Here are Wednesday's articles concerning Vivus Inc's (VVUS) FDA approval for Qnexa. I see this as a blockbuster drug candidate and good news for the nearly 40M Obese Americans. My only caution is later health problems as it uses some form of the fen-phen medication. This is a nice trade right now and in the future. Watch out Alli, Glaxo (GSK) Consumer Health's obesity drug, here Vivus comes. Glaxo's alli just received health concerns recently over liver failure. In addition to Qnexa, Vivus also has various Phase III clinical trials for the ED medication Avanafil due Oct 2009, with a long term safety trial due Oct 2010.
This is from the Wall Street Journal: Vivus CEO Ready To Roll Up Sleeves In Finding Qnexa Partner
As Vivus Inc. moves forward with developing its experimental weight-loss treatment Qnexa, Wall Street will be focused on the next step for the small drug developer: Finding a partner to sell the drug.
Results of EQUIP and CONQUER Phase 3 Studies Exceed FDA Benchmarks for Obesity Treatments, Demonstrate Positive Safety Profile
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) today announced positive results from two final, phase 3 pivotal 56-week studies, EQUIP (OB-302) and CONQUER (OB-303), evaluating the safety and efficacy of Qnexa (TM), an investigational drug, in more than 3,750 patients across 93 sites. The EQUIP and CONQUER studies met all primary endpoints by demonstrating statistically significant weight loss with all three doses of Qnexa, as compared to placebo. Patients taking Qnexa also achieved significant improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors including blood pressure, lipid levels, and type 2 diabetes.
Vivus Soars After Drug Hits U.S. Weight-Loss Targets
Sept. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Vivus Inc. rose 71 percent, the most in about a decade, after the biotechnology company said its weight-loss drug met U.S. guidelines in two large human trials.
Vivus climbed $4.89 to $11.80 at 4 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading, its biggest gain since Dec. 22, 1999, when the Mountain View, California-based company asked U.S. regulators to clear an erectile dysfunction drug.
Vivus is competing with Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. and Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., both of San Diego, to introduce a new diet drug in the U.S., a market that might be worth $10 billion annually for a safe therapy that helps patients lose 10 percent of their weight in a year, said Needham & Co. analyst Mark Monane. Global obesity levels, linked to rising rates of diabetes and heart disease, will swell 75 percent to 700 million people by 2015, according to the World Health Organization.
Merriman Curhan Sees Another 20% Upside In Vivus (VVUS)
September 9, 2009 2:51 PM EDT
Merriman Curhan issued some bullish comments on Vivus (Nasdaq: VVUS) which is up 70% todya following positive Phase III results of Qnexa in Obesity, saying the stock could push toward a $1 billion market cap.
Merriman analyst Michael G. King commented in a report this afternoon saying "Vivus, with the issuance of top-line data from its Phase III trials, Equip and Conquer, has shifted the landscape for the treatment of obesity to a new level. These results open the door to a new frontier in which safe and effective pharmacotherapy for obesity now becomes the new normal. On the basis of the anticipated continued positive news flow, we would expect the shares to push their way toward a $1B market cap.
Even with today's 70% surge the market capitlization of Vivus is about $825 milion, which leaves more room to continue to Buy the shares Merriman said.
Disclosure: Long Vivus
