Posts for Ticker ‘MBRX’

Top Analyst Downgrades (ACN, FCX, MBRX, NXY, PFG, RBA)

These are some of the top analyst downgrades or cautious research calls we have seen this Tuesday morning before the market opens:

Accenture (ACN) Cut to Hold at Argus.
Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) Cut to Sell at Deutsche Bank.
Metabasis (MBRX) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
Nexen (NXY) Cut to Market Perform at Raymond James.
Principal Financial (PFG) Cut to Underperform at FBR.
Ritchie Brothers (RBA) Cut to Market Perform at Raymond James.

JON C. OGG

Posted on: March 31, 2009 – 7:12 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , ,

Metabasis Escapes Biotech Zombiedom (MBRX)

Metabasis Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MBRX) announced after the close today that its MB07133 has been granted orphan medicinal product status for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer) by the European Commission. This designation would entitle Metabasis with 10 years of marketing exclusivity in the EC if this makes it to approval.  MB07133 is a novel HepDirect® prodrug of cytarabine monophosphate (araCMP) designed to produce the oncolytically active form, cytarabine triphosphate (araCTP), in the liver tumor where it acts to inhibit cell proliferation and cause DNA damage resulting in cell death.

Metabasis had only an $87 million market cap at the close of trading and closed at $2.84.  Shares are up close to 20% after-hours, and its 52-week trading range is $2.65 to $8.64.  As a reminder, this one blew up and imploded back in July into an implosion after the company’s deal with Schering ended after a failed diabetes drug.  Will this help it escape being a biotech zombie?

Jon C. Ogg
October 2, 2007 

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Posted on: October 2, 2007 – 5:34 pm in Biotech, , , ,

Metabasis Therapeutics (MBRX): Another Biopharma Microcap Implodes

Metabasis Therapeutics (MBRX) is off 56% to $3 after its diabetes drug candidate CS-917 failed to significantly lower blood sugar in a mid-stage trial. The company has traded as high as $8.64 in the last year.

It is another example of the "one trick pony" microcap biopharma’s that have nothing to offer but a one product trial. In the last quarter, the company lost over $9 million on revenue of $3.4 million. It loss has been about the level for each of the last four quarters. Add to this that the company had a market cap of $250 million within the last year.

Amazing risk.

Douglas A. McIntyre

Posted on: July 17, 2007 – 8:40 am in Uncategorized,