written by reader Biotech Traders thread

by alanh | April 16, 2015 4:35 pm

Many of the comments on the main bio threads are about day to day trading activity. This thread has been created so as to cut down the quantity of posts on the main bio threads, plus give traders their own space to bat stuff around. There is no thread leader as the thoughts are momentary. So it works like a ticker tape as do the SP’s.
Enjoy
PS Anyone use Candlesticks?

Source URL: https://www.stockgumshoe.com/2015/04/microblog-biotech-traders-thread/


137 responses to “written by reader Biotech Traders thread”

  1. SoGiAm says:

    ARWR- Arrowhead Reports Peak Reduction in HBsAg of Up to 99% (1.9 log) After a Single Dose with Hepatitis B Candidate ARC-520 in Treatment Naïve Cohort of Phase 2a Study

    – Single-dose Reductions in HBeAg of up to 98% (1.7 log) also achieved

    – Multi-dose studies in chimpanzees showed peak reduction in HBsAg of up to 99.8% (2.7 log)

    – Company hosts an analyst and investor day today to discuss results

    PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Arrowhead Research Corporation (NASDAQ: ARWR), a biopharmaceutical company developing targeted RNAi therapeutics, is hosting an analyst day today in New York, with a presentation starting at 11:00 a.m. EDT to discuss top-line findings from the Heparc-2001 Phase 2a clinical study of ARC-520, its candidate for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection. Additionally, the company will discuss findings from a study of 9 chimpanzees that have been treated monthly with ARC-520 for between 6 and 11 months with a background therapy of nucleotide/nucleoside analog inhibitors (NUCs) tenofovir and/or entecavir.

    Key findings:

    Arrowhead’s proprietary DPC™ platform can effectively and consistently knock down target genes in humans
    HBV E-antigen positive (HBeAg-positive) patients on a background of chronic entecavir receiving a 4 mg/kg single-dose of ARC-520 showed a mean maximal 92% (1.2 log) reduction in circulating HBeAg and a best reduction of 98% (1.7 log). Similar mean maximal reductions were also demonstrated in HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg) from both HBeAg-negative and -positive patients. ARC-520 is designed to silence all gene products expressed by HBV cccDNA, so this data suggests that it may be substantially disrupting additional viral functions.

    ARC-520 achieves significant HBV s-Antigen (HBsAg) reductions in humans, particularly in treatment naïve, HBeAg-positive patients
    In a cohort of NUC-naïve, HBeAg-positive patients, best peak HBsAg reduction has been 99% (1.9 log) and the mean maximum HBsAg reduction has been 1.05 log through 15 days post ARC-520 treatment. This open-label cohort is fully enrolled; data collection is ongoing and will be continued through Day 85 post ARC-520 treatment. These reductions are substantially higher than results from NUC treatment-experienced cohorts.

    Arrowhead identifies a large target HBV population for ARC-520 and describes a new paradigm for the HBV lifecycle
    Arrowhead’s long-term chimp study and findings from the clinical study suggest that HBV cccDNA decreases during the HBV lifecycle, especially with the transition from HBeAg-positive to -negative. HBV DNA integrated into host DNA appears to maintain significant HBsAg production as cccDNA declines. This process is accelerated with NUC treatment. ARC-520 specifically targets cccDNA, and NUC-naïve HBeAg-positive patients are expected to be richest in cccDNA. It is estimated in the U.S. that 95% of people chronically infected with HBV are currently NUC-naïve and at least 50% of them are likely to be HBeAg-positive. While it is unknown what impact ARC-520’s broad based effects on HBV biology will have on the sero-clearance process in any of the HBV subgroups, the effect on HBsAg in NUC-naïve HBeAg-positive patients makes this group especially attractive to study and a key focus for multi-dose studies going forward.

    ARC-520 induces deep HBsAg reduction in chronically HBV infected chimps and 1 of 4 HBeAg-positive chimps demonstrated signs of immune reactivation during therapy
    9 chimps were first suppressed with NUCs and then treated with 6 – 11 monthly doses of ARC-520. 4 HBeAg-positive chimps demonstrated 99% (2 log) mean peak reduction in HBsAg, and 1 of the 4 experienced signs of immune reactivation during therapy; 4 HBeAg-negative chimps demonstrated 81% (0.7 log) mean peak reduction in HBsAg; and 1 chimp transitioning from HBeAg-positive to HBeAg-negative demonstrated peak HBsAg reduction of 87% (0.9 log).

