Drug manufacturing companies develop and process pharmaceutical products for a wide range of medical uses and offer slightly higher-than-average dividend yields. Driving demand for pharmaceuticals is the need to remedy illnesses and diseases. Stock-Callers.com highlights four major industry players for review: Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., AstraZeneca PLC, TherapeuticsMD Inc., and Impax Laboratories Inc.
Bristol-Myers Squibb
New York headquartered Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.’s stock finished Tuesday’s session 0.52% lower at $49.55. A total volume of 24.53 million shares was traded, which was above their three months average volume of 12.96 million shares. The Company’s shares are trading below their 50-day moving average by 14.88%. Furthermore, shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb, which discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide, have a Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 24.33.
On October 9th, 2016, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced updated results from the Phase 1 CheckMate-016 trial, which evaluated the safety and tolerability of Opdivo at different doses as part of a regimen with Yervoy, sunitinib or pazopanib in previously treated and treatment-naïve patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). These updated results include findings for the Opdivo and Yervoy combinations with approximately two years of follow-up, which showed the overall response rate was 40.4% in both arms. Of the 38 responders in both treatment arms, 39.5% had an ongoing response, with a median duration of response of 20.4 months in the Opdivo 3 mg/kg plus Yervoy 1 mg/kg arm and 19.7 months in the Opdivo 1 mg/kg plus Yervoy 3 mg/kg arm. The overall survival rate at 12 months was 81% and 85% for Opdivo 3 mg/kg plus Yervoy 1 mg/kg arm and Opdivo 1 mg/kg plus Yervoy 3 mg/kg arm, respectively, and at 24 months was 67% and 70%, respectively.
AstraZeneca
On Tuesday, shares in London, the UK headquartered AstraZeneca PLC ended the session at $31.12, down 2.93%. The stock recorded a trading volume of 5.62 million shares. The Company’s shares have gained 4.56% in the previous three months. The stock is trading 2.84% above its 200-day moving average. Moreover, shares of AstraZeneca, which engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines for the treatment of respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune, cardiovascular, metabolic, oncology, infection, neuroscience, and gastrointestinal diseases worldwide, have an RSI of 28.25.
On September 23rd, 2016, research firm Piper Jaffray initiated an ‘Overweight’ rating on the Company’s stock.
On October 8th, 2016, AstraZeneca announced data from the Phase III FALCON trial demonstrating superior median progression-free survival (PFS) for fulvestrant 500mg compared to anastrozole 1mg in the 1st line treatment of postmenopausal women with locally-advanced or metastatic breast cancer that have not had prior hormonal treatment for hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer. The results show that the median PFS was 2.8 months longer with fulvestrant than anastrozole.
TherapeuticsMD
Florida headquartered TherapeuticsMD Inc.’s stock ended yesterday’s session 2.75% lower at $6.71 with a total trading volume of 1.09 million shares. The Company’s shares have advanced 0.15% in the past month. The stock is trading 3.53% below its 50-day moving average. Additionally, shares of TherapeuticsMD, which operates as a women’s health care product company, have an RSI of 48.59.
On September 19th, 2016, TherapeuticsMD announced the acceptance of the NDA for Yuvvexy, the conditionally-approved trade name for TX-004HR, by the US Food and Drug Administration. Yuvvexy is an investigational bio-identical 17β-estradiol vaginal softgel capsule for the treatment of moderate-to-severe vaginal pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia), a symptom of vulvar vaginal atrophy (VVA) in postmenopausal women. The NDA acceptance by the FDA in its 74-day letter indicates that the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review.
Impax Laboratories
At the close on Tuesday, shares in Hayward, California headquartered Impax Laboratories Inc. recorded a trading volume of 580,568 shares. The stock finished 3.83% lower at $23.09. The Company’s shares are trading below their 50-day moving average by 7.98%. Furthermore, shares of Impax Laboratories, which develops, manufactures, and markets bioequivalent pharmaceutical products, have an RSI of 39.44.
On September 22nd, 2016, Impax Laboratories announced the launch of a generic version of Metadate CD® (methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release capsules). The launch of methylphenidate hydrochloride is Impax’s sixth new product launch since the beginning of 2016. Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release capsules had annual combined brand and generic sales of approximately $151 million in the US, according to IMS Health (NSP) for the 12 months ending in July 2016.
On September 27th, 2016, research firm Goldman upgraded the Company’s stock rating from ‘Sell’ to ‘Neutral’.
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Filed Under: Drug Discovery
