GLG News(sm): Healthcare

Is the Controversy over the Public Option the biggest Red Herring Ever?

GLG Expert Contributor — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:34:05 EST

Nothing has raised the hackles of partisan Democrats and especially Republicans more this year than the public health insurance option. On the left, liberals consider it to be the indispensable component of true healthcare reform. On the right, conservatives refer to it to the first step on the slippery slope to socialism, if not a return to the Third Reich this time in America. Yet, the truth is that its impact will likely be so small, its presence (or absence) hardly merits any debate.

Will Quest Acquire Vermillion?

Ken Powell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:06:25 EST

Quest Diagnostics has had a known relationship with Vermillion. Now that Vermillion has received FDA approval for its OVA1 in vitro diagnostic multi-variant index assay (IVDMIA) and Quest has an exclusive three year marketing license and a 17% investment in the company plus additional loans, acquisition of Vermillion could make sense for both companies.

Peplin merger with Leo pharma

Sunil Dhawan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:31:34 EST

The recent merger of Peplin with Leo pharma is of some significance and will benefit both companies. It would have been difficult for Peplin to fully develop and market their flagship product alone.

Watershed Intraocular Lens: The Light Adjsutable Lens (Calhoun Vision)

GLG Expert Contributor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:03:17 EST

SInce years ophthalmologist await the approval of the LAL Light adjustable lens (calhoun VIsion) as it will represent a watershed in intraocular lens technology.

Roche Receives H1N1 FDA Emergency Use Authorization

Ken Powell — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:18:34 EST

Roche has received an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA for its RealTime ready Influenza A/H1N1 Detection Set. The new H1N1 assay is run on its MagNA Pure LC platform for nucleic acid isolation and its LightCycler 2.0 system for real-time PCR applications. Roche, the worldwide clinical diagnostics leader should have an advantage in the H1N1 market segment.

From a physician point of view

GLG Expert Contributor — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:30:35 EST

1) Senate won't have a public option, but with some sort of tax on health-related industry and the wealthy2) Patients with federally funded plans will continue to have access problems that will worsen as expenditures increase3) Physician frustrations have not been addressed, and will worsen over time. This will contribute to the impending physician shortage as more physician retire earlier.

Zetia Now Off Best Practices List for MI Prevention, But is Niaspan > Diet?

GLG Expert Contributor — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:02:34 EST

Abbott Laboratories' (ABT.N) Niaspan, though inexpensive and older, lowered HDL and shrunk artery diameter in heart patients more effectively and safely than Merck & Co's (MRK.N) moderately expensive Zetia.Though there is little reason for doctors to prescribe Zetia now, there are real cautions about Niaspan that many people with liver concerns will appreciate. And so will their physicians.An alternative and winning intervention, essentially unexplored by Pharma, is diet.

Parkinson's Drug

GLG Expert Contributor — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:54:35 EST

I am happy to learn of this exciting new drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Omapro will fill a CML void

Donald Fleming — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:27:13 EST

Patients with CML have a good prognosis when treated with TKI's An exception is the ones that develope a particular mutation known as T315IOnly SCT seems to be effective in this group of patients and maybe too morbid of therapy for many patients

Sequenom Sued by Shareholders

Ken Powell — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:06:36 EST

The Sequenom sage appears endless. Following the "mishandling of data" involving the company's Down's syndrome test, termination of company executives, investigation by the NASDAQ , the SEC and the US Attorney for the Southern District of California, Xenomics lawsuit against Sequenom seeking up to $300 million in damages, Sequenom shareholders have filed a suit against the company and several individual current and former executives . The news continues to mount and none of it is good.

Will Bundles of Healthcare Payments Bring Joy to Anybody?

GLG Expert Contributor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:52:56 EST

Analysts at RAND Corp. have thrown their weight behind the use of bundled fees to pay physicians and hospitals. They have concluded that although difficult to implement, doing so is probably the most effective way to contain health care costs which could spin even more out of control under the current health care reform proposals and ultimately bankrupt the federal government without dramatic changes to the current fee for service system.

Epigenomics Reports Excellent 3Q Returns

Ken Powell — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:45:59 EST

Germany based Epigenomics posted stellar Q3 financial results and reduced net loss by 8%. According to the company, the increase comes from existing collaborations, new partnerships, and license agreements

New Sample Prep Company

Ken Powell — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:31:17 EST

Following on Life Technologies' (NASDAQ: LIFE) acquisition of Biotrove, Biotrove announced in a separate release that it will form a subsidiary for a sample handing company for mass spectroscopy systems. This could be the real opportunity for future growth.

What are these “Further Adjustments?”

GLG Expert Contributor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:22:25 EST

Healthcare Reform has passed the House, with some changes from the two versions in the Senate. What are the items that will affect hospitals and what can hospitals expect for margins in the future.

Consolidation Continues in Life Sciences

Ken Powell — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:44:08 EST

Qiagen (NASDAQ: GQEN) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held SABiosciences for $90 million dollars. Meanwhile, Life Technologies has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire, the manufacturer of the OpenArray high-throughput gene expression and genotyping system. Yesterday's announcements are more examples of the high level of consolidation activity occurring in the wide open life sciences space.

Succesful new treatment for Lupus

GLG Expert Contributor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:04:04 EST

Human Genome Sciences has a potential new and successful therapy for Lupus.

Ozurdex (Allergan) Uses Billing Structure That May Prevent Acceptance

GLG Expert Contributor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:06:03 EST

Ozurdex (Allergan) is now on the market and available for ophthalmologists to treat patients with retinal vascular occlusions (RVO).While the technology and treatment may be sound, there may be significant hurdles to overcome from a billing standpoint.Ozurdex may follow the same fate as Lucentis (Genetech). It must compete with a much cheaper drug which has comparable efficacy.

Solar-Powered Portable Medical Imaging Devices Are Coming Soon

GLG Expert Contributor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:42:19 EST

GE Healthcare appears to be serious in exploring the potential to create portable solar-powered medical imaging devices. The value of this type of technology in helping to save lives and detect early potential life-threatening medical and surgical conditions affecting people who live in the rural and most remote areas and who are unable to readily obtain access to healthcare services is discussed.

What is potential future for Sequenom in prenatal testing.

Robert Boorstein — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:20:26 EST

The historic but minimally supported enthusiasm for the Sequenom prenatal test has previously been reported in this space previously. Even in the absence of data retractions, leading to termination of much of senior management, problems in the rollout of the product should have been anticipated.Remarkably, this article asserts that industry insiders remain optimistic about the development of a successful diagnostic product.

Quest Diagnostics to Offer New Colorectal Cancer Test

Ken Powell — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:12:07 EST

Quest Diagnostics senior spokesperson Jay Wohlgemuth said that Quest plans to launch a new Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) for colorectal cancer based on Epigenomics’ mSEPT9 DNA-methylation biomarker. Many companies have searched for a blood-based marker as an effective diagnostic alternative to colonoscopy, which would encourage the 90 million adults over 50 to be screened for colorectal cancer.