    ARC-520 has been well tolerated
    84 humans have received ARC-520 and to date no adverse events have been rated as serious or severe, no discontinuations have occurred due to an adverse event, and no laboratory results have indicated any end organ toxicity. Additionally, 9 chimps received 6-11 monthly doses of ARC-520 and no safety signals were detected in any chimp.

    Arrowhead expands its HBV portfolio by nominating an additional clinical candidate that is complementary to ARC-520
    ARC-520 will continue development including focus on the significant market of e-antigen positive treatment-naïve chronic HBV patients. ARC-521 is being developed to target cccDNA and also, integrated DNA, which appears to be a more significant producer of HBsAg in patients who have been treated with NUCs or who are e-antigen negative. In HBeAg-negative chimps predicted to have higher levels of integrated DNA, administration of the integrant-targeted siRNA in ARC-521 led to 99% (2 logs) of additional HBsAg reduction. The Company expects to file an IND or equivalent for ARC-521 by mid-2016.

    Quotes:

    Christopher Anzalone, Ph.D., president and CEO of Arrowhead, said, “These are exciting data that represent a significant leap forward for our DPC™ platform, ARC-520, and the HBV field. We have achieved the highest knockdown ever reported in humans with RNAi and a safety profile that continues to be excellent. We are optimistic that this will ultimately translate into powerful clinical outcomes for ARC-520 and follow-on candidates against multiple indications.”

    Robert Gish, M.D., clinical professor of medicine (consultant) at Stanford Hospital and Medical Center, said, “These animal and single-dose human studies with ARC-520 in chronic hepatitis B infected individuals provide compelling evidence about a multi-pronged antiviral effect that will accelerate new studies with multiple doses and combination therapy to move forward.”

    Robert Lanford, Ph.D., director at the Southwest National Primate Research Center, said, “I have been extremely impressed by the potency of ARC-520 and its ability to reduce multiple viral proteins. The results from the study in chimpanzees have revealed some important new insights about HBV biology and have introduced new ideas about effective ways to intervene in the HBV lifecycle.”

  2. SoGiAm says:

    CPXX- Celator(R) Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Results from R&D Programs

    8:00 am ET September 24, 2015 (PR Newswire) Print
    Celator Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CPXX), a biopharmaceutical company that is transforming the science of combination therapy and developing products to improve patient outcomes in cancer, announced their successful R&D efforts to apply the CombiPlex(R) technology platform to optimize the efficacy of anticancer drug combinations incorporating molecularly targeted agents (MTAs).

    CombiPlex is Celator’s proprietary technology that aims to address several of the fundamental shortcomings of conventional combination regimens, as well as the inherent challenges in combination drug development. Celator is applying this technology to create new drug combinations that target pathways associated with tumor cell growth and/or resistance to treatment. Such MTAs are being widely pursued with an increasing focus on combining agents that target multiple cellular pathways in order to improve therapeutic responses.

    “While there have been promising signs of activity for certain molecularly targeted agents, it is clear that combinations will be required for optimal efficacy,” said Dr. Joseph Bertino, chief scientific officer at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and chairman of Celator’s Scientific Advisory Board. “In addition, many combinations will require simultaneous exposure and attempts to accomplish this to date have often led to toxicity problems.”

    CombiPlex is well positioned to address the challenges with the development of combination drug candidates. Nano-scale delivery systems coordinate the pharmacokinetics (PK) of drug combinations after administration so that the optimal ratio of the two drugs is exposed to tumor cells for prolonged times while reducing drug exposure and toxicity to normal tissues.

    Recent results from preclinical studies conducted by Celator suggest the technology may significantly improve the therapeutic index of combinations containing MTAs. Celator’s efforts have focused on two combinations: the heat shock protein 90 inhibitor AUY922 combined with docetaxel and the MEK inhibitor selumetinib combined with the Akt inhibitor ipatasertib. In both cases, the drug combinations were stably co-formulated in Celator’s proprietary hydrophobic prodrug nanoparticle delivery systems which provided well-coordinated plasma concentrations over 24 hours that were orders of magnitude higher than observed for the free drug combinations. Free drug combinations refer to the drugs as they are currently administered; individual drugs administered in combination without regard to their ratio dependent interaction. In addition, whereas combined treatment with the free drugs required marked dose reductions due to toxicity, the nanoparticle formulations could be administered at higher doses.

