Shares of Regeneron plunged 20% after analysts at RBC Capital cut their rating on the stock to sector perform from outperform. Read previous story .
If we see the company's performance and development pipeline, this dip might be utilized as a buying opportunity.
 |
| VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS |
FDA Advisory Committee Unanimously Recommends Approval of Vertex Pharmaceuticals (MA) (VRTX)'s Telaprevir for People with Hepatitis C !
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq:VRTX) today announced that the Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously to recommend FDA approval of telaprevir for people with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C. The Committee recommended by a vote of 18-0 the approval of telaprevir for those who were not treated previously and those who were treated previously but not cured with currently available medicines. Telaprevir was studied in all major subgroups of people who were treated previously and not cured: relapsers, partial responders and null responders. The FDA is expected to make a decision on the approval of telaprevir by May 23, 2011, under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). The FDA is not bound by the Committee’s recommendation, but usually follows its advice.
In Phase 3 studies, telaprevir was given for 12 weeks in combination with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin (P/R) followed by P/R alone for a total of 24 weeks or 48 weeks of treatment. Data from these studies that were reviewed by the Committee showed that people who received telaprevir-based combination therapy achieved significantly higher rates of sustained viral response (SVR, or viral cure) compared to treatment with 48 weeks of P/R alone, regardless of their experience with prior treatment. Among people who were not treated previously, 79 percent achieved a viral cure with telaprevir-based combination therapy compared to 46 percent who achieved a viral cure with P/R alone.
Approximately two-thirds of people in Phase 3 studies who were not treated previously and who received telaprevir-based combination therapy were eligible to complete their treatment in six months – half the time needed with currently available medicines. Today, the FDA Committee discussed Vertex’s request for the approval of response-guided therapy to allow for a six-month treatment duration for people who were not treated previously as well as for those who relapsed after prior treatment with P/R alone (prior relapsers). Side effects observed with telaprevir-based combination therapy were consistent across the Phase 3 studies. Rash and anemia occurred more frequently among those treated with telaprevir-based combination therapy compared with those who received pegylated-interferon and ribavirin alone.
“Hepatitis C is a curable disease with potentially devastating consequences if left untreated, so we are pleased by the Committee’s unanimous recommendation to approve telaprevir for a broad group of people with hepatitis C,” said Peter Mueller, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Global Research and Development at Vertex. “We look forward to working with the FDA as it prepares to make its decision next month.”
( SOURCE: BUSINESS WIRE)
 |
| Mela Sciences Inc |
MELA Sciences, Inc. (MELA) to Ring The NASDAQ Stock Market Closing Bell
(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --MELA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:MELA) will visit the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City's Times Square in recognition of Melanoma Monday and to kick-off skin cancer awareness and detection month, as well as raise awareness about early detection of melanoma. Every hour in the U.S., one American dies of melanoma and approximately thirteen are diagnosed with melanoma.
In honor of the occasion, Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, an internationally-known dermatologist and melanoma survivor, will ring the Closing Bell with Dr. Joseph V. Gulfo, Chief Executive Officer of MELA Sciences, Inc. (MELA). Other melanoma survivors will also be onsite to share their stories and participate in the closing bell ceremony. MELA Sciences will be sponsoring free skin cancer screenings, which will be administered by reputable board certified dermatologists onsite for NASDAQ staff and members of the media.
Where:
NASDAQ MarketSite – 4 Times Square – 43rd & Broadway – Broadcast Studio
When:
Monday, May 2, 2011
Free Skin Screenings 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Green Room Lunch 1:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Closing Bell 3:50 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
 |
| Lithium Corporation |
News behind the move was company has found lithium -enriched brines near surface on its Fish Lake Valley, Concentration was up to 140 mg/L. Also the brine was enriched in boron with a value up to 200mg/L and potassium with a value up to 7200mg/L. The highest values appear to be confined to an area approximately one-half mile square that is within a larger zone of moderate to highly anomalous lithium and boron, which is 1 ½ miles long by 1 mile wide.
Lithium Corporation’s president Tom Lewis recently remarked, “I am tremendously pleased by these results, and I am eagerly looking forward to drilling in this area when access conditions improve later this year.”
Lithium Corporation is currently conducting another round of geochemical surveys on its playa properties in Nevada, and has tentatively scheduled drill mobilization for June 01st to test its Cortez Lithium property in Lander County Nevada. In addition to drilling Fish Lake Valley and Cortez, Lithco also intends to drill its Salt Well’s property this year.
 |
| Muammar Gaddafi |
The US envoy to the United Nations told the Security Council that Libyan troop under the leadership of Muammar Gaddafi were increasingly engaged in sexual violence and some had been issued Viagra, ( Sildenafil from Pfizer Inc ) drug used to treat impotency. The US Ambassador Susan Rice discussed Viagra issue in a meeting of Security Council on Libya, but no one responded.
If it were true that Gaddafi's troops were being issued Viagra, it could indicate they were being encouraged by their commanders to engage in rape to terrorize the population in areas that have supported the rebels.
That would constitute a war crime.
Several diplomats said Rice provided no evidence for the Viagra allegation, which they said was made in an attempt to persuade doubters the conflict in Libya was not just a standard civil war but a much nastier fight in which Gaddafi is not afraid to order his troops to commit heinous acts.
Rape as a Weapon?
Rice's statement, diplomats said, was aimed principally at countries like India, Russia and China, which have grown increasingly skeptical of the effectiveness of the NATO-led air strikes, which they fear have turned the conflict into a protracted civil war that will cause many civilian deaths.
