Nabi Biopharmaceuticals is a biotech company focused on developing products that encompass two main areas of treatment; nicotine addiction, and bacterial infections.

NicVAX® is Nabi’s weapon against nicotine addiction/relapse, and as its name suggests, comes in vaccination form. Nicotine is absorbed through the lungs into the blood, where it is subsequently carried to the brain; more specifically, to nicotine receptors in the brain. This results in the dispersal of natural stimulants, and produces the desirable sensation that smokers find addicting. NicVAX® stimulates the system into producing nicotine antibodies, which in turn bond with any nicotine molecules in the bloodstream, and prevents them from reaching the brain.

StaphVAX® is a vaccination developed by Nabi that produces antibodies which are critical in fighting certain bacterial infections; most commonly the infection known as S. aureus (also known as Golden Staph, the most common of the Staphylococcus infections). In laymen’s terms, chemicals found

...

Lots of Israeli companies reporting earnings. Here are some highlights: Perrigo (PRGO): Tightened up 2008 guidance higher and beat revenues projections. Earnings release here. Early look at the stock is that investors aren’t impressed. See our recent commentary on PRGO’s generic nicotine gum. Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA): Earnings report here. Quarter over quarter growth looks to be 24% and profit down from CoGenesys charge. RRSat (RRST): Smacked yesterday after an earnings release. The 20% drop came after putting up pretty good top lines numbers. Margins came down quite a bit. Alvarion (ALVR): Stock popped after the wireless backhaul firm put up pretty good revenue numbers and a narrower loss. The stock jumped 15%. Earnings report here. See our analysis of the recent turbulence in the wireless market. Ness Technologies (NSTC): Revenues up 27% year-over-year and ...

Perrigo (PRGO) a company that develops, manufactures and distributes over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals, announcedthat they received approval from the FDA to market for a Nicotine based smoking cessation gum.

This is another in a long line of wins the company has experienced of late. Shares of Perrigo have bucked the market trend over the last 6 months and have continued to move sharply higher. Commenting on the news, CEO Joseph C. Papa said, “This approval of orange-flavored, coated nicotine gum extends our leading store brand position. Our expanded range of smoking cessation products also includes coated mint-flavored gum, coated fruit-flavored gum, uncoated gum and lozenges.”

The estimated market for over-the-counter nicotine gum and lozenge products is around three quarters of a billion dollars. So this is clearly a big potential earnings driver for the company.

I have never smoked so I have no idea what it’s like to …