Gainers & Losers Of Apr.6: HTGM, AKTX, FGEN, ARLZ, ADAP...

(RTTNews) - The following are some of the biotech stocks that made their way onto the Day's Gainers & Losers' list of April 6, 2017.

GAINERS

1. HTG Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (HTGM)

Gained 31.64% to close Thursday's (Apr.6) trading at $7.24.

News: No news

Recent events:

On March 22nd, the Company obtained CE marking in the European Union for its HTG EdgeSeq ALKPlus Assay EU, a test that helps to identify non-small cell lung cancer patients who are eligible for treatment with ALK-targeted therapeutics, such as Crizotinib.

On March 23rd, the Company announced that its HTG EdgeSeq technology has been successfully adapted for use with the QIAGEN GeneReader NGS System based on the results of initial technical feasibility tests.

Financials: The financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2016 were reported on Mar.23rd, 2017.

Net loss attributable to stockholders in Q4, 2016 narrowed to $5.67 million or $0.76 per share from $5.69 million or $0.83 per share in the year-ago quarter. Revenue for the recent fourth quarter improved to $1.5 million from $1.2 million in Q4 2015. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to incur a loss of $0.76 per share on revenue of $1.81 million.

The Company ended 2016 with total cash and investments of $11.8 million.

2. Akari Therapeutics Plc (AKTX)

Gained 24.79% to close Thursday's trading at $14.60.

News: The Company CEO, Gur Roshwalb, made a presentation at the Jefferies Complement Symposium today.

The Company's lead drug candidate is Coversin, which is under two phase II clinical trials. The first phase II trial is evaluating Coversin in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) who have never received a complement blocking therapy. The second phase II trial is evaluating Coversin in patients with PNH and C5 polymorphisms resistant to approved drug Soliris (eculizumab).

Near-term catalyst:

-- Interim results from the phase II trial evaluating Coversin in patients with PNH who have never received a complement blocking therapy will be released on April 24, 2017.

3. FibroGen Inc. (FGEN)

Gained 15.03% to close Thursday's trading at $26.40.

News: The Company has priced its follow-on offering at $22.95 per share.

FibroGen is offering 5,228,750 shares of its common stock in the offering, and expects to raise gross proceeds of approximately $120 million. The offering is expected to close on April 11, 2017.

Near-term catalysts:

The Company's lead drug candidate is Roxadustat under development for anemia associated with lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). FibroGen and AstraZeneca are collaborating on the development and commercialization of Roxadustat in China, the U.S., and other major markets.

-- A phase II/III study of Roxadustat is slated to begin in China in the second half of 2017. -- The Company anticipates initiating a U.S. phase III MDS clinical trial in the third quarter of 2017. -- Top-line data from a phase II study of another drug candidate Pamrevlumab in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis are expected in the third quarter of this year.

4. Pulse Biosciences Inc. (PLSE)

Gained 13.69% to close Thursday's trading at $20.02.

News: No news

Recent event:

The Company submitted a 510(k) to the FDA for its PulseTx System for a general indication for soft tissue ablation on March 14th.

The PulseTx System is based on the Company's proprietary technology called Nano-Pulse Stimulation, or NPS, and it marks Pulse Bio's first FDA 510(k) submission.

Near term catalyst:

- The Company expects to initiate the first NPS pilot study in immuno-oncology this year.

Pulse Bio featured in our Company Spotlight column on February 17, 2017 when it was trading around $12.30.

LOSERS

1. Aralez Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ARLZ)

Lost 11.86% to close Thursday's trading at $1.56.

News: The Company announced a reduction in U.S. sales force and cost savings program.

Aralez is reducing its U.S. sales force by 32% and is also decreasing its marketing spend on Yosprala, a drug approved for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients at risk for Aspirin-associated gastric ulcers.

All these measures are expected to support a successful phased launch of Zontivity that is expected to begin in mid-April.

Zontivity, developed by Merck, is indicated for the prevention of cardiovascular events in high risk patients. Aralez acquired the U.S. and Canadian rights to Zontivity from Merck last September.

2. BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (BCLI)

Lost 9.78% to close Thursday's trading at $4.06.

News: No news

Near-term catalysts:

-- A planned phase III clinical trial of NurOwn in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) to be conducted at multiple sites in the U.S. and in Israel is expected to begin enrolling patients in the second quarter of 2017. -- The Company's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Medical Research, Infrastructure, and Health Services Fund of the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital) to explore the possibility of making NurOwn available to ALS patients under the provisions of Hospital Exemption regulation that was signed last month, is expected to be formalized in the first half of 2017.

3. Neos Therapeutics Inc. (NEOS)

Lost 9.38% to close Thursday's trading at $7.25.

News: No news

Near-term catalysts:

-- The Company's resubmitted New Drug Application for Cotempla XR-ODT for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is under FDA review - with a decision expected on June 19, 2017. -- The Company's NDA for NT-0201, which is also for the treatment of ADHD, is under FDA review - with a decision expected on September 15, 2017.

4. Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (ADAP)

Lost 8.49% to close Thursday's trading at $5.50.

News: No news

Recent event: On Apr.5th, the Company announced a registered direct offering of 7 million American Depositary Shares to Matrix Capital Management Co. at a price of $6.00 per ADS.

The closing of this offering is expected to take place on or about April 10, 2017.

5. Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc. (INFI)

Lost 8.21% to close Thursday's trading at $2.57.

News: No news

The key drug candidate in the pipeline is IPI-549, an oral immuno-oncology compound.

Near-term catalysts:

-- Report Phase 1 data from the monotherapy dose-escalation phase as well as the IPI-549 in combination with Opdivo dose-escalation phase in 2017 -- Complete the dose-escalation phase evaluating IPI-549 monotherapy in the first half of 2017 -- Begin enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors in the monotherapy expansion cohort during the second half of 2017 -- Complete the dose-escalation phase evaluating IPI-549 in combination with Opdivo in the second half of 2017 -- Begin enrolling patients with NSCLC, melanoma and SCCHN in expansion cohorts evaluating IPI-549 in combination with Opdivo in the second half of 2017.

6. Atara Biotherapeutics Inc. (ATRA)

Lost 7.73% to close Thursday's trading at $18.55.

News: No news

Near-term catalysts:

- Initial data from the Company's phase I trial of autologous version of ATA188 in patients with primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis to be presented by its collaborating investigators at a medical conference in late April. - Atara Bio plans to initiate a Phase 1 trial of allogeneic ATA188 in patients with multiple sclerosis in the second half of 2017.