By most measures, close to a third of Americans are overweight if the scientific BMI measurement is used. Some smaller portion are “morbidly obese”, at the far end of the yardstick of those who weight may cause severe health problems.
Most research by both academic institutions, and government bodies like the CDC, claim that the cost of obesity runs into the tens of billions of dollars a year, due to diabetes, heart disease, and the crippling impact on joints. Obesity’s medical side effects drive American healthcare costs higher, and there are no data which show the obesity problem improving.
New data from Gallup shows that many Americans who are obese are aware of the condition, but many fewer do anything meaningful to help themselves. More astonishingly, some people who are obese do not admit it.
Gallup reports:
Americans’ desire to lose weight does not necessarily translate into their doing anything to achieve it. While 51% of adults want to lose weight, barely half as many (25%) say they are seriously working toward that goal. This discrepancy between Americans’ weight-loss desires and behavior has existed for years.
Hot Trucking Stocks To Watch Right Now: Horizon Pharma Inc (HZNP)
Horizon Pharma, Inc. (Horizon), incorporated on March 23, 2010, is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes medicines to target unmet therapeutic needs in arthritis, pain and inflammatory diseases. On April 23, 2011, the United States Food and Drug Administration, approved DUEXIS (formerly HZT-501), a tablet formulation containing a fixed-dose combination of ibuprofen and famotidine in a single pill. The Company�� other product, LODOTRA (NP-01), is a programmed release formulation of low-dose prednisone that is marketed in Europe by the Company�� distribution partner, Mundipharma International Corporation Limited (Mundipharma). As of December 31, 2010, Horizon completed multiple Phase III clinical trials of LODOTRA. In addition to these product candidates, the Company has a pipeline of earlier-stage product candidates to treat pain-related diseases and chronic inflammation. On April 1, 2010, Horizon effected a recapitalization and acquisition pursuant to which Horizon Pharma, Inc. became a holding company, that operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Horizon Pharma USA, Inc. (formerly Horizon Therapeutics, Inc.) and Horizon Pharma AG (formerly Nitec Pharma AG (Nitec)).
DUEXIS
DUEXIS is a combination of 800 milligram ibuprofen and 26.6 milligram famotidine in a single pill and is indicated for the relief of signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and osteoarthritis (OA), and to decrease the risk of developing upper gastrointestinal (GI), ulcers in patients who are taking ibuprofen for those indications. The Company has completed two Phase III clinical trials in a total of over 1,500 patients with mild to moderate pain or arthritis that demonstrated a significant reduction in the incidence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)-induced upper GI ulcers when treated with DUEXIS versus ibuprofen alone.
LODOTRA
LODOTRA is a programmed release formulation of low-dose prednisone, a well-established drug use! d to inhibit the production of various pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are proteins associated with joint inflammation in RA. LODOTRA has received regulatory approval in Europe for the treatment of moderate to severe, active RA in adults when accompanied by morning stiffness. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had completed two pivotal Phase III clinical trials of LODOTRA in a total of over 600 patients with RA. The first pivotal Phase III trial supported the approval of LODOTRA in Europe in March 2009, where it is approved for marketing in 14 European countries. LODOTRA achieved significant results and met the primary endpoint in each of the two pivotal Phase III clinical trials. Its LODOTRA product was developed and is owned by Horizon Pharma AG. As of December 31, 2010, the Company markets LODOTRA in Europe through three separate agreements. Pursuant to two separate agreements, it granted Merck Serono GmbH and Merck GesmbH, an affiliate of Merck Serono, the rights to distribute and market LODOTRA in each of Germany and Austria, respectively, and pursuant to the third agreement, it granted Mundipharma rights to distribute and market LODOTRA in the rest of Europe. The Company also has a manufacturing and supply agreement with Jagotec AG under which Jagotec or its affiliates manufacture and supply LODOTRA to the Company as bulk tablets.
The Company competes with Pfizer Inc., Pozen Inc., Abbott Laboratories and Amgen Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Horizon Pharma (NASDAQ: HZNP) shares reached a new 52-week high of $17.12 after the company announced its plans to acquire privately held Vidara Therapeutics International for around $660 million.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
After a 16% rally on Tuesday, it would be understandable is a newcomer wanted to steer clear of Horizon Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ:HZNP). After all, how much more upside can there be for this fairly typical small cap biotech stock. Yet, HZNP may well be one of the rare exceptions to the "tough to follow-through" tendency.
