Top 5 Medical Stocks For 2014

D. Sharon Pruitt, Source: Flickr.

There a few holidays quite like Thanksgiving. I mean when else do we regularly get a day off toward the middle of the work week, surround ourselves with family and friends, and gorge ourselves with a dozen different types of food until our pants no longer fit? And for me, as a sports lover, I get to watch my Detroit Lions play, which has become a Thanksgiving Day tradition.

But Thanksgiving also has its negative connotation for being the holiday, or the start of the holiday season, that tends to pack on unwanted pounds for millions of Americans. It's no surprise that New Year's resolutions commonly entail losing the weight put on during the roughly five- or six-week holiday season, which begins on Thanksgiving.

With 35.7% of the nation considered obese already according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two-thirds of the nation considered overweight or obese according to standard Body Mass Index calculations, and the obesity officially classified as a disease by the American Medical Association, obesity awareness is growing right along with our waistlines. Thankfully, the number of companies creating product lines, services, or drugs to help us battle the bulge this holiday season is also increasing.

Top 5 Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Five Prime Therapeutics Inc (FPRX)

Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc., incorporated on December 20, 2001, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing protein therapeutics. Protein therapeutics is antibodies or drugs developed from extracellular proteins or protein fragments that block disease processes, including cancer and inflammatory diseases. The Company�� advanced product candidates include FP-1039/GSK3052230 (FP-1039), FPA008 and FPA144. FP-1039 is a protein therapeutic that traps and neutralizes cancer-promoting fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), involved in cancer cell proliferation and new blood vessel formation. FPA008 is an antibody that inhibits colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R), and is being developed to treat patients with inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). FPA144 is an antibody that inhibits FGF receptor 2b (FGFR2b), and is being developed to treat patients with gastric cancer and potentially other solid tumors.

FP-1039

FP-1039 is a protein therapeutic, which includes the extracellular part of FGFR1. FP-1039 acts as an inhibitor of FGFs, because the FGFR1 portion of the molecule binds to FGFs and prevents them from binding to FGFR1 on tumor and blood vessel cells. Because FGF proteins circulating in the blood are called ligands, FP-1039 is called a ligand trap. FP-1039 also includes a portion of an antibody called the Fc region. In preclinical testing, it observed inhibition of tumor growth with single-agent FP-1039, particularly in tumors withFGFR1 gene amplification, including squamous NSCLC and SCLC.

FPA008

FPA008 is an antibody that inhibits CSF1R and is being developed to treat patients with RA. FPA008 also has the potential to treat patients with other inflammatory diseases, including lupus nephritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. These are chronic, incurable disorders with serious medical complications and disability for ! which better therapies with novel mechanisms of action are needed. FPA008 is an anti-CSF1R antibody, which it designed to block the ability of IL-34 and CSF1 to bind to and activate CSF1R. FPA008 reduces the numbers and activity of monocytes and macrophages that cause disease, and prevents the production and release of inflammatory factors. The Company and others has demonstrated that both IL-34 and CSF1 are present at increased levels in the inflamed joints of patients with RA.

FPA144

FPA144 is a monoclonal antibody directed against a form of FGFR2, or FGFR2b. When the FGFR2 gene is amplified by cancer cells, the FGFR2b protein is expressed at abnormally high levels on the tumor�� surface. This occurs in some patients with gastric and lower esophageal cancers. The tumor cells that have too much FGFR2b protein on their surface can be identified by special staining tests performed on the tumor. Because FGFR2b is the target for FPA144, patients��tumors can be screened for this protein, helping to identify the patients most likely to respond to FPA144 treatment.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is investing US$13 million to expand its wheel manufacturing plant in Europe, to meet growing demand for its lightweight, durable, low-maintenance aluminum truck wheels. To read the full news, click here. L & L Energy (NASDAQ: LLEN) announced today that its Special Independent Committee has appointed Mr. Nicholas Chen, Managing Partner at Pamir Law Group, to replace Mr. Mark Bartlett. To read the full news, click here. Five Prime Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FPRX) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) announced today that they have signed a collaboration agreement for the discovery, development and commercialization of immuno-oncology therapies directed toward targets identified in two undisclosed immune checkpoint pathways using Five Prime's proprietary target discovery platform. To read the full news, click here. First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) on Sunday announced the completion of the 1.3MW(DC) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant at Kitakyushu-shi. Powered by First Solar FS Series 3 Black PV modules, the plant will generate approximately 1,400 MWh of clean and safe solar electricity per year. To read the full news, click here.

