A biotechnology company is allowed three-five years for speculation to drive stock's performance, but once sales are produced and FDA approvals occur, fundamentals must be the driver of value. On Tuesday this author was very impressed with the earnings reports from two biotechnology companies, both very different in public perception, but perfectly executing individual product launches.

Santarus, Inc. (SNTS)

Santarus is trading higher by almost 11% recently after reporting earnings on Monday. The company beat expectations with revenue growth of 73% and an EPS of $0.32 ($0.18 better than the consensus). In addition, the company upped its full-year guidance to $330-$340 million, which is better than the $320-$325 million issued during the last quarter. The growth created was a joint effort by all of its five FDA approved drugs, including 21% growth in new prescriptions for its best-selling drug Glumetza -- and sales that nearly tripled for Zegerid (a

The demand for medical isotopes continues to rise. In the US alone, 18 million medical procedures annually use medical isotopes and estimated to grow 10% per year. The global radiopharmaceuticals market was valued at $3.8 billion in 2012 and should reach $5.5 billion by 2017. Over 10,000 hospitals worldwide use radioisotopes in medicine, and about 90% of the procedures are for diagnosis. Every year, medical professionals worldwide carry out more than 30 million procedures using the most widely used medical isotope, technetium-99m (Tc-99m), which is derived from its parent isotope, molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), sourced at five aging nuclear reactors around the world.

Isotopes must be harvested regularly and cannot be stockpiled due to shelf life; Mo-99 has a shelf life of 67 hours. The giant Irish healthcare company, Covidien (COV), and the Massachusetts-based Lantheus are the two major U.S. suppliers that convert Mo-99 to Tc-99m. But the

It is fortunate for all cancer patients and sufferers that innovations in treatment are evolving at a rapid pace. No longer must patients be subjected to invasive procedures and surgeries, nor are the only other viable options radiation and chemotherapy, which both leave the patient in a very weakened state. There are currently many companies vying for a place in the very large and complex cancer treatment space. These contenders are offering novel approaches to combating cancer-alternatives as well as adjuvant therapies. Let us shine a light on three up and coming contenders in the space who are offering something different and ingenious.

Combating Cancer With Heat: Radiofrequency Ablation

AngioDynamics (ANGO) is a company that originally focused on R & D of products and devices in interventional radiology. The company also produces diagnostic and delivery medical devices and supplies. This contender's cancer-fighting weapon lies with its Radiofrequency

For the last two years, I have attended the BIO-Europe, a three-day conference with 1,200 companies and over 130 presentations. These presentations range from single company presentations, company exhibits, and my favorite, large multi-company panels that discuss several key industry-related topics. This is a place where you can see trends in the healthcare industry both before and after they develop.

One of the best things about this conference is that it sets companies at the same table that otherwise may not talk, and one of the panels that I sat through was one with leaders in the cell-based immunotherapy industry. These were companies of all sizes and stages of development, and it was very interesting to hear each company's take on the space, and each company's theory on commercialization, development, and then future outlooks for the space. Of course any time a company is presenting at a conference, it is

Melanoma is known by experts to be the deadliest form of skin cancer. Melanoma is curable, but only if it is detected and treated early on. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 123,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, resulting in 10,000 deaths. There are very few treatment options out there for patients with late-stage metastatic cancer that can increase survival rates and time periods. I will discuss two of these options below and compare them to see which offers more promising results.

Amgen (AMGN) recently announced positive results from its phase 3 clinical trial of Talimogene Laherparepvec (TVEC), a cancer drug candidate that targets melanoma. The drug met its primary endpoint in the trial which evaluated the drug's safety and efficacy in fighting later stages of melanoma against subcutaneous granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). TVEC was found to lead to a complete

Apache (APA) recently reported fourth quarter and 2012 annual earnings. Fourth quarter revenues were flat at $4.4 billion versus revenues of $4.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011. Net income was $668 million, lower by 78% from last year. Apache blamed most of the decrease in earnings on lower oil and gas prices. The price that Apache received for oil dropped by nearly 4%, while natural gas realizations were fully 26% lower. While things look bad for Apache right now, I believe that the company's long-term future looks bright.

Evaluating Apache as an investment

When a prospective investor evaluates Apache their first thought might well be that this company is a loser, and definitely not worth investing in. There are at least eight reasons why an investor might come to that conclusion.

1. Over the last 52 weeks Apache's stock price has decreased by 29%.

2. The company's

There have been growing concerns and issues as of late surrounding the manufacturing and supplying of radioisotopes for medical procedures. Though absolutely critical to the field of healthcare and diagnostic medicine, the fact is that production of isotopes is waning and supply shortages remain, with aging nuclear reactors throughout the world on their last leg, soon unable to continue operations. The other big dilemma has been utilizing isotopes derived from bomb-grade or highly enriched uranium [HEU] materials, a looming and ominous notion due to the plausible adaptation of such materials into weapons of mass destruction.