Most council members, diplomats said, had expected Gaddafi's government to collapse quickly. They said the frustration felt by India, Russia and China would likely grow if the war dragged on.
The use of rape as a weapon during wartime has received increasing attention at the United Nations. Last year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed a special envoy on sexual violence during armed conflict, Margot Wallstrom.
Earlier this month, Wallstrom chided the Security Council for failing to mention sexual violence in two recent resolutions on Libya, despite having made the subject a priority.
Wallstrom said at the time that reports of rape in Libya remained unconfirmed but she cited the highly publicized case of Eman al-Obaidi, the woman who burst into a journalists' hotel in Tripoli last month saying she had been raped by pro-government militiamen.
The International Criminal Court is already investigating whether Gaddafi's government committed war crimes in its violent crackdown against demonstrators who demanded greater freedoms.
The crackdown sparked a rebellion that has turned into a civil war. The US mission to the United Nations declined to comment.
 |
| US Dollars |
US government continue its easy monetary policy to stimulate weak US economy, It has maintained an interest rate at historically low. This means investors borrow dollars without paying any interest on them and keep buying higher yielding assets,currencies, metals, oil and other high yielding investment assets. The situation make the dollar more weak as investors demand higher yielding currencies and precious metals to exchange US dollars as there is no good returns in US investments.
For Example popular yen carry trade, which involves borrowing yen at Japan's near-zero interest rates to purchase other higher-yielding securities such as Treasuries. In a similar manner dollar is being used to fund higher yielding investments.
The Barclays' G10 carry excess return index shows that borrowing in low-yielding currencies such as the greenback and buying those with high interest rates like the Australian dollar has generated returns of about 37 percent so far since the end of the financial crisis in early 2009.
If we see the numbers dollar index has dropped 10 % since its peak in january and crude oil futures up 23 % so far in the year 2011. The Thomson Reuters-Jefferies CRB index, a global index of commodities, is up 10 percent.
It is a preferable choice for investors to borrow dollar and invest them in other currencies.
The risk involved with the current monetary policy of US is easy money driven asset bubbles formation and eventually confidence lost in economy. For Example developing countries like China and India are struggling with very high inflations and tightened up their monetary easing policy to control inflation and food prices and easy money from United states kept pouring in these economies to inflate them. When this easy money policy ends, liquidity sucked out of developing countries and bubble busts.
Feasible Alternative
For some investors, using the dollar in carry trades remains the only feasible alternative to other low-yielding currencies such as the yen and Swiss franc.While the yen yields an interest rate of zero, like the dollar, the Japanese currency could strengthen if the economy goes into recession. Since Japan has huge overseas investments, a recession would prompt a repatriation of domestic investors' funds to bolster savings, boosting the yen.
The Swiss economy is in much better shape than the United States and a rise in inflation there could well prompt the Swiss National Bank to raise interest rates, much like the European Central Bank did early this month.
Although dollar is a big short among hedge funds, fund managers become more cautious and reduced their short positions in dollar due to the risk of crowded trade.
In a crowded trade, there is a risk of huge losses. For example, if global stocks drops or risk factor rises investors close out their short positions of carry trades and start buying the shorted currency for example dollar here. So investors and fund managers have to be cautious and minimize risk positions as such condition swirl up.
This happened in 2008 during the global financial crisis see below links and could well happen again.
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion cut its earnings guidance for its fiscal first quarter, blaming slower-than expected smartphone shipments. Shares fell 10% to $50.77 in recent after-hours trading.
 |
| LodgeNet Inc. |
LodgeNet Interactive Corp ( NASDAQ:LNET ) spiked 16 % in after hours trading and close to $3.81with 3110 shares changed hands as company announced a new agreement for interactive patient television services with Amerinet Inc, a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization.
Effective April 1, 2011, through March 31, 2014, the contract offers significant savings to Amerinet members on eSUITETM, a patient engagement solution that follows patients throughout the entire continuum of care. eSUITE provides entertainment along with engaging educational content that empowers patients to become active participants in managing their health. The solution’s robust clinical integrations and bi-directional communications improve patient satisfaction while complying with Meaningful Use and health reform provisions.
Traders might use the news to position tomorrow's trade, this is an exclusive news just announced on company website and we are publishing first over the web. Stay tuned to Stock Investips
 |
| Netgear Inc. |
Revenue jumped 32% to $278.8 million. In February, the company predicted $250 million to $260 million. Profit of the company $ 21.2 million, or 57 cents a share, from $13.7 million, or 38 cents a share. Excluding items like stock-based compensation, earnings rose to 65 cents a share from 48 cents. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters were expecting 52 cents a share. Gross margin fell to 31.5% from 34.4%.
For current quarter, guidance from the company was $ 270 million to $ 280 million, while analysts' average estimate was $241 million.
Thursday, Chairman and Chief Executive Patrick Lo said new products continue to exceed the company's expectations and enable it to gain market share. In the previous period, Netgear's revenue climbed on higher-than-expected sales of new products, although its earnings were short of the consensus estimate.
Overall, the tech sector sector experienced a recovery last year as demand rebounded from marked weakness in the recession. In recent quarters, the improvement appears to be cooling, based on such signs as easing consumer demand.
Overall, the tech sector sector experienced a recovery last year as demand rebounded from marked weakness in the recession. In recent quarters, the improvement appears to be cooling, based on such signs as easing consumer demand.
(Source: Dow Jones NewsWire )
