Biotech and Pain Management Therapeutics Segments Projected to Grow

NEW YORK, January 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to EP Vantage, the editorial arm of Evaluate Ltd., in 2017 the FDA has given green light to 43 novel drugs, which are forecast to be generating a combined $32bn in US sales in five-years' time. The report indicates that the upward momentum seen in the pharma and biotech sectors during 2017 is expected to continue into 2018, with more novel medicines set to hit the market and investor support for the industry remaining strong. Amy Brown, report author, explained, "Venture capital funds are very well stocked going into 2018, and both public and private investors look set to remain supportive of innovative, early-stage drug developers… However, there is evidence that expectations have got ahead of themselves in certain areas - particularly in immuno-oncology. To keep investors on side next year the industry needs to deliver some big pipeline wins, and important new drug launches need to perform." BioCorRx Inc. (OTC: BICX), Palatin Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: PTN), Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBOT), Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE: PLX), Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: RGLS)

Opioids are the most widely prescribed medications or the treatment of chronic pain conditions, which is a major sector of the pharma and biotech industries. According to business intelligence provider GBI Research, the U.S. market for opioids will grow to $17.7 billion by 2021, at a compound annual growth rate of 7 percent. The report indicates that the U.S. consumes 80 percent of the world's legal and illegal opioids, which are highly addictive and are the country's most abused prescription drug. Deekshita Allavarapu, Analyst for GBI Research, explains: "The FDA has raised concerns over the high use, and the potential for misuse, of opioids. This could lead to the enforcement of regulatory checks that affect the opioid treatment market and its potential growth."

BioCorRx Inc. (OTCQB: BICX) on January 5^th the company announced breaking news that, "it has retained regulatory drug experts Priya Jambhekar and Bruce Firestone, PhD, to assist with the drug development and regulatory process for BioCorRx's product pipeline. Ms. Jambhekar and Dr. Firestone are additions to the Company's current team, which is preparing for its pre-Investigational New Drug (pre-IND) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scheduled on January 24, 2018. As previously announced, the Company is seeking FDA approval for BICX102, a naltrexone implant for the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders. 

Ms. Jambhekar is a drug development entrepreneur with over 25 years of executive experience in worldwide regulatory, quality, clinical and pharmacovigilance operations, as well as early and late stage development product registration and commercial support. She has held positions including Global Senior Vice President of Regulatory & Quality Operations at Paramount BioSciences, Global Vice President at Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson company, and Worldwide Vice President of Regulatory and Government Relations at Alkermes. Other senior positions include Baxter ACC, as Regulatory Head of Compliance, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, as Manager of Regulatory, Safety, Compliance. She is also certified by the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society and the New Jersey Pharmaceutical Quality Control and Assurance Society.

Dr. Firestone has over three decades of pharmaceutical research & development experience with on-time delivery of over 15 product approvals as new chemical entities and line extensions. Dr. Firestone is an accomplished author with over 40 publications, abstracts and patents. He also has extensive chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) expertise with: small molecules, drug and drug-device combinations, sustained-release products, semisolids, topical and intravitreal routes of administration. He has held senior positions at Allergan and is an expert in pharmaceutical product development, manufacturing process development and scale-up, technology transfer, process validation, risk management, technology assessment, due diligence, CMC documentation, and CMC strategy." 

Brady Granier, President, CEO and Director, stated, "Priya and Bruce are valuable additions to the BioCorRx team and we are honored to have them on board. They both bring extensive regulatory and manufacturing experience in drug development and have proven track records bringing drugs to market. We look forward to their contributions as we accelerate our efforts to obtain FDA approval for our naltrexone product that we feel will help many families suffering from the current opioid epidemic and massive alcohol dependence problem."

Palatin Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: PTN) is a biopharmaceutical company developing targeted, receptor-specific peptide therapeutics for the treatment of diseases with significant unmet medical need and commercial potential. Recently, the company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified Palatin that it may proceed with its clinical investigation of subcutaneous injection PL-8177 as a potential treatment for patients with ulcerative colitis. The notice to proceed was received following Palatin's submission of an investigational new drug (IND) application for this program. Palatin expects to commence a Phase 1 single and multiple ascending dose study in the current quarter. PL-8177, a selective melanocortin receptor 1 (MC1r) agonist peptide, is Palatin's lead clinical development candidate for ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases. Agents that modulate the MC1r system may have therapeutic potential in a variety of inflammatory disease indications.

Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBOT) is the leader in sustainable manufacture of Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), an immune-stimulating protein utilized as a carrier molecule in therapeutic vaccines (targeting cancers, immune disorders, Alzheimer's and inflammatory diseases) and for assessing immune system function. On December 1, 2017, the company reported financial results for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and provided an update on its business. During fiscal year 2017, the company advanced a number of strategic initiatives to optimize its manufacturing operations and to secure additional locations for the biologic source of KLH. Stellar currently has multiple customers with KLH-based drug candidates in Phase 2 studies. While the outcomes of these clinical studies cannot be predicted, the company is preparing for the possible impact that favorable clinical results could have on the KLH market and the company's supply capabilities.

Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE: PLX) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of recombinant therapeutic proteins expressed through its proprietary plant cell-based expression system, ProCellEx®. Protalix's unique expression system presents a proprietary method for developing recombinant proteins in a cost-effective, industrial-scale manner. On January 2, 2018, the company announced interim data from the first 14 patients that completed, to date, the Company's phase II clinical trial of OPRX-106 (oral anti-TNF) in patients with ulcerative colitis. The phase II clinical trial is a randomized, open label, 2-arm study of OPRX-106 in patients with active mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. A total of 24 patients were enrolled and randomized to receive 2 mg or 8 mg of OPRX-106, administered orally, once daily, for 8 weeks. The first 14 patients have completed the study, and four patients are currently in treatment and follow-up. The trial evaluated key efficacy endpoints including clinical response and remission utilizing the Mayo score, as well as safety and pharmacokinetics.

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: RGLS) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company leading the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs. On December 19, 2017, the company announced that it has initiated the first-in-human Phase I study of RGLS4326 and completed dosing of the first cohort of healthy volunteers. RGLS4326 is in development for the treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, or ADPKD. RGLS4326 is being studied in a Phase I randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose study designed to investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of RGLS4326 administered subcutaneously in healthy volunteers.

Subscribe Now! Watch us report from NYSE https://www.youtube.com/FinancialBuzzMedia
Follow us on Twitter for real time Financial News Updates: https://twitter.com/financialbuzz
Follow and talk to us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financialbuzz
Facebook Like Us to receive live feeds: https://www.facebook.com/Financialbuzz/

About FinancialBuzz.com  

FinancialBuzz.com, a leading financial news informational web portal designed to provide the latest trends in Market News, Investing News, Personal Finance, Politics, Entertainment, in-depth broadcasts on Stock News, Market Analysis and Company Interviews. A pioneer in the financially driven digital space, video production and integration of social media, FinancialBuzz.com creates 100% unique original content. FinancialBuzz.com also provides financial news PR dissemination, branding, marketing and advertising for third parties for corporate news and original content through our unique media platform that includes Newswire Delivery, Digital Advertising, Social Media Relations, Video Production, Broadcasting, and Financial Publications.

Please Note: FinancialBuzz.com is not a financial advisory or advisor, investment advisor or broker-dealer and do not undertake any activities that would require such registration. The information provided on http://www.FinancialBuzz.com (the 'Site') is either original financial news or paid advertisements provided [exclusively] by our affiliates (sponsored content), FinancialBuzz.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies which are the subject to the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies. We are not an independent news media provider and therefore do not represent or warrant that the information posted on the Site is accurate, unbiased or complete. FinancialBuzz.com receives fees for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on FinancialBuzz.com along with other financial news PR media services. FinancialBuzz.com does not offer any personal opinions, recommendations or bias commentary as we purely incorporate public market information along with financial and corporate news. FinancialBuzz.com only aggregates or regurgitates financial or corporate news through our unique financial newswire and media platform. FinancialBuzz.com has not been compensated by any companies mentioned. Our fees may be either a flat cash sum or negotiated number of securities of the companies featured on this editorial or site, or a combination thereof. The securities are commonly paid in segments, of which a portion is received upon engagement and the balance is paid on or near the conclusion of the engagement. FinancialBuzz.com will always disclose any compensation in securities or cash payments for financial news dissemination and PR advertising. FinancialBuzz.com does not undertake to update any of the information on the editorial or Site or continue to post information about any companies the information contained herein is not intended to be used as the basis for investment decisions and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation. The information contained herein is not an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any security. FinancialBuzz.com, members and affiliates are not responsible for any gains or losses that result from the opinions expressed on this editorial or Site, company profiles, quotations or in other materials or presentations that it publishes electronically or in print. Investors accept full responsibility for any and all of their investment decisions based on their own independent research and evaluation of their own investment goals, risk tolerance, and financial condition. FinancialBuzz.com. By accessing this editorial and website and any pages thereof, you agree to be bound by the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, as may be amended from time to time. None of the content issued by FinancialBuzz.com constitutes a recommendation for any investor to purchase, hold or sell any particular security, pursue a particular investment strategy or that any security is suitable for any investor. This publication is provided by FinancialBuzz.com. Each investor is solely responsible for determining whether a particular security or investment strategy is suitable based on their objectives, other securities holdings, financial situation needs, and tax status. You agree to consult with your investment advisor, tax and legal consultant before making any investment decisions. We make no representations as to the completeness, accuracy or timeless of the material provided. All materials are subject to change without notice. Information is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed. For our full disclaimer, disclosure and Terms of Use. Please visit: http://www.financialbuzz.com.

For further information:
Media Contact:
[email protected]  
+1-877-601-1879

URL: http://www.FinancialBuzz.com

SOURCE FinancialBuzz.com