Six Canadian Life Sciences Stocks

Last week, I wrote an article about Canadian Technology Companies. But beyond technology, mining, and oil, Canada is home to over 135 publicly traded life sciences related companies. The following Canadian stocks have market caps above $250 million, and trade either on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ.

MDS Inc. (MDZ) is an Ontario-based developer of products and services for the development of drugs, and the treatment of diseases, including pharmaceutical contract research services and contract manufacturing services for the radio therapeutics industry. The stock has a P/E of 3, and a PEG of 3.46.

Biovail Corporation (BVF) is a Mississauga, Ontario-based company that manufactures pharmaceutical products used to treat central nervous system disorders, pain management, and cardiovascular diseases including Wellbutrin XL and and Wellbutrin SR/Zyban for the treatment of depression, Ultram ER for the treatment of chronic pain, and Zovirax Ointment for the treatment of genital herpes. The stock has a P/E of 13, a PEG of 1.75 and a yield of 11.8%.

Cardiome Pharma Corp.(CRME) is a British Columbia-based developer of cardiovascular drugs. The company recently generated negative earnings of 1.36 cents per share.

QLT Inc. (QLTI) is a British Columbia-based developer of ophthalmology and dermatology pharmaceutical products. The company recently generated negative earnings of 1.68 cents per share.

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ANPI) is a British Columbia-based producer of medical products for diseases and complications associated with medical device implants and surgical interventions. The company recently generated negative earnings of $0.82 cents per share, but has a forward P/E of 20.

Transition Therapeutics Inc. (TTHI) is a Toronto, Ontario-based biopharmaceutical company which develops products for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes. The company recently generated negative earnings of $0.71 cents per share.

By the way, if you are looking for information on high income Canadian stocks, check out Top Canadian Income Trusts.

Disclosure: The author does not own any of the above.

Comments

[R J Steffens]

Hi Stockerblog. That is an interesting article on Canadian Life Science companies with market caps above $250 million. But what about promising Life Science companies that have caps under $250 million? Often, with risk, that is where the largest gains may be found. Aplace to look for promise is at the upcoming ASCO 2008 presentations,and the abstracts are no longer under embargo.

Looks like this one of a Phase I study I found from ASCO 2008 is not only safe (no grade 3 toxicity cases), but is the first peptide vaccine to exhibit such positive immuno responses even WITHOUT an adjuvant:

Results of the first phase I clinical trial of the novel Ii-key hybrid preventive HER2/neu peptide (AE37) vaccine: United States Military Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Group Study I-03.
Sub-category: Vaccines
Category: Developmental Therapeutics: Immunotherapy
Meeting: 2008 ASCO Annual Meeting

"Results: All 15 patients completed the trial with no grade 3-5 local or systemic toxicities. Dose reductions occurred in 47% of patients for local reactions >100mm or grade 2 systemic toxicities. The second group (peptide=500mcg, GM-CSF=250mcg) all required dose reductions prompting peptide-only inoculations in the third group (peptide=1,000mcg, GM-CSF=0mcg). AE37, with and without GM-CSF, elicited dose-dependent immunologic responses in vitro and in vivo to both AE37 and AE36 albeit AE37 responses were more robust. Assessing both toxicities and immunologic responses, the hypothesized optimal biologic dose was determined as peptide=500mcg, GM-CSF=62.5mcg, in 6 monthly injections. Conclusions: The hybrid AE37 vaccine appears safe and well tolerated with minimal local or systemic toxicity if properly dosed. AE37 is capable of eliciting HER2/neu-specific immune responses, even without the use of an adjuvant.

This trial represents the first human experience with the Ii-Key modification, and to our knowledge, AE37 is the first peptide-based cancer vaccine to show potency in the absence of an immunoadjuvant."

abstract.asco.org/Abst...

AE37 vaccine is from Antigen Express- a wholly owned subsidary of (GNBT) Generex from Ontario. This is now in a large Phase II with the USMCI. What do you think, eh? ;)

[who noze]

good spec @1 p.s. they are also in oral diabetic insulin GNBT