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.
AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) will collaborate with the University of Oxford on the development and distribution of the latter’s recombinant adenovirus vaccine candidate, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, for the prevention of COVID-19 infection.
Phase 1 studies commenced last week in healthy volunteers with results expected next month. Later stage trials should launch mid-year.
The vaccine is designed to generate a strong immune response from a single dose.
Shares up 4% premarket on light volume.
Magellan Health (NASDAQ:MGLN) +15.2% after-hours on news that Molina Healthcare (NYSE:MOH) agrees to acquire the Magellan Complete Care line of business for $820M, net of certain tax benefits.
Magellan Complete Care served 155K members in six states, and amassed more than than $2.7B in revenues in 2019.
With the addition of MCC, Molina will serve more than 3.6M members in government-sponsored healthcare programs in 18 states and have 2020 pro-forma projected revenue of more than $20B.
The announcement was separate from Molina’s reported Q1 earnings, which edged analyst expectations.
Nano cap Applied DNA Sciences (APDN +10.0%) is up on double normal volume in reaction to it announcement that the FDA has accepted it into its Emerging Technology Program (ETP) for the molecular tagging of solid dosage forms of medicines.
The ETP’s aim is to help promote the adoption of innovative approaches to pharmaceutical design and manufacture by facilitating interactions between developers and customers to address technical and regulatory issues early in the development and implementation process.
Gilead Sciences (GILD +0.9%) will be hustling to produce sufficient quantities of antiviral remdesivir after the expected nod from regulators after two successful trials in COVID-19 patients.
It started with an inventory of ~5K doses when studies ramped up and now has ~50K which should fly off the shelves as soon as emergency use is authorized. It says its goal is to have “multiple millions” of courses by year-end.
Production is apparently no walk in the park, involving a series of chemical steps, a range of components and manual inspection of each filled vial, the last a labor-intensive step considering the volumes planned. It has been procuring raw materials for some time and has condensed the manufacturing process to 6-8 months from 9-12 months.
Initial quantities will be generally reserved for seriously ill patients.
Privately held Alveo Technologies will collaborate with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) unit Janssen Pharmaceuticals to advance its be.well system for the potential at-home testing of viral infectious diseases including COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Janssen will provide funding support as well as technical and regulatory advice.
The be.well platform consists of a handheld analyzer, disposable test cartridges and nasal swabs.
Alveo says it will employ a phased approach to first gain emergency use authorization in the U.S. for a SARS-CoV-2 test followed by a multiplex assay for home use.
Selected COVID-19 test-related tickers: Abbott (NYSE:ABT), Qiagen (NYSE:QGEN), Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO), Co-Diagnostics (NASDAQ:CODX), Roche (OTCQX:RHHBY)