For those not familiar, HZNP is a biopharma name with a couple of rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, and asthma drugs on the market... Duexis, and Rayos. There's a third drug in the pipeline - Lodotra, for polymyalgia rheumatica, though it's already approved as a treatment for RA.� Either way, Horizon Pharma Inc. is unique in the sense that though it's a small biopharma company, it's at least driving revenue with a handful of marketable products.
The pipeline and portfolio are secondary at this point, however. What matters most to traders now is whether or not there's actually any upside left to tap into with Horizon Pharma. The answer is, it depends.
Given just the nearby daily chart, no, it looks like HZNP has burned up all of its fuel. Aside from the fact that it's overextended now, Tuesday's volume spike also implies anybody who was thinking about buying went ahead and took the plunge. That may well mean nobody is left to keep buying tomorrow. There may well be, however, plenty of nervous-Nellie profit-takers ready to head for the exit.
The assessment changes quite a bit when you zoom out to a longer-term chart of Horizon Pharma, though.
While this won't allow the stock to sidestep a near-term pullback, Tuesday's pop was something a game-changer for the long-term chart. The move shook the stock out of a narrow range that had trapped the stock between $2.80 and $2.12 for the last ten months.
The proverbial "so what" is, with nearly a years' worth of pent-up energy finally being unleashed, we're nowhere near the end of the final resting place. Once we burn off this initial, knee-jerk reaction to the - [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Wednesday morning, the healthcare sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from Horizon Pharma (NASDAQ: HZNP) and Pernix Therapeutics Holdings (NASDAQ: PTX). In trading on Wednesday, telecommunications services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.39 percent. Top decliners in the sector included Shenandoah Telecommunications Co (NASDAQ: SHEN), off 3.3 percent, and CalAmp (NASDAQ: CAMP), down around 2.4 percent.
Top 10 Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: Sirona Dental Systems Inc (SIRO)
Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. (Sirona), incorporated on April 25, 1997, and its subsidiaries is a manufacturer of dental equipment, and is focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing solutions for dentists around the world. The Company operates in four segments: Dental CAD/CAM Systems, Imaging Systems, Treatment Centers and Instruments. The Company markets its products globally to dental practices, clinics and laboratories through an international network of distributors. The dental distributors supply both dental equipment and consumables, and have regular contact with the ultimate end-users. In addition, the Company also distributes its products through its own sales and services infrastructure.
Dental CAD / CAM Systems
Dental CAD/CAM Systems address the dental restorations, which includes several types of restorations, such as inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns, bridges, copings and bridge frameworks made from ceramic, metal or composite blocks. Sirona's CEramic REConstruction (CEREC) system is an in-office application that enables dentists to produce high quality restorations from ceramic material and insert them into the patient's mouth during a single appointment. The CEREC system consists of an imaging unit and a milling unit. The imaging unit scans the damaged area, captures the image of the tooth or teeth requiring restoration and proposes the specifications for the restoration. The milling unit then mills the ceramic restoration to the required specifications based upon the captured image and the dentist's design specifications.
Sirona offers a service contract on its CEREC product, which includes software updates and upgrades and maintenance on software-related hardware. In addition to CEREC, Sirona also offers CAD/CAM products for dental laboratories, including the inLab restoration fabrication system and the extra-oral inEos scanner. These products are designed to improve efficiency and reduce costs for the dental lab. The inLab system scans the ! models received from the dentists and then mills ceramic or composite block restorations, such as crown copings and bridge frameworks to the specifications of the captured image.
Imaging Systems
Imaging Systems comprise a broad range of systems for diagnostic imaging in the dental practice. Sirona has developed a comprehensive range of imaging systems for two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D), panoramic and intra-oral applications. Intra-oral x-ray systems use image-capture sensor devices, which are inserted into the mouth behind the diagnostic area, and take images of one or two teeth. Panoramic x-ray systems produce images of the entire jaw structure by means of an x-ray tube and an image capture device, which rotates around the head.
