Investing in Autism Treatment 10 comments
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There are a couple ways to invest in the autism arena. One is to invest in the pharmaceutical companies that make drugs for treating the autism related disorders. The other is to find a company that is searching for a direct cure.
In the first category, there are several drug company options. Risperidal, developed and distributed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, a division of the New York Stock Exchange traded company Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), is an antipsychotic medication which is used in lower doses to treat autistic disorders and has FDA approval for use of the drug for symptomatic treatment of irritability in autistic children and teenagers.
Prozac [Fluoxetine hydrochloride] which is made by Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), also traded on the NYSE, has been approved by the FDA for both obsessive compulsive disorder and depression in autistic children age 7 and older. Ritalin is a Methylphenidate drug which, although generally used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has also been prescribed for children with autism. It is produced by the company Novartis AG (NVS), the ADR of which trades on the NYSE; however, the generic version of the drug far outsells Ritalin.
The other approach to autism stocks is Nastech Pharmaceutical Co. Inc. (NSTK), which is currently in a Phase 2 Trial of synthetic oxytocin through the use of a nasal spray. Autistic children have been found to have deficiencies of oxytocin. The company is also involved in the development of treatments for osteoporosis, obesity, inflammation, and metabolic diseases. As with many of these smaller pharmaceutical companies, they have negative earnings and a high price sales ratio of 9.65. Fortunately, year over year quarterly revenue growth was over 270%. Exercise caution before considering this stock since the market cap is only about $275 million.
As long as we are on this topic, I have two books I can recommend relating to autism. The first book is a novel and is called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is written by Mark Haddon. It is a mystery with the main character writing in first person is mildly autistic and a savant. It is a very unique writing style with the character writing in detail about what he sees and what he does and why he does it.
Mathematics is also weaved into the story, but it is interesting math, not boring math. For example, a prime number is a number that can only be divided into evenly by itself or the number one. So, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, are all prime numbers. If you assign a letter of the alphabet to each regular number [i.e. a=1, b=2, c=3, d=4], then assign those values to the letters in the name ‘Sherlock Holmes,’ the numbers will add up to a prime number. The same works for ‘Doctor Watson.’ The author of the book, who is British, has treated thousands of autistic individuals.
The other book, Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant written by Daniel Tammet, who is also British, is an autobiography of a mildly autistic savant.
Disclosure: Author has a nephew who is severely autistic and does not own any of the above stocks.
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This article has 10 comments:
UPDATE-NSTK
FEUERSTEIN'S MAILBAG!
LAST ARTICLE POSTED BY SEEKINGALPHA WAS APRIL 6TH ?
In today's fast world of communications it seems
as if 'SEEKINGALPHA' has either disregarded my post on Sept.2nd, or misplaced it. I find it hard to believe that the last article posted regarding 'nstk' was last April 2007?
This is a stock Touted by Jim Cramer a total of 30 Times to date since March 2007.
You mean to tell me that no news regarding Autism, Obesity, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and RNAI, the areas that is the leading forefront of NSTK has made any news at all for the company.
Electronic communication should be faster than a carrier pigeon, right MICK?
After several inquires written to seekingalpha re:that the last piece of news posted on 'Nstk' was on April 6, 2007, seekingalpha removed the dates on the site. "BRILLIANT"
Instead of updating the site someone decided just to remove the dates. That doesn't fix the problem. If this is a communication site for investors then there is an injustice being served!
EVEN JIM CRAMER HAS TOUTED THIS STOCK A TOTAL OF 30 TIMES SINCE MARCH 16TH UP UNTIL LAST FRIDAY, SEPT.7TH, SO ISN'T THAT NEWSWORTHY?
THIS MUST BE THE BEST STOCK TO INVEST IN FOR THE NEXT DECADE ACCORDING TO HIM.
Why don't one of your biotech editors research this information and report on it. All is fair isn't it?
The new site looks great but the interior needs
updating too.
JIMMY T.
regarding NSTK, let me inform you that he has now issued a don't buy on NSTK. He also stated to wait until it goes back down to $12 dollars. I
thought every investor should know since he has touted this stock to death and since he issued a buy on his video just the day before he changed his mind now!
Nothing but CHAOS! I think both sides should be public knowledge not just Cramers positives on a stock! It's only fair practice.
But why the sudden change all of a sudden?
