An Ear To The Pharma: 6 Stocks To Watch This Week

(RTTNews) - The week that rolled by witnessed some big pharma names signing on the dotted line for collaborative research in the fields of Alzheimer's and Cancer.

AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) and Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR), on Feb.21, 2018, announced that they are teaming up to develop gene therapies for Alzheimer's. Voyager, which is entitled to a $69 million upfront payment and over $1 billion in potential milestone payment, has gained more than 48% since the announcement of the deal.

Gilead Sciences Inc.'s (GILD) subsidiary Kite, and Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. (SGMO), on Feb.22, 2018, entered into a collaboration to develop next-generation engineered cell therapies for the treatment of cancer. Sangamo, which stands to receive $150 million upfront and $3 billion in milestones, rose more than 14% that day, following the news.

However, for Apricus Biosciences Inc. (APRI), the week was bitterly disappointing as its topical cream for the treatment of erectile dysfunction - Vitaros- failed to get the regulatory nod this time too. The Company's stock fell 67% on February 16, following the news.

Similar was GW Pharmaceuticals plc's (GWPH) plight, whose stock lost nearly 13% in the week due to failure of its phase 2a trial of GWP42006 in adult patients with focal seizures.

Let's take a look at the pharma stocks and upcoming events to keep an ear out for in the coming week.

1. ObsEva

ObsEva SA (OBSV) is a clinical-stage company focused on developing therapies for woman's reproductive health and pregnancy.

The Company is slated to release top line results from its phase III trial of Nolasiban, dubbed IMPLANT2, on the morning of Monday February 26, 2018.

In the IMPLANT2 study, Nolasiban is being evaluated to improve pregnancy and live birth rates in women undergoing assisted reproduction by in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures.

More than 1,000 patients from fertility clinics across 9 European countries were recruited for the study. The primary endpoint is ongoing pregnancy at 10 weeks after embryo transfer.

OBSV closed Friday's (Feb.23) trading at $15.22, up 6.43%.

2. Asterias

Asterias Biotherapeutics Inc. (AST) is a pioneer in the field of regenerative medicine focused on developing therapies, which have the potential to address areas of very high unmet medical need in the fields of neurology and oncology.

The Company's lead product candidate is AST-OPC1, which is under a phase 1/2a study of in acute spinal cord injury, dubbed SCiStar.

AST-OPC1 consists of neural cells known as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, which are produced from human embryonic stem cells.

The 6-month data from Cohort 3 (AIS-A 20 million-cell cohort) and Cohort 4 (AIS-B 10 million-cell cohort) of the SCiStar study are due this month.

AST closed Friday's trading at $2.20, unchanged from the previous day's close.

3. Heat Biologics

Heat Biologics Inc. (HTBX) is a biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies against cancer.

The Company's lead drug candidate is HS-110, which is being evaluated in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s (BMY) Opdivo, for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a phase II trial.

To-date, 35 adenocarcinoma patients with no prior history with checkpoint inhibitors have been treated with the HS-110/Opdivo combination in the trial. The data generated from the first 35 patients enrolled in the ongoing phase II trial will be presented on February 28, 2018, at 8 a.m.

HTBX closed Friday's trading at $2.60, down 8.43%.

4. Sorento

Sorrento Therapeutics Inc.'s (SRNE) resubmitted New Drug Application for ZTlido awaits the FDA's final decision on February 28, 2018.

ZTlido is a next-generation non-opioid, lidocaine patch proposed for the relief of pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a severe neuropathic pain condition.

The FDA had declined to approve ZTlido in May 2016, and had asked the Company to conduct additional studies before seeking approval.

Addressing the concerns raised by the FDA, the Company resubmitted the NDA for ZTlido last August, which was accepted by the FDA as a class 2 response, with a standard six-month review period.

SRNE closed Friday's trading at $9.10, up 8.33%.

5. Novavax

Novavax Inc. (NVAX) is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing products to prevent a broad range of infectious diseases like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza.

A phase I/II trial of the Company's NanoFlu seasonal flu vaccine candidate in healthy older adults is underway, with data due this month.

NVAX closed Friday's trading at $2.33, down 2.51%.

6. Otonomy

The FDA decision on Otonomy Inc.'s (OTIC) supplemental New Drug Application seeking expanded approval of Otiprio for acute otitis externa is expected on March 2, 2018.

Acute otitis externa, also known as swimmer's ear, is a common condition involving infection and inflammation of the ear canal typically caused by bacterial infection.

Otiprio, a single-dose form of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, received its first FDA approval in December 2015 for the treatment of pediatric patients with bilateral otitis media with effusion undergoing tympanostomy tube placement.

The net sales of Otiprio for the fourth quarter of 2017 totaled $0.3 million, the same as that in the comparable year-ago quarter.

The Company is seeking to divest Otiprio, and discussions with multiple parties are underway.

OTIC closed Friday's trading at $5.90, up 5.36%.