Biotechnology Stocks To Watch Ahead Of ASCO 2012: Part 3
This is a continuation of my previous article on biotechnology stocks to watch ahead of ASCO 2012. In this article, I cover the third set of stocks that are presenting at ASCO 2012. Biotech stocks are high risk/reward stocks, and therefore considerable analysis is required before trading. Use this list as a potential starting point for your analysis.
1. Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp (SNTA): Synta Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule drug candidates for treating severe medical conditions, including cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. Synta has a unique chemical compound library, an integrated discovery engine, and a diverse pipeline of clinical- and preclinical-stage drug candidates with distinct mechanisms of action and novel chemical structures.
Synta Pharmaceuticals is scheduled to present at the 2012 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on the following topics:
The GALAXY Trial on June 2, 1:15 PM - 5:15 PM CT
Updated Phase 1 results of Ganetespib/docetaxel combination in solid tumors on June 4, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
Ganetespib activity in ALK- and ROS-driven cancer models on June 4, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
Ocular toxicity profiles of Hsp90 inhibitors on June 4, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
The details of the abstracts and schedule can be found here.
Synta has a market cap of $244.39 million and it is currently trading around $4.24 with a 52-week range of $3.02 to $5.98. The stock has -9.21% price performance for the year 2012.
2. Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc (SNSS): Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of oncology therapeutics for the treatment of solid and hematologic cancers. The Company is focused primarily on the development of vosaroxin (formerly voreloxin) for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It has built a cancer drug development organization committed to advancing its product candidate, vosaroxin, in multiple indications. Vosaroxin is an anti-cancer quinolone derivative (AQD)-a class of compounds that has not been used previously for the treatment of cancer.
Sunesis will present the poster titled "VALOR, an adaptive design, pivotal phase III trial of vosaroxin or placebo in combination with cytarabine in first relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia" at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.
The details of the abstracts and schedule can be found here.
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals has a market cap of $129.50 million and it is currently trading around $2.74 with a 52-week range of $1.01 to $3.19. The stock has 135.9% price performance for the year 2012.
3. Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc: Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CYCC), a development stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of mechanism-targeted drugs to treat human cancers and other serious disorders. Its clinical development focuses on sapacitabine, which includes Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the elderly, Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Company is generating several families of anticancer drugs that act on the cell cycle, including nucleoside analogues, cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors and Aurora kinase/Vascular Endothelial Factor Receptor 2 (AK/VEGFR2) inhibitors.
On May 17, 2012, Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals announced that new clinical data for oral sapacitabine capsules, the Company's lead product candidate, will be presented as posters during the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting on June 1, 2012, 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM CT and June 4 2012, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT.
The details of the abstracts and schedule can be found here.
Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals has a market cap of $31.27 million and it is currently trading around $0.51 with a 52-week range of $0.36 to $1.69. The stock has -13.15% price performance for the year 2012.
4. ArQule, Inc (ARQL): ArQule, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, engages in the research and development of cancer therapeutics directed toward molecular targets and biological processes. It employs technologies, such as its ArQule Kinase Inhibitor Platform to design and develop drugs. Its product is ARQ 197, an orally administered inhibitor of the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase (c-Met). C-Met is a target for cancer therapy, based on its multiple roles in cancerous cell proliferation, tumor spread, new blood vessel formation and resistance to certain drug therapies.
On May 17, 2012, ArQule and Daiichi Sankyo, Co., Ltd. announced that an oral presentation at the Annual Meeting of the ASCO 2012 will feature Phase 2 trial data with tivantinib as a single agent investigational second-line treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). ArQule announced that this randomized, double-blind study met its primary endpoint in January and will now present the full results from this trial, including positive data in the pre-defined c-MET high population. Additional clinical data with tivantinib will be featured in two poster discussions and two general poster sessions.
The details of the abstracts and schedule can be found here.
ArQule has a market cap of $362.00 million and it is currently trading around $5.88 with a 52-week range of $3.98 to $8.32. The stock has 4.08% price performance for the year 2012.
5. AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc (AVEO): AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a cancer therapeutics company, engages in discovering, developing, and commercializing targeted cancer therapies using its Human Response Platform. The Company's Human Response Platform, a method of building preclinical models of human cancer, provides the Company with insights into cancer biology and is being leveraged in the discovery and clinical development of its cancer therapeutics. Tivozanib is the Company's lead product candidate, which the Company partnered with Astellas Pharma Inc. (Astellas) during the year ended December 31, 2011.
On May 3, 2012, AVEO Pharmaceuticals announced that the detailed TIVO-1 data have been selected for an oral presentation at ASCO 2012.
The details of the abstracts and schedule can be found here.
AVEO Pharmaceuticals has a market cap of $548.98 million and it is currently trading around $12.60 with a 52-week range of $10.40 to $21.55. The stock has -26.74% price performance for the year 2012.
6. Bristol Myers Squibb Co (BMY): Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, licensing, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and sale of biopharmaceutical products that help patients prevail over serious diseases worldwide. The Company launched a subcutaneous formulation of ORENCIA (abatacept) in the United States of America, NULOJIX (belatacept) in the United States of America and the European Union for the prevention of organ rejection in adult patients receiving a kidney transplant.
On May 16, 2012, Bristol Myers Squibb announced that new data on its approved and investigational oncology compounds will be featured in ten oral presentations at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Ten oral presentations underscore breadth and diversity of company's oncology portfolio.
New data on YERVOY (ipilimumab) and the investigational compounds Anti-PD-1 (BMS-936558) and elotuzumab reinforce company's leadership in advancing the field of Immuno-Oncology.
Data on Anti-PD-1 BMS-936558 to be highlighted in ASCO press briefing on Friday, June 1 at 3:00 PM CT.
Long-term follow-up data on SPRYCEL (dasatinib) in patients with chronic-phase CML resistant or intolerant to Gleevec to be presented.
The details of the abstracts and schedule can be found here.
Bristol Myers Squibb has a market cap of $55.89 billion and it is currently trading around $33.09 with a 52-week range of $25.69 to $35.44. The stock has -6.1% price performance for the year 2012.
Some of the data is sourced from Google Finance, Yahoo Finance, Finviz, Fidelity and investors site.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, but may initiate a long position in ARQL, AVEO, BMY, CYCC, SNSS, SNTA over the next 72 hours. I change my positions very frequently and may initiate either long or short positions in the above mentioned stocks at any time.
Disclaimer: I am not a registered investment advisor and do not provide specific investment advice. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this article should be taken as a solicitation to purchase or sell securities. Before buying or selling any stock you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion. It is up to investors to make the correct decision after necessary research.
