As medical experts and scientists discover diseases, healthcare companies are ready to meet these challenges by working around the clock to develop superior drug treatments and therapies with the patient’s best interests in mind. Because of this, the healthcare sector manages to remain above the curve, which in turn leads to significant growth seen within the sector.
From data-based approaches and analysis consumer demands/needs, advancements in the sector may catalyze potential opportunities for those looking to healthcare stocks. With this in mind, here are a few healthcare stocks gaining attention this week.
Premier Health Group, Inc. (PHGRF) (PHGI) announced signing a binding LOI to acquire all the outstanding securities of Cloud Practice Inc., a national cloud-based medical records software application company with products ClinicAid, MyHealthAccess, and Juno EMR which is currently used by 287 clinics, over 3,000 licensed practitioners, 1,500 staff and 2,870,000 registered patients.
Dr. Essam Hamza, CEO said, “We are ecstatic at the opportunity to build on our patient-centric technology platform through the integration of Cloud Practice’s suite of software solutions. They have a strong team of developers who are just as enthusiastic as we are about the future of healthcare. We believe that this partnership will help facilitate our vision of integrating telemedicine, online booking, and other premium services with our electronic medical record (EMR) system.”
Premier Health entered the primary care clinic and healthcare technology business via the HealthVue transaction and recently signed binding LOI last month to acquire a British Columbia based pharmacy and expects the acquisition to close in Q1–19, while it continues to evaluate additional pharmacy acquisitions and/or partnerships. The company has also been in discussions with ACMPR-Licensed Producers, other licensed medical cannabis companies and government officials regarding its expansion into the Cannabis clinic space, to establish a framework and recruit a cannabis focused physician.
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (AXSM) announced that its drug candidate, AXS-05, met the prespecified primary endpoint and significantly improved symptoms of depression in the ASCEND Phase 2 trial targeting major depressive disorder (MDD). AXS-05 met the prespecified primary endpoint by demonstrating a highly statistically significant reduction in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score, averaged over the 6-week treatment period as compared to bupropion.
“The clinically meaningful improvements in depressive symptoms seen with AXS-05 in this study were achieved versus an active comparator that is a well-established antidepressant, as early as only one week after initiation of treatment,” said Professor Maurizio Fava, MD, Executive Vice Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Dean for Clinical & Translational Research, Harvard Medical School. “As an oral NMDA receptor antagonist with multimodal activity, AXS-05 could provide a new approach to treating this potentially life-threatening condition.”
Axsome is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for the management of central nervous system disorders. The company’s pipeline includes four clinical-stage candidates, AXS-05, AXS-07, AXS-09, and AXS-12. The Axsome Pain and Primary Care business unit (Axsome PPC) holds Axsome’s pain and primary care assets, including AXS-02 and AXS-06, and intellectual property which covers these and related product candidates and molecules being developed by Axsome and others.
MYnd Analytics, Inc. (MYND), a predictive analytics company aimed at improving the delivery of mental health services through the combination of telemedicine and data analytics, announced entering into a definitive stock-for-stock merger agreement with Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc., a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company. Pursuant to the merger agreement, Emmaus will become a wholly owned subsidiary of MYnd in exchange for MYnd Analytics’ issuance of common stock to Emmaus shareholders and other equity holders. The exchange ratio will result in Emmaus securityholders owning approximately 94% of the MYnd Analytics’ common stock on a fully diluted basis after the merger.
In connection with the transaction, MYnd intends to transfer all of its assets and liabilities into its wholly-owned subsidiary, MYnd Analytics California, and to distribute the shares of MYnd Analytics California to MYnd Analytics’ shareholders as of a record date prior to the merger, which will be set prior to the merger effective time. MYnd expects that the MYnd Analytics California subsidiary, following the spinoff, will commence trading as an independent company.
Robin Smith, Chairman of MYnd Analytics, commented, “We are excited to announce this definitive merger agreement with Emmaus, whereby the MYnd shareholders will own equity in Emmaus, and upon our expected spin-off, will continue to own 100% of the predictive analytics and telemedicine business, which we expect to begin operations as a new standalone public company”.
Loxo Oncology, Inc. (LOXO) and Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) announced a definitive agreement for Eli Lilly to acquire Loxo Oncology for $235.00 per share in cash, or approximately $8 billion. Loxo is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of highly selective medicines for patients with genomically defined cancers and has a promising portfolio of approved and investigational medicines/
The company’s pipeline includes: LOXO-292, a first-in-class oral RET inhibitor that has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for three indications, LOXO-305, an oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, BTK, inhibitor currently in Phase ½ targeting, Vitrakvi, a first-in-class oral TRK inhibitor developed and commercialized in collaboration with Bayer that was recently approved by the U.S. FDA and LOXO-195, a follow-on TRK inhibitor also being studied by Loxo and Bayer.
“We are gratified that Lilly has recognized our contributions to the field of precision medicine and are excited to see our pipeline benefit from the resources and global reach of the Lilly organization,” said Josh Bilenker, M.D., chief executive officer of Loxo Oncology. “Tumor genomic profiling is becoming standard-of-care, and it will be critical to continue innovating against new targets, while anticipating mechanisms of resistance to available therapies, so that patients with advanced cancer have the chance to live longer and better lives.”
This Blog is an affiliate of Midam Ventures LLC. Pursuant to an agreement MIDAM VENTURES, LLC and Premier Health Group Inc. MIDAM was hired for a period from 10/1/2018–4/1/2019 to publicly disseminate information about Premier Health Group Inc. Midam was paid $100,000 (CASH) & “500,000” shares of restricted common shares, they own zero shares that were purchased in the open market. Once the (6) six-month restriction is complete on 4/1/2018, Midam plans to sell the “500,000” shares of Premier Health Group Inc. that they hold currently in restricted form during the time the Website and/or Facebook and Twitter Information recommends that investors or visitors to the website purchase without further notice to you. Midam may buy or sell additional shares of Premier Health Group Inc. in the open market at any time, including before, during or after the Website and Information, provide public dissemination of favorable Information. Click here for full Midam disclaimer.
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