Biotechnology AVX,ACR,AVP.......

[macduffy]

Here's some comment on a few Aussie biotech stocks from the SMH.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/marke...102-307e8.html

[Wolf]

Has anyone looked at Prima Biomed, PRR.AX ?

[Bigane]

Anybody else follow Holista Colltech (HCT)?
It has traditionally been a health food suppliment supplier/retailer in Malaysia, but is transfoming into a neutroceutical developer.
The big area of development is Functional food ingredients, with an aim to create junk food ingredients that are significantly healthier. They have recently set up a subsidiary in the USA to try and break in to the 'holy grail' of fast food.
The main technologies are:
- Low sodium salt
- Low GI buns (able to receive the heart foundation tick). These are currently in the final stage of commercialisation with an Australian fast food group. The European distribution rights to the key ingredient were recently acquired by Swiss food company Veripan
- Low fat potato chip (20% lower fat than currently sold 'low fat' varieties'). This is in the final stage of testing with a major Australian chip company.
- Sugar alternatives

I appreciate that this is not a traditional biotech play, but coming off a low market cap (AUD $15m) and $1.1m cash at the latest quarterly, finalisation of any deals should send the shareprice north. This is a thinly traded stock with a low free float. Not one for the faint hearted

[steve fleming]

Tough month for biotech's......



Rich list names hurt by cruel April for biotech stocks
Jessica Gardner

The portfolios of some of Australia’s richest investors have been battered by the terrible start to the year experienced by biotechnology stocks.

In April, almost $1 billion was wiped from the combined market value of four companies, Acrux, Mesoblast, QrXPharma and Prana Biotechnology, dragging down equally well known names like Waislitz, Liberman, Smorgon and Walker.

Analysis by the editor of investment newsletter Biotech Daily David Langsam shows that the market value of the top 40 biotechnology stocks, excluding blue chip stocks CSL, Cochlear and Resmed, fell 17 per cent in April. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index gained 2 per cent in the same period.

The combined value of the 40-company index fell to $5.3 billion, its lowest level since October 2010, Mr Langsam said. “April was the cruellest month, adding Acrux, Prana, Biota and QrX to the biotechnology wasteland,” he said.

The index has fallen 26 per cent in the year to date, against an 11.4 per cent rise in the S&P/ASX200.

The large fall in the value of the stocks is predominantly due setbacks in the form of poor clinical trial results or regulatory decisions.

Prana first to tumble

The April curse began on the last day of March, when Prana Biotechnology told the market that its drug PBT2 had failed to show any benefit in reducing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. When it returned from a trading halt on April 1, the stock fell 74 per cent in a day. By the end of the month Prana had fallen 79.9 per cent. A private company owned by the Liberman family, worth $2.1 billion and the third richest in the country, lost $12.9 million on its 3.72 per cent holding in Prana, while the plunge wiped $855,000 from Vicki and Robert Smorgon’s 0.25 stake.

The pair are members of the Smorgon family, who, with a net worth of about $2.64 billion, were last listed by BRW as the richest family in Australia.

Pain drug developer QRxPharma recorded the biggest fall in April. An advisory committee to the US regulator advised that its MoxDuo-IR drug should not be approved, causing the stock to plunge 80 per cent in a day.

The stock fell 88 per cent in the month, causing plenty of pain for rich list property developer Lang Walker. According to the latest annual report for the company, which now has a market value of just $15 million, Mr Walker and his wife Suzanne hold a little more than 7 million QRxPharma shares in two private vehicles.

Their shareholding fell from $5.5 million to $669,000.

The value of Mesoblast, the biggest company on the index, fell 14.8 per cent to $1.5 billion. The stake controlled by Thorney Holdings, a company controlled by Pratt family member Alex Waislitz, fell by $14,256,000.

Mesoblast was not subject to any particular setbacks, but in response to a price query at the beginning of the month, told the Australian Securities Exchange that a sudden price fall was probably a result of weakness among US-listed biotechnology companies.

Nasdaq dips

The Nasdaq biotechnology index fell just 2.6 per cent in April, but has come off 16 per cent from a high point in late February.

The value of drug delivery company Acrux fell 40 per cent due to concerns that a regulatory investigation may prove a link between its testosterone replacement therapy and heart failure. An admission that the company will not receive a milestone payment from distributor Eli Lilly also hurt the stock.

But for substantial shareholder Simon Marais, of fund manager Allan Gray, the share price weakness has provided a buying opportunity. “Acrux has a good inherent business that will have its ups and downs and the industry is always cyclical,” he said. “The trick to making money in any investment is to buy when it’s low, when there’s some setbacks, and you have to be wary of it when its high.”