IN ADDITION A SCIENTIEST SAID THAT FINDING A CURE FOR AUTISM WILL BE DIFFICULT AND HIGHLY UNLIKELY. AND RECENTLY A LIST OF COMPANIES WHICH IS OVER 20 OF THEM ARE IN THE LEAD RE:RNAI AND NSTK WASN'T ONE OF THEM.
The sunami that has begun to deteriorate the stock price will broaden this monday when nstk has a higher loss than expected. and between now and march 2008 when the year end earnings report comes out (which will be huge loss) there is suspect of any good news that will come out in this time frame.
SO WHY DID CRAMER TOUT THIS COMPANY TO DEATH IF NOTHING NSTK IS DOING IS GOING TO BE AROUND THE CORNER SORT OF SPEAK. AN INJUSTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS HAS NOW UNFOLDED
BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE THIS T.V.PERSONALITY
HAS AND HIS FOLLOWERS JUMP AT HIS COMMAND.
BUT TO HYPE A COMPANY IN THE AREAS OF AUTISM,OBESITY,DIABETE... AND RNAI, THIS IS WHERE I HAVE A PROBLEM BASED ON SCIENTISTS REPORTS, THE ENORMOUS LENGTH OF TIME TO GET APPROVALS THAT IS INVOLVED AND NOW INVESTORS WILL MORE THAN LIKELY SUFFER GREAT
FINANCIAL SETBACKS IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS!
AGIN THE CURRENT NEWS IS NOT POSTED ON SEEKING ALPHA AND JIM CRAMER HAS MANY UNHAPPY INVESTORS SEEING RED TODAY!
NOW HE HAS EGG ON HIS FACE FOR SURE!
HYPE&TOUTING ABOVE AND BEYOND HAS HURT
MANY INVESTORS NOW!
HE MADE HIS BED AND HAS TO LIE IN IT NOW
AND ANSWER TO EVERYONE ON NATIONAL T.V.
WARNING TO FUTURE VIEWERS OF MAD MONEY
DON'T JUMP ONTO A STOCK JUST BECAUSE HE SAYS SO!
Yet just this weekend Feuerstein's mailbag states nstk is only in phase 1 re:Autism. Which means if you invested because of the article or the numerous times Jim Cramer said to get in nstk because of Autism, you really and truly have a long wait!
My argument from day one has been why tie up your money in something that may or may not happen in 7 years. Evidence of similar Hype in the past is the longs who bought 6 years ago. The company and price is just about the same.
Unless your a day trader or channeling expert you've made money on the HYPE. As a long investor, your mislead and your aboard a very long period of time with plenty of wild fluctuations and must have patience of a saint!
IS THIS GOOD NEWS OR BAD NEWS? MONEY PROBLEMS AHEAD OR NOT?
NEXT-NEWS RELEASE*ALLOWANCE FOR PATENT& RIGHTS! GOOD NEWS OR NOT? Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) the ability of Nastech or a subsidiary to obtain additional funding; (ii) the ability of Nastech or a subsidiary to attract and/or maintain manufacturing, research, development and commercialization partners; (iii) the ability of Nastech, a subsidiary and/or a partner to successfully complete product research and development, including preclinical and clinical studies and commercialization; (iv) the ability of Nastech, a subsidiary and/or a partner to obtain required governmental approvals; and (v) the ability of Nastech, a subsidiary and/or a partner to develop and commercialize products that can compete favorably with those of competitors.
*ANOTHER WORDS THEY NEED A PARTNER/MONEY!
Since there is rarely an update on this stock since last april 2007 on this site, I deem it necessary to update those who already missed the wedding and are attending the funeral. Someone has to have the guts to speak out, it's our rights to do so under the Constitution. *FINAL THOUGHT! WHY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE STILL INVESTED IN THIS COMPANY AFTER ALMOST AN 80% DROP IN STOCK PRICE FROM AUGUST 2006 IS ABSOLUTELY
LUDICROUS!
SO MONEY CAME FIRST-SHELF REGISTRATION TO RAISE $50 MILLION
-OH WHAT A SURPRISE! OBVIOUS A TEMPORARY BAND-AID TO STOP THE FINANCIAL BLEEDING IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO EXIST.
NSTK IS CREATING A LARGE WHOLE OF DEBT, THAT WILL BE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CLIMB OUT OF REGARDLESS OF THEIR PIPELINE.