RepliCel Life Sciences Inc (TSXV:RP)
RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company developing autologous cell therapies that address diseases caused by a deficit of healthy cells required for normal healing and function.
Moving closer to the finish line of their planned merger, AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) and Allergan (NYSE:AGN) have inked a consent decree agreement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, agreeing to divest Allergan’s IL-23 inhibitor brazikumab to AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) and ZenPrep (a treatment for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) and Viokace (another pancreatic enzyme preparation) to Nestle (OTCPK:NSRGY). The divestments were first announced almost two months ago.
The companies continue to expect the merger to close in May.
QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE:QGEN) plans to significantly increase its global production capacity of RNA extraction kits used with molecular diagnostic tests to detect nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing COVID-19. Its aim is to able to produce kits for over 10M tests per month by the end of June and 20M tests per month by year-end. Its historical capacity has been ~1.5M test per month.
Management expects to receive CE-IVD clearance for its SARS-CoV-2 Panel test for use on QIAstat-Dx syndromic testing in the next few days. It is working with the FDA on an Emergency Use Authorization for the U.S.
Shares down 2% after hours.
OPKO Health (OPK -1.8%) unit Bioreference Laboratories will collaborate with the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation to provide COVID-19 testing for residents across the five boroughs. The public health system, serving more than 1M New Yorkers annually, is the largest in the U.S.
Financial terms are undisclosed.
Assisted living facility and nursing home operators and related REITs have been hit particularly hard during the broad market’s COVID-19-related swoon. Investors, rightfully so, perceive substantial risk to companies’ operations if COVID-19 strikes any of their locations, considering the heightened susceptibility of its elderly residents. An outbreak could be fatal to many and would virtually shut down new resident sign-ups.
Selected tickers: Brookdale Senior Living (BKD -4.2%) (down 75% since mid-February), Ventas (VTR -7.2%) (down 63% in about the same timeframe), Sienna Senior Living (OTCPK:LWSCF -1.7%) (down 42%), Capital Senior Living (CSU +4.3%) (down 76%), Sabra Health Care REIT (SBRA +1.1%) (down 67%), Welltower (WELL -3.7%) (down 59%).
The Israeli Ministry of Health has approved a request from Pluristem Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PSTI) to seek a regulatory nod to use its PLX cell therapy to treat COVID-19 on a per-patient compassionate use basis in Israel.
The company is proposing to use PLX to treat severe pneumonia associated with COVID-19 and preventing the deterioration to acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis.
Results from animal studies showed a therapeutic benefit from PLX in pulmonary hypertension, lung fibrosis, acute kidney injury and gastrointestinal injury, all potential complications from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
It has not yet submitted a request for a specific patient.
Shares up 13% premarket on modestly higher volume.