With the prospect on the horizon of not being able to meet the country's diagnostic medical needs and simultaneously balancing this fact with keeping our country safe from terrorist threat, the White House has taken steps to ensure a reliable and safe supply of medical radioisotopes in the future. The government's objectives include

EMC has announced the release of its enhanced Greenplum Big Data Analytics Appliance for statistical analysis, predictive modeling, and machine learning. The appliance allows users to analyze data within a single architecture. The demand for this tool was created by the increasing quantity of data and the need for complex mathematics to give value to data locked up in previous architecture. Below, I will discuss how recent trends in the Big Data market will favor the sales of EMC's enhanced Greenplum Big Data Analytics tool. Specifically, I will look at the effect of rising Big Data sales around the world and the shifting tastes of consumers toward the new EMC product. The combination of these factors will enable EMC to sell more of its product and improve its long-term value.

Why will EMC achieve sales growth with the new Big Data analytics? Big Data analytics is increasingly being used

The year ahead looks to be promising for the emerging stem cell therapy companies. With an exciting year behind it with multiple promising press releases, positive data presented and even the first official regulatory approval for marketing, I believe the sector has proven itself to be investment worthy with not quite as much risk or speculation as in the past, although there is much work yet to be done in trials. There are three standout companies that I believe have promising therapies that deserve additional research for their potential. Below are summaries of promising companies that had a great year behind them. In each section, I have expressed my own opinion as to the company's investment potential, but I recommend readers doing additional research to confirm or deny my own personal conclusions.

NeoStem (NBS) announced the extension of intellectual property protection for its lead product candidate, AMR-001, with the

With the increase in iron ore price from $115 to $145 in December 2012, the share price of Rio Tinto (RIO) also increased from about $49 to $56 per share (in December 2012), a 14.3% increase. Rio Tinto is currently trading around $53.30 per share. The key reasons behind this jump were the panic due to the expected cyclone in the Pilbara region of Western Australia leading steel mills to replenish their stock, speculation that China would import huge amounts of iron ore in 2013, and political factors which led to many mines shutting down in India. This panic will likely not last long and the prices will come down to a more reasonable level fairly soon.

More Stable Future

70% of Rio Tinto's revenue is generated from the iron ore segment. Rio Tinto is the second largest iron ore supplier in the world. Looking at the global production

On January 19th US News and World Report posted an article in its health section about a small colon cancer study that demonstrated "radioactive beads" implanted near liver tumors appeared to extend survival nearly a year longer than patients who were on chemotherapy agents alone. The study consisted of 39 patients with advanced colon cancer in which the cancer had spread to the liver. The patients underwent an FDA-approved nonsurgical procedure where tiny radioactive beads of the isotope yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres were implanted near inoperable liver tumors. A catheter was inserted into a small incision near the groin and threaded through arteries until it reached the hepatic artery in the liver. Once in place, millions of microbeads were released that emitted high-dose radiation directly to cancerous cells, sparing damage to nearby healthy cells.

Though this form of targeted nuclear therapy is relatively new, there are a number

Cell therapy stocks outperformed the market in 2012, and now with progressing clinical studies there are certain stocks that have jumped to a large extent to begin 2013. Osiris Therapeutics (OSIR) has had the greatest year, with a near 100% gain, but has lost nearly 2% of its value in the last five sessions. Meanwhile, other stocks in the space have rallied with rather impressive gains during the same short period. This may indicate that investors are loading up on cell therapy stocks for the upcoming year and diversifying their portfolio with the stocks they believe will see the greatest performance. I am shining a spotlight on the following stocks-ones that I feel might see large gains throughout 2013.

Not even two weeks after announcing final data for its Phase 2 trial of NeuVax to treat breast cancer, Galena Biopharma (GALE) is removing the number one concern expressed by investors, a public offering of common stock and warrants. However, financing is the nature of the beast, and despite the continuous feed of noteworthy news on behalf of the company and a very attractive valuation, it was pushed lower in after hours trading yesterday following the news of a public offering.

Maybe now with the removal of financial concerns, investors and the company can progress without the fear of needing additional cash. By the time Galena runs out of money next time, it will be a completely different company/stock. It will be a stock that has priced in the interim data from its Phase 3 trial, a stock that has had a great 2012 and will be entering 2013

In the short week of the Thanksgiving holiday, combined with the following Monday and Tuesday, Celsion Corporation (CLSN) rallied to post a gain of more than 45% and has continued to hold these gains. The reason for the movement is related to its lead product, ThermoDox, as the company announced the passing of the 380th progression event in its pivotal study. This passing is significant because it means the company will now begin to analyze and prepare its announcement of data. All early data has been solid, therefore investors are buying in preparation of data, believing significant gains lie ahead in the following few weeks. And if successful, Celsion will not only see a massive change in its valuation, but might also impact the valuation of companies that are developing similar technologies.