    For both combinations, the CombiPlex formulations provided significant improvements in efficacy over the free drugs in human xenograft tumor models including breast, colorectal and ovarian. Furthermore, there was evidence of strong drug ratio-dependent efficacy and in vivo synergy.

    Another benefit observed during this research was the versatility and modular nature of the nanoparticle technology. Once formulation conditions were optimized for the two initial combinations, the drug components could be “mixed and matched,” rapidly generating additional CombiPlex products with coordinated PK. This versatility was then taken one step further by generating a 3-drug combination, co-formulating selumetinib, AUY922 and docetaxel into a single hydrophobic prodrug nanoparticle.

    The data have been accepted for presentation at the 2015 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics being held in Boston, MA November 5-9. Long ZKSS, CPXX -Ben

  3. SoGiAm says:

    IHUB Most read $TALK and Breakout board $TITXF #OTCBB https://t.co/gyA6Fii0v8

  4. SoGiAm says:

    ARNI-I noticed this equity moved up 70% yesterday. I believe it was the result of 1/13/15 financing and subsequent Insider buying of appx 2.5M shares Best-Ben

  5. SoGiAm says:

    EYEG-Wainwright PT $10

  6. gambly1 says:

    Cool! I found a trader thread. will keep my comments here.

    Long 23K shares of ZFGN 6.55… feb 9 conf coming up. Usually I’d go alot bigger here (was looking for 75k shares) but I’ll keep it relatively small.

    IMO longs from 12 have puked up most of their shares.

    g

  7. gambly1 says:

    Yes, because, tbh, when I know a trader is dealing with 200 shares, I have at least SOME idea of his or her account size. Trading 200 shares means that either A) you are a bad trader and hence 200 shares is alot for you… or B) you are wayyyyy too diversified.

    IMO, knowing that someone is going into 200K$ trades or more either means that they have a decent sized account (and IMO they have the trading ability to get there)… or they just got a big inheritance and are going to lose it posthaste.

    Also, when you are trading bigger blocks, you have to take into account the effect that it will have on the stocks you are trading. As a trader, looking at how blocks affect the stocks that you are trading is a huge informational help.

    g

  8. gambly1 says:

    I will say that I agree that Dr. KSS is right on… IMO belo will be approved in the end, and the PPS will hit 15-20$ this year. IMO.

    So for those that are not traders, here is a decent entry in the mid 6’s. Will it go down to take out the 6$ stops again? maybe. Does that matter? not really. At this point, IMO, r/r is in favor of being long.

    Being long at 12’s was crazy (after it had just spiked from 6) … and by extension, it was a bad idea not to sell at those levels.

    Look, believe me, I do my DD as well. As a practicing MD (although not an MD-PhD like KSS) I can do my own DD and have been doing it on biotech stocks for 15 years (probably more than 40 hours per week).

    I came to the realization that DD is not enough. You need to be able to judge sentiment and TRADE. People who do DD alone are missing a key component to be profitable, IMO. People who trade alone and don’t understand the difference between crispy lettuce and CRISPR are also at a disadvantage. Both techniques have their strengths, and, to completely ignore the other side is foolish, IMO.

    g

  9. gambly1 says:

    You could have bought in at any point after I bought at 16.24… where people sell is up to them. You don’t expect me to hold your hands and let you sell BEFORE me, do you?

  10. alanh says:

    Trading is a skill….no question about that. But its a lonely skill that cant be shared in real-time. The ins and outs are far too quick even for the internet. By the time a tip is published, the game will have changed. All that anyone can teach you are the signals/methods….after that, its up to you to employ them. Theres no such thing as a Traders tip….it will reverse in the flash of the eyelid.
    By all means listen to stuff about the skill set….but DONT follow tips…..youll always be behind the 8 ball.
    Been there, got the T shirt

  11. alanh says:

    Gambly: Im not intending to reply ever more….. After 3yrs on SG, at least two of my posts to you have vanished. If thats the appreciation I get, Im outa here on all threads. I hope you give better value.

  12. stephencmyers says:

    Gambly1 – Welcome to Stock Gumshoe!

    I don’t have a problem with you posting your suggestions. I would even suggest you keep track of the recommendations you make here (buy/sell), date, shares, justifications, etc. Then we can all judge on the execution and performance of your picks.

