21 Most Volatile Biopharma Stocks Closing Out 2012
BOSTON (
) -- We're less than two months from putting 2012 to bed but an astonishing number of biopharmaceutical firms still have significant stock-moving catalysts that have yet to play out.
Here's an alphabetized list of 21 biotech and drug companies with FDA drug approvals and significant clinical trial results expected before the end of 2012.
Acadia Pharmaceuticals
(ACAD) - Get Report
: Top-line results from a phase III study of pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis expected in November. Read more on the
and a deeper dive into
previous pimavanserin studies.
Alexza Pharmaceuticals'
(ALXA)
Adasuve, an inhaled formulation of the antipsychotic medication loxapine, is expecting an FDA approval decision on Dec. 21. U.S. regulators have rejected Adasuve twice previously.
When
Amarin
(AMRN) - Get Report
reports third-quarter results on Thursday, Nov. 8, investors will be listening for an update on Vascepa's New Chemical Entity (NCE) status and plans for the drug's commercial launch.
Amicus Therapeutics
(FOLD) - Get Report
and partner
GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK) - Get Report
will announce top-line results from two phase III studies of migalastat (Amigal) in Fabry disease before the end of the year.
Biogen Idec
(BIIB) - Get Report
will complete a busy year of drug development when it announces results from a phase III study of dexpramipexole in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease. Data expected before end of the year.
Biomarin Pharmaceuticals
(BMRN) - Get Report
: Phase III study of GALNS for MPS IV also known as Morquio Syndrome before end of year. If the study is successful and the drug is approved,
GALNS could double Biomarin's revenue
over the next five years
Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners
(CPRX) - Get Report
has promised results from a phase IIb study of
CPP-109 (vigabatrin) in cocaine addiction
before the middle of November. That means data this week or next.
Celgene
(CELG) - Get Report
: Top-line results from the phase III study of Abraxane in pancreatic cancer before the end of the year.
TheStreet
contributor Nate Sadeghi predicts a
from this important Abraxane study.
Last May,
Celldex Therapeutics
(CLDX) - Get Report
reported interim results from a
mid-stage study of its targeted cancer drug CDX-011
demonstrating superior response rates in patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer compared to single-agent chemotherapy. Updated results from this study will be presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December.
Celsion
(CLSN) - Get Report
: Top-line results from the phase III trial of
Thermodox in liver cancer
expected before the end of the year. The "HEAT" study compares Thermodox plus radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA) versus RFA alone in patients with primary liver cancer. The primary endpoint of the study is improvement in progression-free survival.
Clovis Oncology
(CLVS) - Get Report
: Top-line results from a phase III study of
expected before year's end. The "LEAP" study compares CO-011 versus gemcitabine in metastatic, chemo-naive pancreatic cancer patients whose tumors express low levels of hENT1, a protein which gemcitabine requires to enter cells. Survival is the study's primary endpoint.
Dynavax
(DVAX) - Get Report
brings its hepatitis B vaccine Heplisav in front of an FDA advisory panel on Nov. 14.
FDA will announce an approval decision for
Exelixis'
(EXEL) - Get Report
medullary thyroid cancer drug cabozantinib on or before Nov. 29.
Gilead Sciences
(GILD) - Get Report
presents important new data on its all-oral hepatitis C combination regimens at the
American Association for the Study of Liver Disease annual meeting
beginning Saturday, Nov. 10.
An FDA advisory panel convenes Dec. 20 to review
Hemispherx Biopharma's
(HEB)
Ampligen as a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome
.
Nektar Therapeutics
(NKTR) - Get Report
will release results from a
in opioid-induced constipation before the end of the year. The "KODIAC" trials, consisting of two phase III placebo-controlled efficacy and an open-label, placebo-controlled long-term safety study, are designed to determine the efficacy and safety of NKTR-118, a once-daily tablet, for the treatment of constipation in patients taking prescription opioid medications.
NPS Pharmaceuticals
(NPSP)
is expecting an FDA approval decision for Gattex on Friday, Dec. 28. Gattex treats patients with short-bowel syndrome. An
last month to recommend the drug's approval.
Pfizer
(PFE) - Get Report
awaits an FDA decision on Nov. 21 for tofacitinib, the first rheumatoid arthritis pill.
Vical
(VICL)
: Top-line results before the end of the year for the phase III melanoma study of Allovectin (injected directly into melanoma lesions) versus dacarbazine or temozolomide in patients with recurrent metastatic melanoma. The primary endpoint of the study is durable response rate at 24 weeks but the more important and necessary (for approval) secondary endpoint is overall survival.
Vivus
(VVUS) - Get Report
reports third-quarter financial results on Tuesday, Nov. 6, including the
first reported sales for its weight-los pill Qsymia
.
Ziopharm
(ZIOP) - Get Report
set to announced results from the phase III study of
. The "PICASSO III" study compares palifosfamide plus doxorubicin to doxorubicin alone in patients with front-line metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma. The study's primary endpoint is improvement in progression-free survival (for accelerated approval) and overall survival (for full approval.)
Sources:
TheStreet
research;
, a provider of independent research on biotechnology and pharmaceutical developments; and company and analyst reports.
Adam Feuerstein writes regularly for TheStreet. In keeping with company editorial policy, he doesn't own or short individual stocks, although he owns stock in TheStreet. He also doesn't invest in hedge funds or other private investment partnerships. Feuerstein appreciates your feedback;
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