A Look at Celsion and its Near Term Catalysts

What makes the movement and the upcoming data

The evolution of novel cancer therapeutics has led to many innovations in treating the disease. Immunotherapies and antibodies have become popular in recent years, but remain second-tier treatments. Radiotherapy, or radiation treatment, has long since been the treatment of choice in fighting cancer, but some have elected to focus on newer and safer cancer targeting therapeutics. Innovations in radiation-based therapies have transpired in recent years, and companies are now finding a more effective targeted approach with radiation-based treatments. However, these companies must now continue to develop, fight regulatory hurdles, and capitalize on the market potential to become effective in a competitive space. Therefore, I aim to look at companies with radiation-based therapeutics that have the potential to return large gains in the years that lie ahead.

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals' (SPPI) Zevalin is an FDA approved product that is highly effective but has underperformed in sales year-after-year. The drug is administered

Very Small Embryonic-Like (VSEL) stem cells could be one of NeoStem's (NBS) most promising clinical products in its pipeline, but it has yet to see an aggressive plan towards clinical development. Stem cells, which reside in adult tissues, were discovered by Dr. Mariusz Ratajczak, an internationally known specialist in the field of adult stem cell biology. They possess the ability to differentiate and develop into multiple tissue types and are showing promise in treating injuries, heart disease, inflammation and a host of other ailments. Since their discovery, VSEL stem cells have been isolated from a few mouse and human tissues and then tested in disease models, but have yet to advance on a large-scale trial. VSELs are being regarded as the answer to the moral and ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cells as they also have the ability to differentiate into multiple tissue types but are found

Cell therapy has produced some solid gains in biotechnology during the last six months, as data, regulatory support and investor confidence have been at all-time highs. The industry consists of companies with breakthrough therapies that have already produced favorable results in 2012, and last week we saw several big announcements from companies in the industry. I am looking at news from the space, and what it means moving forward for these select companies.

First, StemCells (STEM) fell nearly 9% on Friday after reporting its third quarter earnings. The company posted a decline in operating expenses, but the losses were still more than investors expected. The company posted a loss of $0.54, but the Street was expecting a loss of $0.17. Its $247,000 in revenue was also short of expectations, which were $430,000.

Despite StemCells' loss, the stock is still trading with gains of 120% in 2012. The company

Apache (APA) recently announced that higher rig counts and new infrastructure helped the company to achieve record production from its Permian and Anadarko Basin operations. For the three-month period ending September 30th, 2012, Apache reported production of 771,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, up approximately 18,300 boepd, or 2.4%, from the same period in 2011. Deferred production impacted third quarter volume by an estimated 25,000 boepd.

Earnings for the third quarter were $161 million, or $0.41 per diluted common share, after taking into account a non-cash, after tax write-down of $539 million in the carrying value of its properties in Canada due to lower natural gas prices. For the same period in 2011, Apache reported earnings of $983 million, or $2.50 per diluted share. Adjusted earnings excluding the write-down of the Canadian properties and other one-off items were $861 million, or $2.16 per diluted common share as the

We have all learned the basics of supply and demand. The more supply that's present the cheaper a product becomes. The ideal situation is for a producer to have an equal balance of supply and demand to avoid unnecessary costs and to maximize profit. The worst situation is to have heavy demand but lack of supply, as producers realize lost profits and the potential customers go elsewhere.

The nuclear medicine industry isn't your typical story of supply and demand, although it may be one of the best. In nuclear medicine, the isotopes being produced are necessary and crucial for patients, as well as the industries in biotechnology that use the isotopes for various drugs and diagnostic tests. Yet despite its importance, global politicians are demonstrating an "ignore the problem" approach and are allowing very important nuclear reactors, the sources for most of these isotopes, to go offline.

The next three

Cell therapy leader NeoStem, Inc. (NBS) announced on Wednesday presentations at four different conferences for the month of November. This marks the second month in a row that the company and, more specifically, CEO, Robin Smith, has taken a proactive role in marketing the company and educating on the benefits of cell therapy. In October we received true breakthrough data; what can we expect in November?

Cell therapies are not as heavily publicized to the degree of cancer therapies or others in biotechnology. However, its reputation and its benefits are starting to be heard. Like any new technology, it's a process, and Dr. Smith is definitely doing her part to educate investors and the public on the benefits of cell therapy.

Last month NeoStem announced true medical breakthroughs, with data on its VSEL Technology. The data shows the potential of cell therapy, as the company's population of bone