  Posted-In: Credit Suisse US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

• [By John Kell and Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); p]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are Keurig Green Mountain Inc.(GMCR), JA Solar Holdings Co.(JASO) and Five Prime Therapeutics Inc.(FPRX)

Top 5 Medical Stocks For 2014: Epizyme Inc (EPZM)

Epizyme, Inc., incorporated on November 1, 2007, is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and plans to commercialize personalized therapeutics for patients with genetically defined cancers. The Company systematically identify the genetic alterations that create cancer causing genes, called oncogenes, select patients in whom the identified genetic alteration is found and then design small molecule therapeutics to inhibit the oncogene. The clinical development plan for each of its product candidates is directed towards patients with a particular genetically defined cancer.The Company is conducting a Phase I clinical trial of its advanced product candidate, EPZ-5676, an inhibitor targeting the DOT1L HMT, for the treatment of mixed lineage leukemia (MLL-r). The Company has identified its two lead product candidates using its product platform.

EPZ-5676-DOT1L Inhibitor

EPZ-5676 is an intravenously administered small molecule inhibitor of DOT1L. The Company is developing EPZ-5676 for the treatment of MLL-r, an aggressive subtype of the two most common forms of acute leukemia, ALL and AML. Patients with MLL-r are routinely diagnosed with existing technologies that are commonly used in clinical setting. The Company�� Phase 1 clinical trial of EPZ-5676 is an open label, multicenter trial that has two phases.

EPZ-6438-EZH2 Inhibitor

The Company is developing EPZ-6438 as an orally available small molecule inhibitor of EZH2 for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients who have an oncogenic point mutation in EZH2. EZH2 is an HMT that can become oncogenic and cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a range of other solid tumors. Two types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of germinal-center origin, or DLBCL, and follicular lymphoma, or FL, are particularly associated with an EZH2 point mutation. There are no therapies approved specifically for the treatment of cancer associated with an EZH2 point mutation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Friday

  Earnings Expected From: Epizyme (NASDAQ: EPZM), Dyax Corp (NASDAQ: DYAX) Economic Releases Expected: ��German GDP, German business climate index, Italian retail sales.

  Get all the #premarket info by listening in to Benzinga's morning show at 8:00 am EST Monday-Friday!

• [By John Udovich]

  On Tuesday, small cap biopharmaceutical company Epizyme Inc (NASDAQ: EPZM) surged 75.56% after the company announced that its�EPZ-5676, a DOT1L inhibitor for acute leukemias, had reached its proof-of-concept milestone, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock as well as look at the share performance of cancer stocks like large cap Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) and small caps�Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ: DNDN) and Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN).

Top 5 Medical Stocks For 2014: Waters Corp (WAT)

Waters Corporation (Waters), incorporated on December 6, 1991, is an analytical instrument manufacturer that primarily designs, manufactures, sells and services, through its Waters Division, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC and together with HPLC, referred to as LC) and mass spectrometry (MS) technology systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products and post-warranty service plans. These systems are complementary products that are frequently employed together (LC-MS) and sold as integrated instrument systems using a common software platform and are used along with other analytical instruments. Through its TA Division (TA), the Company primarily designs, manufactures, sells and services thermal analysis, rheometry and calorimetry instruments. The Company is also a developer and supplier of software-based products that interface with the Company's instruments and are typically purchased by customers as part of the instrument system. The Company's products are used by pharmaceutical, life science, biochemical, industrial, nutritional safety, environmental, academic and governmental customers working in research and development, quality assurance and other laboratory applications. The Company operates in two segments: Waters Division and TA Division.