Treatment Centers
Treatment Centers consists of a range of products from basic dentist chairs to chair-based units with integrated diagnostic, hygiene and ergonomic functionalities, as well as specialist centers used in preventative treatment and for training purposes. Sirona offers specifically configured products to meet the preferences of dentists within each region in which it operates. Sirona's treatment center configurations and system integration are designed to enhance productivity by creating a seamless workflow within the dental practice.
Instruments
Sirona offers a range of instruments, including handheld and power-operated handpieces for cavity preparation, endodontics, periodontology and prophylaxis, which are regularly updated and improved. The instruments are supplemented by multi-function tips, supply and suction hoses, as well as care and hygiene systems for instrument preparation. Sirona's instruments are often sold as packages in combination with treatment centers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Yesterday, small cap dental stock BIOLASE Inc (NASDAQ: BIOL) surged 17.69% after announcing it had received a license from the Health Canada-Medical Device Bureau to sell its EPIC dental soft-tissue diode laser systems throughout Canada, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of mid cap dental stocks like Sirona Dental Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: SIRO), DENTSPLY International Inc (NASDAQ: XRAY) and Align Technology, Inc (NASDAQ: ALGN).
- [By Todd Campbell]
Dentists may find that patients are more willing to spend on restorative procedures now that the job market is recovering and consumer sentiment is heading higher. That offers new opportunities for providers of dentistry equipment, such as Sirona Dental Systems (NASDAQ: SIRO ) , a company that was spun out of Siemens in 1997 and brought public in 2006.
Top 10 Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: HeartWare International Inc (HTWR)
Heartware International, Inc. (HeartWare), incorporated on June 25, 2010, develops and manufactures small implantable heart pumps, or ventricular assist devices, for the treatment of advanced heart failure. The HeartWare Ventricular Assist System (the HeartWare System), which includes a ventricular assist device (VAD), or blood pump, patient accessories and surgical tools, is designed to provide circulatory support for patients in the advanced stage of heart failure. The core of the HeartWare System is a continuous flow blood pump, the HVAD Pump, which is a full-output device capable of pumping up to 10 liters of blood per minute. The HeartWare System is designed to be implanted adjacent to the heart, avoiding the abdominal surgery generally required to implant similar devices. In August 2012, it acquired World Heart Corporation. As of December 31, 2012, the HeartWare System has been implanted outside of the United States at approximately 168 health care sites in 28 countries. In December 2013, HeartWare International Inc acquired CircuLite, Inc.
Proprietary Pump Technology
The HeartWare System is full-output centrifugal pump designed to be implanted in the chest, directly adjacent to the heart. At the core of the Company�� technology platform is its hybrid system for suspending the impeller, which is the only moving part within the pump. The impeller is suspended within the pump housing by the opposing forces of passive magnets and hydrodynamic thrust generated by the pump impeller, which circulates a cushion of
blood. Once power is applied to the device and the impeller begins to rotate, there are no points of mechanical contact within the pump, thus providing a completely wearless pumping system.
The HeartWare System
The HeartWare System consists of the HVAD Pump, a small, permanently implantable VAD, patient accessories and surgical tools. The HVAD Pump is capable of generating up to 10 liters of blood flow per minute. With a displaced v! olume of only 50 cubic centimeters and a mass of 140 grams, the HVAD Pump is the only full-output pump implantable in the pericardial space, directly adjacent to the heart. It is also the only pump designed to be implanted above the diaphragm in all eligible patients.
The HeartWare MVAD
The miniaturized ventricular assist device (MVAD) is a miniaturized blood pump intended for chronic heart failure patients. The device is a full-output axial flow pump with a fully suspended rotor and a displacement volume approximately one-third that of the HVAD Pump.
The Company competes with Thoratec Corporation, Jarvik Heart, MicroMed Technology, Inc, Berlin Heart AG, Terumo Heart, Inc., Sunshine Heart, Inc and CircuLite, Inc., Evaheart Medical USA, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lauren Pollock]
Medical device company HeartWare International Inc.(HTWR) issued a revenue forecast that fell short of market expectations.
Intrepid Potash Inc.(IPI), the largest potash producer in the U.S., plans to cut its workforce by 7% and cut executive compensation as part of a plan to trim costs in reaction to weaker prices for the fertilizer ingredient.