[steve fleming]

Tough month for biotech's......



Rich list names hurt by cruel April for biotech stocks
Jessica Gardner

The portfolios of some of Australia’s richest investors have been battered by the terrible start to the year experienced by biotechnology stocks.

In April, almost $1 billion was wiped from the combined market value of four companies, Acrux, Mesoblast, QrXPharma and Prana Biotechnology, dragging down equally well known names like Waislitz, Liberman, Smorgon and Walker.

Analysis by the editor of investment newsletter Biotech Daily David Langsam shows that the market value of the top 40 biotechnology stocks, excluding blue chip stocks CSL, Cochlear and Resmed, fell 17 per cent in April. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index gained 2 per cent in the same period.

The combined value of the 40-company index fell to $5.3 billion, its lowest level since October 2010, Mr Langsam said. “April was the cruellest month, adding Acrux, Prana, Biota and QrX to the biotechnology wasteland,” he said.

The index has fallen 26 per cent in the year to date, against an 11.4 per cent rise in the S&P/ASX200.

The large fall in the value of the stocks is predominantly due setbacks in the form of poor clinical trial results or regulatory decisions.

Prana first to tumble

The April curse began on the last day of March, when Prana Biotechnology told the market that its drug PBT2 had failed to show any benefit in reducing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. When it returned from a trading halt on April 1, the stock fell 74 per cent in a day. By the end of the month Prana had fallen 79.9 per cent. A private company owned by the Liberman family, worth $2.1 billion and the third richest in the country, lost $12.9 million on its 3.72 per cent holding in Prana, while the plunge wiped $855,000 from Vicki and Robert Smorgon’s 0.25 stake.

The pair are members of the Smorgon family, who, with a net worth of about $2.64 billion, were last listed by BRW as the richest family in Australia.

Pain drug developer QRxPharma recorded the biggest fall in April. An advisory committee to the US regulator advised that its MoxDuo-IR drug should not be approved, causing the stock to plunge 80 per cent in a day.

The stock fell 88 per cent in the month, causing plenty of pain for rich list property developer Lang Walker. According to the latest annual report for the company, which now has a market value of just $15 million, Mr Walker and his wife Suzanne hold a little more than 7 million QRxPharma shares in two private vehicles.

Their shareholding fell from $5.5 million to $669,000.

The value of Mesoblast, the biggest company on the index, fell 14.8 per cent to $1.5 billion. The stake controlled by Thorney Holdings, a company controlled by Pratt family member Alex Waislitz, fell by $14,256,000.

Mesoblast was not subject to any particular setbacks, but in response to a price query at the beginning of the month, told the Australian Securities Exchange that a sudden price fall was probably a result of weakness among US-listed biotechnology companies.

Nasdaq dips

The Nasdaq biotechnology index fell just 2.6 per cent in April, but has come off 16 per cent from a high point in late February.

The value of drug delivery company Acrux fell 40 per cent due to concerns that a regulatory investigation may prove a link between its testosterone replacement therapy and heart failure. An admission that the company will not receive a milestone payment from distributor Eli Lilly also hurt the stock.

But for substantial shareholder Simon Marais, of fund manager Allan Gray, the share price weakness has provided a buying opportunity. “Acrux has a good inherent business that will have its ups and downs and the industry is always cyclical,” he said. “The trick to making money in any investment is to buy when it’s low, when there’s some setbacks, and you have to be wary of it when its high.”

[percy]

Well nice to know I missed all the fun.
Lost heaps in this sector in the 1990s ,so stayed well away from it this time.
Wonder when the next generation of "its different this time" investors will hit this sector?
May not have been born yet???!!!!

[Joshuatree]

many of my biotech watches have dropped back , only holding NEU atm down like most others. BLT given you a wild ride lizard and CZD a bit stronger but also down. How are others experiences and stocks going in this volatile sector?

[STRAT]

many of my biotech watches have dropped back , only holding NEU atm down like most others. BLT given you a wild ride lizard and CZD a bit stronger but also down. How are others experiences and stocks going in this volatile sector?

This one really is totally speculative but OSL up 15% on Friday on unusual volume. Chart indicates a possible bottom. Waiting on confirmation of a trend change.

[Joshuatree]

Bugger ,thanks for the retro KW. Hey are you int in doing a highland dad? An intro to the mkt each day with a few details like which sectors are looking positive/ sick etc. Understand if not.

[Joshuatree]

Sold NEU today on after a good runup. Presentation after mkt ;poss cap raise ahead. If I'm lucky will buy back lower. Hows other investors biotech going; Any new entries to look at? cheers JT