    However, I don’t care about your profits or losses, or drum beating. By that, I mean, I don’t see much value in multiple posts daily pushing your positions. Once a day, or change in your view, is sufficient.

    There are multiple ways to trade. Not all of it is by what is called “fundamentals”. There is sentiment, momentum, technical, etc. Happy to listen to any points you have to make from your prespective.

    I’ve cross-posted to “The arts and crafts of trading” and the “Biotech Traders thread” since it is now confusing EXACTLY where we should be posting.

  13. SoGiAm says:

    EYES- (No position)
    *Earlier 8-K from Second Sight Showed Slideshow for ’16 Investor Presentation; Showed $21.7M in Cash as of Sept. 30, 2015 with No Debt
    8:21 am ET *UPDATE: Second Sight Says Study Results from Argus II Trial Program Will Be Presented at Annual Macula Society Meeting Feb. 24-27, 2016
    Benzinga
    8:00 am ET Second Sight to Announce Five-Year Data from Argus II Clinical Trial Program BusinessWire
    Yesterday’s News, February 22, 20161:51 pm ET
    Investors Look Into Second Sight Medical Products Inc After HBO Feature Is Announced
    11:19 am ET Second Sight Pops 15%; HBO’s ‘Vice’ To Run Segment On ‘Beating Blindness’
    11:15 am ET *Second Sight Spokesperson Confirms Approved Language, Copy Draft for ‘Vice’ Episode on ‘Beating Blindness’ Mentions Co.’s Argus II Product; However Co. Still Awaiting Final Release from HBO
    Benzinga

  14. SoGiAm says:

    May want to watch FUEL: (no position) Rocket Fuel Inc. is a technology company that has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) and big data-driven predictive modeling and automated decision-making platform. The Company’s technology is designed to address the needs of markets in which the volume and speed of information render real-time human analysis infeasible. It is focused on the digital advertising market that faces these challenges. The Company’s media-buying platform, which it refer to as its Demand-Side Platform (DSP) is available to advertising agencies and advertisers as a managed service offering, whereby it manages advertising campaigns on behalf of an advertiser, and through a self-service offering, whereby an agency or advertiser licenses its technology to manage its own advertising campaigns. Its AI system purchases ad spots, or impressions, one at a time, on these exchanges to create portfolios of impressions designed to optimize the goals of its advertisers.

  15. SoGiAm says:

    SUNE- (no position)
    *UPDATE: SunEdison Says ‘We are gratified that the court denied the injunction and now we look ahead to continuing to navigate current market conditions.’
    Benzinga

  16. SoGiAm says:

    Premarket Top % Gainers: $LINE 15%, $CF 8%, $DGAZ 7%, $MOMO 7%, $SUNE 6%, $GASL 5%, $NUGT 5%, $HMY 4%, $GPL $NVDA $BBEP $AU $TVIX $UVXY $CHK

  17. SoGiAm says:

    $LIFE volatility alert: Good Morning!

    I hope you had a relaxing weekend.

    I am emailing you this early morning update on my current trade opportunity – LIFE.

    As we anticipated, LIFE experienced substantial volatility on Friday to both the upside and the downside and is currently holding onto the bullish trade setup we outlined in our initial due diligence. Nothing has changed.

    Friday’s close, while reassuring of further upside opportunity, does suggest that there may be heightened volatility during the next few trading sessions. Our bias is still that there is a bullish case to be made as long as absolute support around $3.03 holds going further.

    While the likelihood of downside is less than that of upside, it is important for me to emphasize that it is critical to monitor LIFE diligently.

    If you have any other questions or comments please do reply to this email. I try to respond to every email that is sent to me.

    ——–

    PLEASE NOTE: We are not making a judgment on LIFE as it relates to anything longer than a near-term trade opportunity.

    LIFE carries the capability of being extremely volatile within a short amount of time. As such, these kinds of plays can be great for witnessing outsized gains but due to their volatile nature it is key to always use limit orders and avoid chasing if the stock moves away from you. If you do happen to miss your trading plans’ entry, do not panic. Waiting for dips in momentum stocks like LIFE during a trending market can be one of the best ways to approach the trade. We have tested this strategy before and it has been an overwhelming success on many occassion.

    Happy Trading! UltimateStockAlerts Team

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