In January 2012, the Company acquired Baehr Thermoanalyse GmbH. In July 2012, the Company acquired Blue Reference, Inc. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company introduced the Xevo G2-S Q-TofTM and Xevo G2-S Tof mass spectrometers, bringing StepWave ion technology to its bench-top time-of-flight mass spectrometers.

Waters Division

HPLC is used to identify and analyze the constituent components of a variety of chemicals and other materials. HPLC is used to identify new drugs, develop manufacturing methods and assure the potency and purity of new pharmaceuticals. HPLC is also used in a variety of other applica! tions, such as analyses of foods and beverages for nutritional labeling and compliance with safety regulations, the testing of water and air purity within the environmental testing industry, as well as applications in other industries, such as chemical and consumer products. HPLC is also used by universities, research institutions and governmental agencies, such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The ACQUITY UPLC I-Class provides a solution to a critical need by successfully analyzing compounds that are limited in amount or availability.

Waters manufactures LC instruments that are offered in configurations that allow for varying degrees of automation, from component configured systems for academic research applications to fully automated systems for regulated testing, and that have a variety of detection technologies, from ultra-violet (UV) absorbance to MS, optimized for certain analyses. The Company also manufactures tailored LC systems for the analysis of biologics, as well as an LC detector utilizing evaporative light scattering technology to expand the usage of LC to compounds.

The primary consumable products for LC are chromatography columns. These columns are packed with separation media used in the LC testing process and are replaced at regular intervals. The Company's chemistry consumable products also include environmental and nutritional safety testing products. Environmental laboratories use these products for quality control and proficiency testing and also purchase product support services required to help with their federal and state mandated accreditation requirements or with control over critical pharmaceutical analysis. In addition, the Company provides tests to identify and quantify mycotoxins in various agricultural commodities. These test kits provide reliable, quantitative detection of particular mycotoxins through the choice of flurometer, LC-MS or HPLC.

The Co! mpany off! ers a range of MS instrument systems utilizing various combinations of quadrupole, Tof, ion mobility and magnetic sector designs. These instrument systems are used in drug discovery and development, as well as for environmental, clinical and nutritional safety testing. The spectrometers sold by the Company are designed to utilize an LC system as the sample introduction device.

The Company�� smaller-sized mass spectrometers, such as the single quadrupole detector (SQD) and the tandem quadrupole detector (TQD), referred to as LC detectors and are sold as part of an LC system or as an LC system upgrade. Quadrupole systems, such as the Xevo TQ and Xevo TQ-S instruments, are used for late-stage drug development, including clinical trial testing. Quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-Tof) instruments, such as the Company�� SYNAPT G2-S, are used to analyze the role of proteins in disease processes, an application referred to as proteomics. Its SYNAPT G2 HDMS and SYNAPT G2 MS systems are exact mass MS/MS platforms. The Company�� Xevo TQ-S instrument system is designed for UPLC/MS/MS applications. Its Xevo G2 Q-Tof is exact mass quantitative and qualitative bench-top MS/MS instrument systems. The Company�� SYNAPT G2-S incorporates Waters StepWave ion transfer optics and Triwave ion mobility technologies along with a range of informatics tools.

TA Division

Thermal analysis measures the physical characteristics of materials as a function of temperature. Rheometry instruments complement thermal analyzers in characterizing materials. Rheometry characterizes the flow properties of materials and measures their viscosity, elasticity and deformation under different types of loading or other conditions.

