SurModics’ (SRDX) fourth-quarter earnings per share came in at 18 cents, below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 20 cents. The company reported revenues of $19.2 million, down 17% compared to the year ago period. In addition to quarterly results, SurModics came out with fiscal year 2009 results. The company recorded revenues of $121.5 million in 2009, up 25%, compared to $97 million in the previous year and earnings per share of $1.07 for 2009.

On a business unit basis, apart from Diagnostic, revenues from the other three segments – Cardiovascular, Ophthalmology and Other Markets, recorded a decline in revenues for the fourth quarter. While Diagnostic revenues increased 2% year over year to $4.6 million, revenues for the other three segments declined 12% to $9.8 million, 29% to $1.9 million and 41% to $2.9 million, respectively.

Cardiovascular segment results were impacted by the continuing decline in Cypher sales. SurModics derives a substantial

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On Tuesday, SurModics Inc. (SRDX) announced that it licensed its drug delivery technology to Roche (RHHBY) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Genentech. Drug delivery technologies create and support site specific drug delivery polymers and coating technologies for use in drug/device combination products in chosen markets.    Under the terms of the agreement, SurModics is entitled to an up-front payment of $3.5 million. Furthermore, the deal could be worth up to $200 million in delayed payments if multiple products are successfully developed. SurModics will also receive royalties on product sales. SurModics will receive payments for its development services. Under the terms of the agreement, Roche and Genentech have the right to obtain manufacturing services from SurModics.   The transaction provides Roche and Genentech complete access to the biodegradable microparticles developed by SurModics. They intend to use the products in a long-lasting version of their optical drug Lucentis ...

AlphaRx, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company that applies proprietary drug delivery technologies to reformulate FDA approved drugs to achieve improved efficacy and patient compliance. AlphaRx’s main goal is to become prominent in the development of effective medicines and drug delivery.

By having an acceptable delivery method, they can in turn improve the effectiveness of existing pharmaceuticals and new chemical entities that have exhibited poor absorption due to poor solubility. Several major pharmaceutical products with combined worldwide sales of over $10 billion have been identified as potential candidates for their proprietary drug delivery systems.

The utmost care is given to the creation of these carriers. Its components are FDA classified as GRAS (generally regarded as safe), thus cutting down on approval times and costs. The effectiveness of these carriers can be seen not only in their flexibility, but also in their ability to be modified for application

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – July 21, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights ExxonMobil (XOM) as the Bull of the Day and SurModics (SRDX ) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO), CNOOC Ltd. (CEO) and Sinopec (SNP).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

We are maintaining our Buy recommendation for ExxonMobil (XOM) shares ahead of the quarterly results, reflecting its strong operational and financial position on the back of solid business portfolio and prudent investment approach.

The company's capital spending plans remain unaffected by the current commodity-price and credit market turmoil, with annual capital outlays in the $25 billion to $30 billion range over the next five

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Aradigm Corporation

(Public, OTC:ARDM)

Aradigm is a company with a lot of potential positive long-term gains, especially with regards to its product pipeline involving the inhaled Cipro product (ILCH) for BE and CF, however the short-term play is a very different story. This company lacks visibility and the ability to fully utilize press release syndication to maximize potential reach for investors, and also engages in massive dilution in order to maintain ongoing operations. Moreover, the financial position also suffers as the company is enduring a heavy amount of cash burn every year with zero revenues as of Q1 (Mar’09). There is also a big question mark when it comes to partnerships — who will step up to the plate and infuse the cash which is so badly sought after?

About

Aradigm Corporation is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused

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Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced earlier this morning new preclinical data demonstrating that thiarabine, one of the company’s advanced drug delivery technologies, shows extraordinary efficacy in preventing and treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In a well-established animal model for RA, a remarkable restoration of joint structure was observed. The studies were conducted at Wayne State University School of Medicine and at Southern Research Institute.

According to the press release, thiarabine treatment resulted in a broad inhibition of disease pathology, with reduction of both inflammatory and erosive disease parameters, as well as protection from loss of cartilage matrix proteins. When used as a preventative treatment, thiarabine blocked the development of joint disease at the 60 mg/kg/day dose level and exhibited a considerable reduction in disease incidence and severity at 20 mg/kg/day.

Perhaps even more exciting, in a therapeutic study comparing thiarabine to methotrexate, a commonly used clinical drug for RA treatment, high resolution

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BioDelivery Sciences International

(NASDAQ:BDSI)

Continuing with the trend of pre-FDA decision BioPharma companies, StocksHaven Investments takes a closer look at BDSI which hopes it’s product Onsolis will strive past approval and make its way onto shelves world-wide.

About BDSI: BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company that is utilizing licensed and owned drug delivery technologies to develop and commercialize, either on its own or in partnerships with third parties, significant new formulations of proven therapeutics. Utilizing its drug delivery technologies, the Company is developing formulations of pharmaceuticals aimed at acute (short term) conditions occurring in patients, mostly notably in the areas of pain and fungal infections.

Onsolis: BDSI®’s first application of the lead BEMA™ technology is Onsolis™ (fentanyl buccal soluble film). Onsolis™ utilizes the BioErodible MucoAdhesive (BEMA®) drug delivery technology, which consists of a small, bioerodible polymer

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With (accurate) earnings proving to be a difficult metric to rank stocks I took a look at stocks which paid a dividend yield of at least 5%, had no long term debt but had a market cap over $100m. The list was short, coming in at strong32/strong stocks. Top of the list was Eaton Vance Risk Managed Diversified (strongETJ/strong); it had a quoted yield of 10.2% and has a market cap of $1.2bn. According to the blurb:br /br /blockquoteEaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund (the Fund) is diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund's primary investment objective is to provide current income and gains, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. The Fund invests primarily in a portfolio of common stocks and index put options. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to generate current earnings in part by employing an options strategy of writing put options on ...

Durect Corp. (DRRX) utilizes 6 proprietary drug delivery technologies to develop pharmaceutical systems that enhance treatment capabilities in the areas of chronic pain, cardiovascular diseases, and central nervous system disorders.The company recently received disappointing news when its lead pipeline candidate, Remoxy, failed to receive FDA approval in December 2008. While this news is a setback for the company, we believe that the product will ultimately receive approval and should see significant demand due to its ability to reduce the potential of drug abuse / misuse. Meanwhile, we remain optimistic on the remaining candidates in Durect's pipeline which consists of three candidates in phase II development.Moreover, we were pleased to hear about Durect's partnership deal with Alpharma (ALO) for Eladur. In our opinion, the current share price represents an attractive entry point. We thus rate the shares a Buy with a revised price target ...

SurModics, Inc. (NASD: SRDX), a leading provider of surface modification and drug delivery technologies to the healthcare industry, recently announced that Merck & Co., Inc. has notified the company that it will discontinue the License and Research Collaboration Agreement the companies signed in June 2007. Shares of SurModics declined sharply earlier this week after the announcement. Merck’s decision triggers an additional $9 million payment to SurModics from Merck.

SurModics partners with the world’s foremost medical device, pharmaceutical and life science companies to develop and commercialize innovative products that result in improved patient outcomes. Clinical data on I-vation TA generated to date has provided strong support for the tolerability profile of I-vation TA, and more generally, that of the I-vation sustained delivery platform.

The president and chief executive officer of SurModics, Bruce Barclay, commented during a recent a conference call stating, “Merck’s decision was prompted by a strategic review of its business and

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