CRME Does It Again, HRTX Extends Rally, IsoRay Sparkles, HTBX Warming Up

(RTTNews) - Aratana Therapeutics Inc. (PETX) has licensed Advaxis Inc's (ADXS) experimental drug ADXS-cHER2 for the treatment of osteosarcoma in dogs and three additional cancer immunotherapy products for the treatment of three other types of cancer for pet health applications.

Aratana will focus initially on developing ADXS-cHER2 for osteosarcoma.

PETX closed Wednesday's trading at $17.42, up 0.17%.

Cardiome Pharma Corp. (CRME) (COM.TO) has signed one more commercialization agreement for its atrial fibrillation drug BRINAVESS. This time it is with Logista Pharma S.A., headquartered in Madrid, Spain, to distribute BRINAVESS within the Spanish market.

BRINAVESS is not approved in the United States and Canada.

CRME closed Wednesday's trading at $9.07, up 0.44%.

Shares of Heron Therapeutics Inc. (HRTX) have been on the rise ever since the company provided an update on its lead product candidate, Sustol, for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Twice rejected by the FDA, Sustol will face the regulatory agency for the third time when the company resubmits the New Drug Application in mid-2014.

Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting, or CINV, is one of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy treatment for a majority of cancer patients.

Sustol contains the 5-HT3 antagonist, Granisetron as active ingredient, whose patent expired in the United States in December, 2007. Some of the approved treatments for CINV include 5-HT3 inhibitors like Aloxi (palonosetron), Zofran (ondansetron) and Kytril (granisetron), as well as Emend, an NK1 antagonist, which is always used in combination with a 5-HT3 antagonist.

The overall market for CINV drugs is estimated to be over $800 million in the U.S. alone.

Heat Biologics Inc. (HTBX) has submitted its revised phase II clinical trial protocol for its HS-110 product candidate to the FDA for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The company expects to begin patient enrollment and dosing of the study in the third quarter of 2014.

HTBX closed Wednesday's trading 9.44% higher at $6.84.

Horizon Pharma Inc. (HZNP) touched a new high of $18.30 on Wednesday before closing at $16.02, following news about its acquisition of privately-held Vidara Therapeutics International Ltd.

Horizon Pharma will acquire Vidara through a reverse merger for stock and cash valued at approximately $660 million. Horizon Pharma plc will be the name of the resulting company.

The deal accelerates transformation of Horizon to a profitable specialty pharma company.

IsoRay Inc. (ISR) surged more than 176 percent to touch a high of $3.04 on Wednesday, before closing at $2.55, following successful completion of the world's first pediatric implant of the company's Medical's Cesium-131 brachytherapy mesh in a 12 year old male who was diagnosed with recurrent metastatic Wilms tumor (a type of childhood kidney tumor). The patient recovered normally and has been discharged home, according to the company.

IsoRay is the exclusive manufacturer of Cesium-131. According to the company, Cesium-131 allows for the precise treatment of many different cancers because of its unrivaled blend of high energy and its 9.7 day half-life (its unequaled speed in giving off therapeutic radiation).

Portola Pharmaceuticals (PTLA) has initiated a phase III study of its investigational Factor Xa inhibitor - Andexanet alfa - in patients who are suffering a major bleeding episode or who require emergency surgery. The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Andexanet alfa with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s (BMY) and Pfizer Inc.'s (PFE) Factor Xa inhibitor Eliquis. Initial data from the trial is expected in the fourth quarter of this year, followed by more data in early 2015.

PTLA closed Wednesday's trading at $28.27, down 0.28%.

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (SVA) turned a profit in Q4, 2013 on 17.1% sales growth. The company's new drug application for Enterovirus 71 vaccine is under technological review by the China Food and Drug Administration.

SVA closed Wednesday's trading 1.32% higher at $6.89. In after-hours, the stock gained another 1.02% to $6.96.