Thermal analysis measures the physical characteristics of materials as a function of temperature. Rheometry instruments complement thermal analyzers in characterizing materials. Rheometry characterizes the flow properties of materials and measures their viscosity, elast! icity and! deformation under different types of loading or conditions. As with systems offered through the Waters Division, a range of instrumental configurations is available with sample handling and information processing automation. In addition, systems and accompanying software packages can be tailored for specific applications. The Company�� Q-Series family of differential scanning calorimeters includes a range of instruments, from analyzers to systems, which can accommodate robotic sample handlers and a range of sample cells and temperature control features for analyzing a range of materials.

The Company competes with Agilent Technologies, Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, Bruker Corporation, Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, PerkinElmer, Inc., Mettler-Toledo International Inc., NETZSCH-Geraetebau GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Malvern Instruments Ltd., Anton-Paar, Phenomenex, Inc., Supelco, Inc., Merck and Co., Inc. and General Electric Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon] strong>Balchem (BCPC)

  路 Idexx (IDXX)

  路 II-VI (IIVI)

  路 Mesa Laboratories (MLAB)

  路 Masimo (MASI)

  I don�� know most of those companies very well. I probably know Waters the best out of that group.

  Obviously, there are companies outside of Phil Fisher�� area of focus ��manufacturing with technical elements ��that fit many of his principles.

  Among really high profile companies, the three that stand out are:

  1. Amazon (AMZN)

  2. Netflix (NFLX)

  3. Wells Fargo (WFC)

  Of those 3, Amazon stands out the most. Jeff Bezos often seems to be channeling Phil Fisher. And I imagine that if Fisher were ever interested in a retailer it would be a retailer with Amazon�� attitude about technology, customers, growth, and the long-term. More than anything though it�� Amazon�� constant internal push to develop new sales and especially new ways to serve existing customers without being prompted by outside forces that makes me think it�� a company Phil Fisher would be very interested in.

  Fisher liked companies that had a philosophy of growth. Something internal to the organization that caused it to seek ways to grow sales, win new customers, develop new products. Fisher obviously wanted a great organization in an industry with great long-term prospects. But I think a lot of growth investors focus more on the latter issue than Fisher would. I know they don�� focus enough on the first issue. Fisher wanted a great organization first and foremost.

  I�� not sure any of the stocks I��e mentioned in this article are necessarily good buys. The one exception is Wells Fargo. I�� never comfortable calling a bank entirely safe. So I�� less sure about suggesting any financial stock as a good buy than I am about stocks in most industries. But if you look at what Wells Fargo has achieved and what they are likely to achieve over the next ten years or so and then consider the price you are paying f

• [By Teresa Rivas]

  Danaher (DHR) and Waters Corporation (WAT) were mirror images of one another, with the former rising 1.3% at recent check and the latter falling by 1.3%.

Top 5 Medical Stocks For 2014: Medifocus Inc (MDFZF)

Medifocus Inc.(Medifocus) is a Canada-based company. The Company is engaged in the business of development and commercialization of minimally invasive, focused-heat tumor targeted cancer treatment devices and systems. Medifocus operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Celsion (Canada) Limited (Celsion). Celsion had purchased from Celsion Corporation (United States), all of the assets relating to breast cancer Microfocus APA 1000 System (System), consisting of the microwave machine, the adaptive phased array (APA) technology licensed from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Company focuses on breast cancer treatment by using microwave heating to enhance neoadjuvant chemotherapy to provide tumor shrinkage and control. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By EquityOptionsGuru]

  Over the past few years, and especially months, biotechnology stocks have been soaring on heightened investor expectations. Investors looking for a unique opportunity to participate in a massive bull rally over the next few years might want to pay special attention to one small but growing company called Medifocus (OTCMKTS:MDFZF).

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks KBridge Energy Corp (OTCMKTS: BMMCF), Medifocus Inc (OTCMKTS: MDFZF) and Inscor Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters and some of it is deserved as the first stock sank 35% on Friday, the second one recently released its financials (which did show a big improvement, but there is also a big catch for investors) and the third one has been the subject of a very aggressive promotional campaign. But are any of these three small caps really all that hot for investors? Here is a quick reality check: