For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 27, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: China Life Insurance Company (LFC), American International Group (AIG), Deutsche Bank (DB), Morgan Stanley (MS) and Amgen (AMGN).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

China Life’s Profits Grow

China Life Insurance Company (LFC), the leading life insurer in China, has posted a 15% rise in profits in the first half of 2009 compared to the prior-year period. The company earned 18.2 billion yuan ($2.7 billion) in the first half

...

Yesterday, Amgen (AMGN) said that Aranesp failed in a large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study that was conducted in patients with chronic kidney disease (not requiring dialysis), anemia and type II diabetes.

The study, referred to as the Trial to Reduce Cardiovascular Endpoints with Aranesp Therapy (TREAT), had two primary endpoints. The first evaluated time to all-cause mortality or cardiovascular morbidity including heart attack, congestive heart failure, hospitalization for angina, or stroke. The second primary endpoint evaluated time to all-cause mortality or chronic dialysis.

Aranesp could not show statistically significant improvement in either. While a higher number of strokes were observed in the Aranesp-treated group compared to the placebo arm, we note that drug’s label already carries a warning regarding the stroke events.

Full efficacy and safety analyses are yet to take place. Amgen will present full results at an upcoming medical meeting later this year.

Aranesp

...

Surge of CTIC on PIX301 Trial Data: Sustainable?Pixantrone is more efficacious than comparators but with safety concernsYesterday afternoon (June 1), Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTIC) presented updated final results of its pivotal phase III EXTEND (PIX301) trial of Pixantrone in relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) at the 2009 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting held in Orlando, Florida.The PIX 301 EXTEND trial was a phase III single-agent trial of Pixantrone for patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive NHL who received two or more prior therapies and who were sensitive to treatment with anthracyclines. The trial enrolled 140 patients and patients were randomized to receive either Pixantrone (N=70) or another single-agent drug (N=70) currently used for the treatment of this patient population and selected by the physician.Efficacy data encouragingThe efficacy data were encouraging. Patients treated with ...

Below is a summary of updates to the BioMedReports.com database of over 200 entries included in the FDA and Clinical Trial Calendars. The FDA Calendar includes companies with pending new drug, biological agent, or medical device new product decisions at the FDA sorted by their PDUFA decision deadline dates while the Clinical Trial Calendar encompasses pending clinical trial results (with a focus on late-stage, Phase 3 trials), pending new submissions to the FDA (e.g. NDA, BLA, 510k, PMA, sNDA, sBLA filings), and pending re-submissions to the FDA for complete response rulings by the agency which require more information before an approval can be granted.  

On 5/19/09, Biogen [BIIB: 50.69, +0.30 (+0.60%)] and Genentech (acquired by Roche) [RHHBY: 0.00, N/A (N/A)] announced that the companies submitted two supplemental Biologics License Applications (sBLAs) to the FDA for Rituxan (rituximab) plus standard chemotherapy for people with

...

Highlighted companies include Biogen Idec (BIIB), Genentech (DNA), Merck (MRK) and Sanofi-Aventis (SNY).At 13x our 2009 EPS of $4.05 per share, we believe that Biogen Idec's (BIIB) stock is too attractive to ignore. Valuation is below the biotech peer-group average, where several names are trading at a significant premium.The company should post non-GAAP EPS up roughly 11% in 2009, even with all the Tysabri PML issues. However, valuation alone is not enough of a reason to buy the stock. We are comfortable with owning the name here based on two other reasons.Firstly, Biogen has a significant late-stage pipeline. There are 22 programs in phase II or beyond. Six of these products are in phase III registration programs right now: lumiliximab for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), galiximab for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), BG-12 for relapsing / remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS), ...

Biotech companies are a great investment right now, says Laura Cadden. And support from the Obama administration will ensure this trend continues. Laura picks four small cap biotech firms set to soar.

This from Today’s Financial News:

We’ve already taken double-digit gains on Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTM),  Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ:CERS), and Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN).

But these stocks are by no means done with their upward momentum.

Biotech companies continue to be a great investment – and these three are some of the best out there.

As the market takes another hit and these stocks artificially deflate, I recommend that TFN investors should again pick up shares.

And I’ve found another company that I believe is on the verge of a breakout.

But first, what’s so great about the three companies I selected in November? Let’s review… Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTM) develops products for the repair or regeneration of human tissue. It’s

...

Laura Cadden says Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTM) is one of the hottest biotech stocks priced under $5. The company hopes to use its proprietary Tissue Repair Cell (TRC) technology to revolutionise treatment for heart disease. And it is making good progress through the trial phases. Laura says Aastrom is poised to make 20% gains in six months

This from Today’s Financial News:

Investors expect President-Elect Obama to make good on his campaign promise to lift restrictions on federally funding human embryonic stem cell research. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has vowed to introduce legislation for a regulatory framework necessary to enable expanded stem cell research.

Biotechnology experts consider both the regulatory framework (to underpin clinical trials) and the additional funding to be crucial to the future of the American bio-pharma industry. In fact, it could ring in a new era for American stem cell

...