FOLD Cuts A Deal, SNTA On Watch, NanoString Makes Mega Leap, GALT Vaults

(RTTNews) - Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD) has entered into a collaboration with Biogen Idec (BIIB) to discover, develop and commercialize novel small molecules for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

The collaboration will build upon preclinical studies at Amicus and independent published research that suggest increasing activity of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerobrosidase (GCase) in the brain may correct alpha-synuclein pathology and other deficits associated with Parkinson's disease.

FOLD closed Tuesday's trading at $2.66, up 4.31%.

Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CNAT), which made its stock market debut as recently as July of this year, has initiated a phase II study of Emricasan in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.

This study is being conducted by the Translational Research and Evolving Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment (TREAT) Consortium consisting of the Mayo Clinic Rochester, Indiana University, and Virginia Commonwealth University in collaboration with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

CNTA closed Tuesday's trading 0.47% higher at $8.62.

Exelixis Inc. (EXEL) has initiated a phase III trial, dubbed CELESTIAL, comparing Cabozantinib with placebo in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who have previously been treated with Sorafenib. The primary endpoint for the trial is overall survival.

EXEL touched a new 52-week high of $5.64 on Tuesday before closing at $5.58.

Galectin Therapeutics (GALT) touched a new 52-week high of $8.71 on Tuesday before closing at $8.57 following the receipt of US patent for its compound GR-MD-02, a potential ground-breaking treatment for fatty liver disease. GR-MD-02 is currently under a phase 1 clinical trial in patients with fatty liver disease with advanced fibrosis.

We alerted readers to GALT in January of this year when it was trading around $2.46. Had you bought it then, you would have made a gain of 254% based on the new 52-week high.

Click here to see the complete list of double/triple-digit gainers of our premium biotech stocks service.

Neuralstem Inc. (CUR) touched a new 52-week high of $2.52 on Tuesday before closing at $2.14 after the company announced that the first patient was treated in its phase II trial of NSI-566 spinal cord-derived neural stem cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

The trial is designed to treat up to 15 patients and all of the patients in the trial are expected to be treated by the end of Q2, 2014.

NanoString Technologies Inc. (NSTG), which went public in June of this year, vaulted more than 70% on Tuesday to close at $13 following FDA clearance for its Prosigna Breast Cancer Prognostic Gene Signature Assay to assess a patient's risk of distant recurrence of disease.

Prosigna testing services are expected to be available through qualified U.S. clinical laboratories beginning in the first quarter of 2014.

Omeros Corp. (OMER) has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency seeking approval to market OMS302 for use in patients undergoing intraocular lens replacement surgery in the European Union.

The company submitted the New Drug Application to the FDA for OMS302 in July of this year.

OMER closed Tuesday's trading at $5.34, up 1.71%.

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. (SNTA) on Tuesday launched its Hsp90-inhibitor Drug Conjugate platform, consisting of over 350 HD-Conjugated chemotherapeutics, kinase inhibitors, hormone therapies, immunomodulators, and epigenetic modifiers.

According to the company, the Synta HDC platform offers multiple partnering opportunities across a broad range of oncology indications.

SNTA closed Tuesday's trading at $6.47, down 2.85%. In after-hours, the stock was up 3.40% to $6.69.

ANORO ELLIPTA, a combination drug developed by GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Theravance Inc. (THRX), has been recommended for approval by FDA's Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee for the long-term, once-daily, maintenance bronchodilator treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

The FDA panel voted 11-2 that the efficacy and safety data provide substantial evidence to support approval of the drug. The FDA's decision on ANORO ELLIPTA is expected by Dec.18, 2013.

THRX closed Tuesday's trading at $37.79. In after hours, the stock gained 4.55% to $39.51.