating the anticancer activity of pralatrexate in colon, ovarian, lung, prostate, and head and neck cancer cell lines already at the at the 2009 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in April. At almost $7.00, its market cap is $605 million and its 52-week trading range is $3.82 to $10.19.
Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) will present new data from its oncology portfolio of approved and investigational cancer products. Data will be presented from several programs, including Vectibix(R) (panitumumab), Neulasta(R) (pegfilgrastim), Aranesp(R) (darbepoetin alfa), denosumab, conatumumab (AMG 655), dulanermin (rhApo2L/TRAIL) and AMG 479. This stock has been down and out for some time. At $50.00, its 52-week range is $42.26 to $66.51.
A.P. Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: APPA) will show data on the pivotal phase 3 trial of APF530 for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. APF530 is a long-acting formulation of granisetron that utilizes its Biochronomer drug delivery system. A.P. Pharma recently announced that it had completed an NDA submission to the FDA. At $1.00, its 52-week range is $0.30 to $1.68 and its market cap is only $31 million.
Arqule Inc. (NASDAQ: ARQL) is still not definite, but may have interim data from a mid-stage trial of ARQ-197 against a group of cancers that tend to effect younger adults. At $4.34, its market cap is $193 million and its 52-week trading range is $1.75 to $4.91.
Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) will show interim results from two Phase II studies of SPRYCEL (dasatinib) which demonstrate that the medicine may have potential as a treatment for a certain type of advanced prostate cancer. SPRYCEL is currently indicated for the treatment of adults with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. At $19.68, its 52-week trading range is $16.00 to $23.98.
Celldex Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CLDX) will be presenting safety and immune activity data from its first antibody-based dendritic cell targeted vaccine, CDX-1307, in combination with multiple immune modulators. At $8.45 its market cap is $134 million and its 52-week trading range is $4.24 to $19.79.
Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) is going to be hard to quantify for which will be the most important. The company has 59 presentations and posters according to its most recent release. At $40.82, its 52-week range is $36.90 to $77.39 and its market cap is almost $19 billion.
Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CTIC) is set to present its Pixantrone Phase III study results in June 1. At $1.23 its market cap is still listed around $560 million. That may have changed due to a tender, but its 52-week range is listed as $0.05 to $6.50. “Volatility is our middle name!”
Cougar Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CGRB) was recently an acquisition target, which will draw extra attention to its results of its Phase 3 trial of CB7630 in chemotherapy-naïve castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will unveil data from more than 50 studies continuing to support Lilly’s leadership in thoracic cancer research. The company will present the latest research findings on ALIMTA (pemetrexed for injection), as well as GEMZAR, and enzastaurin, an investigational, oral, targeted therapy. At $33.84, its 52-week range is $27.21 to $49.82.
Exelixis, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXEL) is expected to show data in XL184 from early Phase 2 studies for the treatment of progressive or recurrent form of brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme). Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) has a co-development pact with EXEL on this one, signed in 2008. At $4.53, its 52-week range is $2.11 to $7.35 and its market cap is $481 million.
Genomic Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: GHDX) said that its QUASAR colon cancer validation study for individualized recurrence risk will be presented in an oral presentation and full results will be highlighted as a noteworthy abstract in ASCO’s advance ‘presscast.’ With shares under $19.00, its market cap is $538 million and its 52-week trading range is $16.00 to $27.22.
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) will present data on nine oncology molecules. It will show data on kidney, gastric, breast, and leukemia. TYKERB, AVODART(R), elesclomol, eltrombopag, topotecan and GSK923925 will all have presentations. Its ADR’s are at $33.86 and the 52-week range for the US listed shares is $27.15 to $49.48.
Immunogen (NASDAQ: IMGN) is a Roche partner for T-DM1 in breast cancer, and there is expected to be some final data from the phase II study. Roche is already running pivotal phase III study of the drug, so the 2010 data will be newer than what is likely seen here as ASCO. At around $7.60, it is at the high-end of its $2.47 to $8.04 range and the market cap is $389 million.
Medarex (NASDAQ: MEDX) is supposed to have multiple candidates that are going to have abstracts out, from melanoma to prostate cancer to malignancies. At $6.97, its 52-week range is $3.40 to $10.12 and its market cap is $895 million.
Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) is set to report on its MDV3100, which it has received permission from the FDA to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 trial of MDV3100 in castration-resistant prostate cancer in men who were previously treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy. It will have an abstract for oral presentation and the MDV3100 abstract was selected for the ‘Best of ASCO(R)’ program, an educational initiative covering highlights. At $22.77 after a 9% drop today, its 52-week trading range is $11.27 to $34.40 and its market cap is $684 million.
Micromet, Inc. (NASDAQ: MITI) has a poster presentation for adecatumumab for patients with metastatic breast cancer and new data will include an update of the data presented at the European Society of Oncology meeting in October of 2008. At $3.75, its 52-week range is $2.22 to $7.74 and the market cap is $190 million.
OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OGXI) will give an oral presentation showing final survival data from a randomized Phase 2 trial evaluating OGX-011 in combination with docetaxel versus docetaxel alone as first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This was recently a micro-cap which just had a huge break-out in the last two weeks. At $19.41, its 52-week range is $2.00 to $22.40 and the market cap is $107 million.
OSI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OSIP) has not been a winner and is close to its 52-week lows. But this stock is one of the mid-cap biotechs ($2 billion market cap) that investors are looking at and hoping for positive data at ASCO. It will show data from two phase III studies looking at Tarceva as front-line maintenance therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, but the drug is already a second-line drug. Investors have some hope that doctors may use it for maintenance. At $34.90, its 52-week range is $31.05 to $53.71 and its market cap is $2 billion.
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM) is hitting new recent highs, yet it is a penny stock. This one has completed enrollment in its Phase II trial evaluating bavituximab in combination with docetaxel in advanced breast cancer patients; this data from a 46-patient study will be shown in an oral presentation there. At $0.56, its 52-week trading range “was” $0.22 to $0.53 and its market cap is $128 million.
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) will present new data on its personalized approach to oncology clinical research. This will be over the evaluating PF-002341066 across a variety of solid tumor types and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (PHASE 1 data). It also will show a Phase 2 study of figitumumab (CP-751,871) in squamous cell lung cancer. At $14.71, its 52-week range is $11.62 to $20.13.
Rosetta Genomics (NASDAQ: ROSG) is presenting two different items: “A Validated New MicroRNA-Based Diagnostic Test for Identification of Tumor Tissue Origin.” The other is a posted session and dicussion called “MicroRNA-Based Assay for Differential Diagnosis of Squamous from Non-Squamous Non Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.” At $3.60, its 52-week range is $1.08 to $5.10 and its market cap is almost $44 million.
Synta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SNTA) is presenting results from a Phase 3 clinical trial of its drug elesclemol in melanoma patients. In late February there was very disappointing data that caused its stock to fall from over $6.00 to under $2.00, but shares have come back to $4.83. Its 52-week trading range is $1.20 to $10.30.
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRBN) has just seen a major move. It has three presentations: Phase 1 data showing encouraging results that were observed in CLL patients treated with low doses of TRU-016. It will also show preclinical efficacy for TRU-016 is additive or synergistic in combination with established therapeutics. Also to be shown is the preclinical mechanism apoptosis in CLL Cells occurs via distinct mechanism compared with other therapeutics. At $2.53, its 52-week range is $1.00 to $6.89 and its market cap is $45 million. This is a VERY thin volume stock.
ZIOPHARM Oncology (NASDAQ: ZIOP) will present data for all three of its clinical-stage product candidates: darinaparsin (ZinaparTM or ZIO-101), palifosfamide (ZymafosTM or ZIO-201) and indibulin (ZybulinTM or ZIO-301). ZIOPHARM is a micro-cap stock with a market cap of under $30 million. With shares having climbed in the last two weeks to $1.30, its 52-week trading range is $0.50 to $2.73.
ZymoGenetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZGEN) will present final results from a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with renal cell cancer in a poster presentation, which evaluated Interleukin 21 (IL-21) in combination with Nexavar (sorafenib) tablets. At $4.36, its 52-week range is $2.06 to $9.29 and its market cap is $300 million.