- [By Todd Campbell]
Competing for heart pump market share
Abiomed's products provide circulatory support for up to six hours and are designed for use in cardiac cath labs or during heart surgery, but competitors Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR ) and Heartware (NASDAQ: HTWR ) target the intermediate- and long-term-use market instead.
Top 10 Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: Boston Therapeutics Inc (BTHE)
Boston Therapeutics, Inc. is a development-stage company. The Company�� business is the development, manufacture and commercialization of therapeutic drugs and dietary supplements with a focus on glyco-pathology, a specialized field involving understanding the importance of carbohydrates in biochemistry and progression of diseases. The Company is focusing on three products: IPOXYN, an injectable anti-hypoxia drug, which it is developing; PAZ320, which is a non-systemic, chewable drug candidate for reduction of blood glucose in diabetics in development and SUGARDOWN, a complex carbohydrate-based chewable dietary supplement, which it is marketing. The Company�� non-systemic compounds for prediabetes and diabetes, SUGARDOWN and PAZ320, belong to the class of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme inhibitors.
SUGARDOWN
The Company has developed SUGARDOWN, a non-systemic complex carbohydrate-based dietary supplement to moderate post-meal blood glucose using processes and technology. It has unrestricted access to both sufficient raw materials at commodity pricing and processing facilities to produce sufficient supply of SUGARDOWN to support product distribution across multiple sales channels as a dietary supplement. Its SUGARDOWN dietary supplement consists of a stabilized complex carbohydrate composition. The Company has completed development of SUGARDOWN as a dietary supplement. On January 24, 2012 the Company announced the clinical trial results in healthy volunteers performed at the University of Sydney on SUGARDOWN.
PAZ320
PAZ320 is a non-systemic, non-toxic, chewable drug candidate for prevention of diabetes and its complications. PAZ320 inhibits the enzymes, which release glucose from complex carbohydrate in foods during digestion, reducing the amount of available glucose absorbed through the intestine. PAZ320 is in development as a drug candidate. The Company�� non-systemic compounds for prediabetes and diabetes, SUGARDOWN and PAZ320, belong to the! class of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme inhibitors.
IPOXYN
The Company has developed a drug candidate product IPOXYN, a glyco-protein based therapeutic agent. Its IPOXYN anti-hypoxia drug consists of a stabilized glycoprotein composition containing oxygen-rechargeable iron, targeting both human and animal tissues and organ systems deprived of oxygen and in need of metabolic support. In addition to potential uses for human patients, it also focuses to file a registration for IPOXYN for veterinary applications under the name OXYFEX. The Company�� pharmaceutical agents are intended for intravenous administration into the circulatory system to target acute and late stage diseases.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Today, BTHE remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $1.10 thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 12:25PM EDT October 10, 2013).
Boston Therapeutics has previously closed the final tranche of approximately $1.8 million to bring total gross proceeds of approximately $5.3 million from the private placement of Common Stock and warrants to existing and new accredited investors (the “Offering”).
Proceeds of the offering will be used to fund additional clinical trials for PAZ320, a non-systemic chewable drug designed to reduce the elevation of postprandial glucose or post-meal blood sugar for treatment of patients with Type 2 diabetes, and for general corporate purposes. PAZ320 is the first compound in a new class of therapies for this disease.
Top 10 Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: DENTSPLY International Inc.(XRAY)
DENTSPLY International Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets dental consumable products, dental laboratory products, and dental specialty products worldwide. The company?s dental consumable products include dental sundries, such as dental anesthetics, prophylaxis pastes, dental sealants, impression materials, restorative materials, tooth whiteners, and topical fluoride; and small equipment, including high and low speed handpieces, intraoral curing light systems, dental diagnostic systems, and ultrasonic scalers and polishers used in dental offices for the treatment of patients. Its dental laboratory products comprise dental prosthetics, including artificial teeth, precious metal dental alloys, dental ceramics, and crown and bridge materials, as well as equipment, such as computer aided machining ceramic systems and porcelain furnaces used in the preparation of dental appliances by dental laboratories. The company?s dental specialty products consist of endodonti c instruments and materials, implants and related products, bone grafting materials, 3D digital implantology, and orthodontic appliances and accessories. Its customers include dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratories, and dental schools. The company distributes its dental products directly to dental laboratories and dental professionals, as well as through distributors, dealers, and importers. DENTSPLY International Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in York, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Align have surged 24% to $57 at 12:37 p.m. Sirona Dental Systems (SIRO) has risen 0.8% to $69.61, Dentsply International (XRAY) is up 0.1% at $45.44, Integra Lifesciences (IART) has� gained 0.4% to $44.23 and Danaher (DHR) has fallen 0.3% to $72.13.
