5 Top Gainers In Healthcare Sector (LXRX, ECOR, ARAV…)

(RTTNews) - The following are some of today's top gainers in the pharma/biotech sector.

1. Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LXRX)

Lexicon Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company developing precise medicines for people with serious, chronic conditions.

The Company has two approved drugs Xermelo, indicated for carcinoid syndrome diarrhea, approved in the U.S. and Europe in 2017, and diabetes medicine Zynquista, approved in Europe in April of 2019. The drug, known generically as Sotagliflozin, was rejected by the FDA in March of this year.

Gained 29.25% to close Wednesday's (Sep.18) trading at $3.80.

News: No news

Recent event:

On September 10, 2019, Lexicon announced the termination of its alliance with Sanofi for the development and commercialization of Zynquista and the settlement of its related disputes with Sanofi. As part of the settlement, Sanofi will pay Lexicon $260 million, of which $208 million is payable upfront and the remainder is payable within twelve months, and coordinate with Lexicon in the transition of responsibility for ongoing clinical studies and other activities.

2. electroCore LLC (ECOR)

electroCore is a commercial-stage bioelectronic medicine company.

Gained 17.28% to close Wednesday's trading at $4.75.

Recent event:

On August 18, 2019, the Company announced second quarter 2019 financial results.

Net sales in the second quarter of 2019 were approximately $623,000 compared to $393,000 in the year-ago quarter.

The Company's marketed product is GammaCore, which was given clearance in the U.S. for the acute treatment of pain associated with episodic cluster headache in April 2017, for acute treatment of pain associated with migraine headache in adult patients in January 2018, and for adjunctive use for the preventive treatment of cluster headache in adult patients in November 2018.

GammaCore is a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator (nVNS) therapy.

Near-term Catalyst:

-- PREMIUM II, a multicenter, prospective, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study of GammaCore for the preventive treatment of migraine in the U.S. is underway. Enrollment in the study is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020.

3. Aravive Inc. (ARAV)

Aravive is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.

Gained 17.23% to close Wednesday's trading at $6.94.

News: The Company announced that it will be presenting early efficacy data from the phase I portion of phase 1b/2 study of AVB500 in combination with standard chemotherapy in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress on September 27, 2019.

On July 31, 2019, the Company had announced topline efficacy data from this study showing compelling anti-tumor activity in the first 12 patients.

Near-term Catalysts:

-- A phase 1b clinical trial of AVB-S6-500 in patients with kidney fibrosis is expected to be initiated 4Q 2019. -- The Phase 2 portion of the Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of AVB-S6-500 in patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer is expected to be initiated in 4Q 2019/1Q 2020. -- A Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of AVB-S6-500 in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma is anticipated to be initiated in 4Q 2019.

4. Assembly Biosciences Inc. (ASMB)

Assembly Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative therapeutics targeting hepatitis B virus (HBV) and diseases associated with the microbiome.

Gained 16.24% to close Wednesday's trading at $14.82.

News: No news

Clinical Trials & Near-term Catalysts:

-- Additional data from the ongoing long-term Phase 2a trial combining ABI-H0731 a potent core inhibitor, for the treatment of HBV, with Nuc therapy, including 48-week interim results, are expected in Q4 2019. -- Data from Phase 1b trial of ABI-H2158 in HBV-infected subjects are expected in Q1 2020. -- A Phase 1a trial of ABI-H3733, an HBV drug candidate, is expected to be initiated in Q1 2020. -- A Phase 1b trial of ABI-M201 in patients with mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis is underway.

5. Ideaya Biosciences Inc. (IDYA)

IDEAYA Biosciences Inc. is an oncology-focused precision medicine company developing targeted therapeutics for patient populations selected using molecular diagnostics.

Gained 14.24% to close Wednesday's trading at $10.91.

News: No news

Recent event:

The Company went public on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 23, 2019, offering its shares at a price of $10 each.

Clinical Trials & Near-term Catalysts:

-- A phase I/II basket trial with IDE196 in patients with solid tumors harboring GNAQ/11 mutations or PRKC fusions is underway, with the release of interim data expected in Q2/Q3 2020. -- A phase I study of LXS196, an oral protein kinase C inhibitor, in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, being conducted by Novartis, is ongoing.