GHDX Soars On Takeover Rumors, MRNS, TOCA Join NBI, There's No Stopping ARGX

(RTTNews) - The following are some of today's top gainers in the pharma/biotech sector.

1. Genomic Health Inc. (GHDX)

Gained 18.86% to close Thursday's (Dec.14) trading at $33.28.

The Company is a provider of genomic-based diagnostic tests for cancer.

News: The Company is rumored to be receiving takeover interest, reports Bloomberg.

Recent event:

On November 8, 2017, the Company reported improved top-and bottom-line results for Q3, 2017 and reiterated its forecast of a profit for the full year of 2017.

Net loss narrowed to $2.2 million or $0.06 per share on revenue of $83.8 million for the third quarter of 2017. This compared with a net loss of $2.8 million, or $0.08 per share and revenue of $82.3 million in the year-ago quarter.

For the full year of 2017, the Company expects to deliver profit, and meet the low end of its revenue guidance of $345 million.

2. Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (MRNS)

Gained 15.47% to close Thursday's trading at $9.33.

News: The Company has been selected for addition to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, which will become effective prior to the open of U.S. markets Monday, December 18, 2017.

Pipeline:

The Company is focused on developing innovative therapeutics to treat epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorder. Its lead drug candidate is Ganaxolone, which is being developed in three different dose forms, IV, capsule and liquid.

Near-term catalysts:

-- A phase II study of Ganaxolone capsules in women with moderate Postpartum Depression, dubbed Amaryllis, is underway, with data expected in 2018. -- Enrollment is ongoing in a phase II clinical trial of intravenous (IV) Ganaxolone in women diagnosed with severe PPD. Data from this trial, dubbed Magnolia, are expected in early 2018. -- A phase II study of Ganaxolone IV in patients with status epilepticus is underway- with data expected in 2018.

3. argenx SE (ARGX)

Gained 12.78% to close Thursday's trading at $59.47. The stock has gained 158% year-to-date, and it touched an intraday high of $69.26.

News: The Company has raised gross proceeds of about $231 million from the sale of 4.44 million American Depository Shares (ADSs), at a price to the public of $52.00 per ADS. The initially filed offering size was $150 million.

Recent event:

On December 11, 2017, the Company reported positive top-line results from its phase II proof-of-concept clinical trial of ARGX-113 in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with confirmed generalized muscle weakness.

Clinical Trials & Near-term Catalysts:

-- Two phase II trials with ARGX-113 are underway - one in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia and another in patients with pemphigus vulgaris. -- Topline data for the immune thrombocytopenia trial and interim data from the pemphigus vulgaris trial are both expected in the second half of 2018.

We had alerted our premium subscribers to this stock on November 23, 2017, when it was trading around $25.

4. Tocagen Inc. (TOCA)

Gained 8.00% to close Thursday's trading at $11.88.

News: The Company has been selected for addition to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, which will become effective prior to the open of U.S. markets on Monday, December 18, 2017.

The Company went public on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on April 13, 2017, offering its shares at a price of $10.00 each.

Pipeline:

Tocagen's lead product candidate is a combination of an investigational biologic, Toca 511, and an investigational small molecule, Toca FC, designed to be used together.

Clinical Trials & Near-term Catalysts:

-- A phase III clinical trial of Toca 511 & Toca FC, for the treatment of patients with recurrent brain cancer, dubbed Toca 5, is underway. A planned interim analyses of the study at 50% and 75% of events are estimated to occur in the second half of 2018 and first half of 2019, respectively. -- Initiation of Phase 1b trial, called Toca 7, evaluating Toca 511 & Toca FC combined with standard of care in patients with newly diagnosed high grade glioma expected in the second half of 2018. --Report activity/safety data from a phase 1b study of Toca 511 in combination with Toca FC in patients with metastatic cancers in 2018.

5. Rockwell Medical Inc. (RMTI)

Gained 6.06% to close Thursday's trading at $6.48.

News: The Company has inked an exclusive license and manufacturing supply agreement with privately held BioRenal for the rights to commercialize Triferic for End-Stage-Renal-Disease (ESRD) patients in Chile.

Rockwell's Triferic is the only FDA approved therapy to replace iron and maintain hemoglobin in hemodialysis patients suffering from anemia. Approved by FDA in January 2015, Triferic was commercially launched in the U.S. in September 2015. Only the total sales data of the Company is available. Sales attributable to Triferic are not available.

In Chile, Triferic is expected to be launched in the second half of 2018.