The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights:InterMune, Alexion, Regeneron, VIVUS and Arena

CHICAGO, March 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include the InterMune (Nasdaq:ITMN-Free Report), Alexion (Nasdaq:ALXN-Free Report), Regeneron (Nasdaq:REGN-Free Report), VIVUS (Nasdaq:VVUS-Free Report) and Arena (Nasdaq:ARNA-Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog:

Biotech Stock Roundup

Last week, the spotlight was firmly on InterMune (Nasdaq:ITMN-Free Report), which was an outperformer with shares shooting up and reaching a 52-week high on impressive late-stage data on the company's lung disease drug.

InterMune Scores Huge Win in Phase III Study: InterMune's shares skyrocketed 170.8% on impressive data from the company's phase III study on its lung disease drug, Esbriet. Results from the phase III ASCEND study showed that Esbriet significantly reduced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) disease progression.

Esbriet, currently approved in the EU, is yet to gain U.S. approval. With the ASCEND data in hand, InterMune is set to resubmit an NDA early in the third quarter. The results are compelling enough for the company to succeed in gaining FDA approval.

Approval in the U.S. would boost sales of the drug significantly. Esbriet sales were $70.3 million in 2013. However, it is yet to be seen how Esbriet compares with Boehringer Ingelheim's BIBF-1120 (nintedanib), which has shown potential efficacy in IPF. BIBF-1120 is in a couple of phase III studies for IPF with results due in the first half of 2014.

Orphan Drug Designation for Soliris – Again: Alexion's (Nasdaq:ALXN-Free Report) Soliris was granted orphan drug designation in the EU for yet another indication: the prevention of delayed graft function (DGF) after solid organ transplantation. The designation, which is granted to drugs being developed for diseases or conditions that affect ≤ 5 in 10,000 people in the EU, provides benefits and incentives including a particular period of marketing exclusivity to the developing company.

Regeneron's Eylea Under FDA Review: Regeneron (Nasdaq:REGN-Free Report) continues to make progress with its label expansion efforts for eye drug, Eylea. The FDA has granted standard review to Eylea for an additional indication – the treatment of macular edema following branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). The FDA will issue a response by Oct 23. Eylea is already approved for two indications and under review for another indication (diabetic macular edema) apart from BRVO.

Breaking Down VIVUS' Results: Licensing revenue helped VIVUS (Nasdaq:VVUS-Free Report) post a lower loss as well as significantly higher fourth quarter revenues. Despite this, shares fell 13.2% as investors remained focused on obesity drug Qsymia's performance. Qsymia sales improved sequentially but not enough to ensure investor confidence in the product's ability to gain traction. Prescriptions are yet to bounce back following the post-holiday season and a partnership deal for Qsymia is yet to materialize.

Investors also expressed disappointment inArena's (Nasdaq:ARNA-Free Report) fourth quarter results sending the shares down 3.8%. Sales of obesity drug, Belviq, continued to disappoint. Partner Eisai is putting in a lot of effort (doubling of sales force, DTC campaign) to drive sales. However, it is difficult to get physicians to prescribe obesity treatments. Moreover, new competition could enter the market in the form of Orexigen's Contrave.

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today.

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros.  In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.

Get the full Report on ITMN - FREE

Get the full Report on ALXN - FREE

Get the full Report on REGN - FREE

Get the full Report on VVUS - FREE

Get the full Report on ARNA - FREE

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
[email protected]
http://www.zacks.com

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101027/ZIRLOGO

SOURCE Zacks Investment Research, Inc.