Recently, Dynavax Technologies Corp. (DVAX) announced the completion of enrollment for the first of three cohorts of patients receiving DV-601 hepatitis B (HBV) therapy in an open-label, dose-escalating early-stage study. The second cohort has been opened for enrollment. All commercial rights to this product are with Dynavax. In the study conducted in Europe, up to 30 patients are to be administered with 6 injections of DV-601 over a period of three months. The study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of DV-601. The company expects to report top-line data from this study in the second half of 2010. HBV affects more than 350 million individuals globally. It is a chronic disease which can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently the global market for HBV therapeutics is estimated at over $1 billion annually and available therapies have limited efficacy. Dynavax to Buy ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 11, 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: Enzon (ENZN), Merck (MRK), OSI Pharmaceuticals (OSIP), Pfizer (PFE) and Bank of America Corporation (BAC).

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Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

Enzon Beats, Announces Sell-off

Enzon (ENZN) achieved break-even earnings during the third quarter of 2009, better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of loss of 7 cents but below the year-ago earnings of 1 cent. The company reported revenues of $44.6 million, a decline of 9% compared to $48.8

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Enzon (ENZN) achieved break-even earnings during the third quarter of 2009, better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of loss of 7 cents but below the year-ago earnings of 1 cent. The company reported revenues of $44.6 million, a decline of 9% compared to $48.8 million reported in the third quarter of 2008. Enzon records revenues from three sources -- products, royalties and contract manufacturing. The three segments recorded a decline of 1%, 6% and 56%, respectively, compared to the year-ago period. Enzon has four marketed products -- Oncaspar for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); DepoCyt for lymphomatous meningitis; Abelcet for antifungal infection related to cancer and Adagen used to treat severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), commonly known as the "bubble boy" disease. Apart from Oncaspar, whose sales remained unchanged from the year-ago period, the other three recorded a decline of 4%, 15% and 10%, ...

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (HGSI) reported third quarter net loss of $49 million or 32 cents per share, in-line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company reported a net loss of $74.2 million or 50 cents in the year ago quarter. The lower net loss for the quarter was primarily attributable to increased revenues from manufacturing and development services and lower operating expenses. Revenues for the quarter came in at $18.834 million which reflected an increase of 60.6%. Revenues were inclusive of $8.7 million from manufacturing and development services, $8.9 million recognized under the company’s agreement with Novartis (NVS) pertaining to hepatitis C drug Zalbin, and $1.0 million recognized under the agreement with GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) pertaining to the potential blockbuster lupus drug Benlysta. Research & development spend declined 36% to $34.8 million in the quarter. Selling general & administrative expenses declined 6.3% to ...

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) posted a loss of 83 cents per share in the third quarter, 3 cents wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 80 cents. The company posted a loss of 92 cents per share in the year ago period. The wider than expected loss was mainly due to a significant increase in costs and lower revenues.

Revenues declined to $24.9 million in the reported quarter from $31.6 million in the year ago period. Revenues consist of royalty revenues and collaborative and other research and development revenues. Lower revenues were primarily due to a decrease in collaborative revenues.

Expenses increased mainly due to the increased size of the company’s workforce, increased spending on late-stage clinical programs and increased stock-based compensation expenses. Research and development (R&D) expenses increased to $132.1 million, up from $131.7 million in the year-ago period, mainly due to investments supporting the company’s hepatitis C virus

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The Company’s business plan is to develop its proprietary technology designed to treat moderate to severe liver maladies, such as elevated liver enzymes and the Hepatitis C viral infection, (the “Liver Health Formula”) as an over-the-counter medication and as a United States Food and Drug Administration (”FDA”) approved pharmaceutical. To date, the Company’s intellectual property covering the Liver Health Formula comprises of patent applications in the United States, Europe and Canada and four European Drug Master File applications.

Caleco Pharma Corp. shares are traded in the United States on the OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB: CAEH) and in Germany on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (WKN: A0N9Y0/ Symbol:T3R.FSE).

Related posts Jim Holmes, CEO of Lifeline ...

Last week, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) lowered its 2009 revenue guidance. The company expects its net loss for the full year to increase to $650 million compared with an earlier prediction of $515 million to $550 million.  The increased losses are due to the company’s decision to retain its pipeline candidate, VX-509, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis for phase II clinical development and an estimated $115 million incurred for restructuring, acquisition, stock-based compensation costs and a loss on exchange of convertible subordinated notes.  The phase II trial of VX-509 will be conducted over a 12-week period enrolling 200 patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. The trial is set to begin in the first quarter of 2010 with interim data being available by the middle of next year. Vertex is seeking collaborative opportunities with major pharmaceutical companies for the drug.  Vertex expects to receive $120 ...

Competition in the biotech sector is always cut-throat and that is what makes this sector more dynamic than any other as the faith of the company lies directly in the hands of the researchers that come out with life saving drugs that can sweep the market by storm. Currently the hepatitis C drug called telaprevir from Vertex Pharmaceuticals is going through the Phase III clinical trials and is expected to be the first new drug in years to be approved for the treatment of chronic liver disease. However, the question is how long can telaprevir maintain its importance in the market? And which drug will come up as a major competitor for telaprevir in the next few years?

Boerhinger Ingelheim’s BI-201335, better known as drug 335 is one major competitor

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On a Monday afternoon, Enzon Pharmaceuticals made an announcement that FDA Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee has voted in the favor of and has approved the use of Pegintron as a treatment in addition to surgery in patients with metastatic melanoma. The news of FDA approval has boosted Enzon Pharmaceuticals and even the shares of the company have moved upwards on the market charts. The drug Pegintron is currently being manufactured, marketed and developed by Schering-Plough. The product is currently being used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients over 18 years of age.

Enzon Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company that is dedicated to the development and commercialization of important life saving for patients who are suffering from cancer and other life threatening diseases. The FDA has approved that

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Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) sold the rights to its key milestone payments for their hepatitis C drug in development telaprevir, worth up to $95 million. VRTX also raised $155 million by issuing new issuing notes due in 10/31/2012. It sounds like the company needed money fast, and thats exactly the news VRTX came out with next to shock investors as they announced they plan to have a $650 million loss this year. This loss was 26% higher than the $515 million that was originally forcasted.

Kurt Graves, the CCO who is also in charge of strategic development at Vertex, said he will be leaving the company on Friday after his 2 year stay.

With all this bad news came some good. Investors we informand on yesterdays 9/30 conference call that the companies financial strength is now

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