- [By John Udovich]
Yesterday, small cap dental stock BIOLASE Inc (NASDAQ: BIOL) surged 17.69% after announcing it had received a license from the Health Canada-Medical Device Bureau to sell its EPIC dental soft-tissue diode laser systems throughout Canada, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of mid cap dental stocks like Sirona Dental Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: SIRO), DENTSPLY International Inc (NASDAQ: XRAY) and Align Technology, Inc (NASDAQ: ALGN).
- [By Monica Gerson]
DENTSPLY International (NASDAQ: XRAY) shares touched a new 52-week high of $47.65. DENTSPLY's trailing-twelve-month ROE is 15.95%.
Sun Life Financial (NYSE: SLF) shares gained 2.47% to create a new 52-week high of $34.80 on Q3 results. Sun Life reported its Q3 operating net income from continuing operations of $422 million.
Top 10 Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: Curis Inc.(CRIS)
Curis, Inc., a drug discovery and development company, focuses on the research and development of cancer therapeutics. The company, under collaboration with Genentech, Inc., is conducting a pivotal Phase II clinical trial on its lead molecule, GDC-0449 in advanced basal cell carcinoma patients, as well as various Phase II clinical trials in first-line metastatic colorectal cancer and advanced ovarian cancer patients. It is also evaluating CUDC-101, a small molecule that is in a Phase I clinical testing and is designed to target histone deacetylase, epidermal growth factor receptor, and epidermal growth factor receptor 2. In addition, Curis has a development candidate, Debio 0932, which is a Heat Shock Protein 90 or Hsp90 inhibitor. The company holds a license agreement with Debiopharm related to its Hsp90 technologies. Further, it involves in preclinical testing for the development of candidates from its targeted cancer programs. The company was founded in 2000 and is base d in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Curis (NASDAQ: CRIS) dipped 18.97% to $3.16 in the pre-market session after the company reported Q3 financial results and provided CUDC-427 development update.
Top 10 Medical Companies To Own In Right Now: Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (IMMY)
Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing non-invasive, topically delivered products. The Company�� Transdel cream formulation technology is designed to facilitate the effective penetration of a variety of products through the tough skin barrier. Ketotransdel, the Company�� lead pain product, utilizes the Transdel platform technology to deliver the active drug, ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), through the skin directly into the underlying tissues where the drug exerts its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Ketotransdel consists of a transdermal formulation of ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and its Transdel drug delivery system and is being developed for the treatment of acute pain. In July 2013, it acquired intellectual property for IPI-120 from Buderer Drug Company.
Ketotransdel penetrates the skin barrier to reach the targeted underlying tissues where it exerts its localized anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Transdel is the Company�� transdermal cream drug delivery platform. It consists of a cream that enables transdermal penetration of drugs avoiding first pass metabolism by the liver and minimizing systemic exposure. The Transdel drug delivery system facilitates the effective dissolution and delivery of a drug across the skin barrier to reach targeted underlying tissues.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
So far this year, Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NYSEMKT: RNN), Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IMMY) and Arrowhead Research Corp (NASDAQ: ARWR) are up 186.3%, 157.2% and 142.5%, respectively, since the start of the year���making them the best performing small cap biotech stocks for 2014. But given their lackluster performance over the past few years, what is the secret behind their phenomenal 2014 rise and will they keep rising? For starters, none of these small caps have really produced anything in the way of blockbuster news:
- [By John Udovich]
The start of 2014 shows that biotech is still a hot area with the sector along with small cap biotech stocks like AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: AMAG), Mast Therapeutics Inc (NYSEMKT: MSTX), Cell Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CTIC), Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IMMY) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) producing news or returns�plus Auspex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ASPX), Cara Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CARA), Egalet (NASDAQ: EGLT), Flexion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FLXN) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: RARE) are among the (many�� planned biotech IPOs that have recently been announced publicly:
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