The company announced Tuesday that it is experimenting with designing nanoparticles that would detect cancer and other diseases before their onset.
Andrew Conrad, head of Google (GOOG) Life Sciences division, said it would be to the body what an oil change is to a car.
"Can you imagine changing your oil when the engine is broken?" said Conrad, who made the announcement at the Wall Street Journal Digital conference.
Conrad said it's time for healthcare to become more proactive than reactive.
Google is working on a wearable device that would detect changes by monitoring nanoparticles in a person's body. That way, they could detect minor swings in tumor cells and other diseases before it becomes a problem, Conrad said.
5 Best Consumer Stocks To Buy Right Now: Layne Christensen Company(LAYN)
Layne Christensen Company provides drilling, water treatment, and construction services, and related products to water infrastructure and mineral exploration markets. The company?s Water Infrastructure division offers a range of water-related products and services, including soil stabilization, hydrological studies, well design, drilling and development, pump installation, sewer rehabilitation, pipeline construction, and well rehabilitation services; and environmental drilling services to assist in assessing, investigating, monitoring, and characterizing water quality and aquifer parameters. This division also provides water treatment equipment engineering services; systems for the treatment of regulated and nuisance contaminants, such as iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic, radium, nitrate, perchlorate, and volatile organic compounds; wastewater pipeline and structure rehabilitation services; and geotechnical construction services to the heavy civil, industrial, a nd commercial construction markets, as well as designs and constructs water and wastewater treatment plants, and pipeline installations. Its Mineral Exploration division offers exploratory and definitional drilling services for the global mineral exploration industry. The company?s Energy division involves in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas primarily in the Midwestern United States. As of January 31, 2011, Layne Christensen Company had approximately 244,000 gross acres under lease and 643 gross producing wells. It also provides energy services. The company offers its services to municipalities, investor-owned water utilities, industrial and mining companies, consulting engineering firms, heavy civil construction contractors, oil and gas companies, and agribusiness. It has operations in North America, Africa, Australia, Europe, and Brazil. Layne Christensen Company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Mission Woods, Kan sas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By George Putnam]
Over its 130-year history Layne Christensen (LAYN) has evolved from a domestic water company into a global provider of services to the water infrastructure, mining, and oil and gas industries; its clients include both governmental and private entities.
- [By Damian Illia]
On Dec. 9, Mario Gabelli added Layne Christensen Company (LAYN). Layne is a water management, construction and drilling company. The company has five segments: Water Resources Division, Inliner Division, Heavy Civil Division, Geoconstruction Division and Mineral Exploration Division.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Watch In Right Now: Lagardere SCA (MMB)
Lagardere SCA is a France-based media group principally engaged in the publishing sector. The Company operates through four business segments. Lagardere Publishing, the Company's book publishing and e-publishing business carried out under the name of Hachette Livre, publishes educational works, general literature, illustrated books, practical guides and works for the youth market. Lagardere Active encompasses the Company's publishing, audiovisual (radio, television, audiovisual production), digital media and advertising sales brokerage businesses. Lagardere Services takes care of the distribution of the newspaper, communication and leisure. Lagardere Unlimited is the division specialized in the sport industry and entertainment businesses and is active via six subsidiaries: Sportfive, IEC in Sports, Upsolut, Prevent, among others. In April 9, 2013, it sold all of its 7.4% stake in EADS. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) and Rio Tinto Group, the world�� largest mining companies, advanced at least 3.5 percent. Repsol SA increased the most in a month after saying it discovered natural gas in Algeria. Lagardere SCA (MMB) lost the most in four months after selling its stake in European, Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Watch In Right Now: Envestnet Inc(ENV)
Envestnet, Inc. provides technology-enabled, Web-based investment solutions and services to financial advisors. The company?s technology platform provides financial advisors with a series of integrated services, including risk assessment and selection of investment strategies, asset allocation models, research and due diligence, portfolio construction, proposal generation and paperwork preparation, model management and account rebalancing, account monitoring, customized fee billing, overlay services covering asset allocation, tax management and socially responsible investing, and aggregated multi-custodian performance reporting and communication tools, as well as access to a wide range of leading third-party asset custodians. It also offers Web-based access to a range of technology-enabled investment solutions, including separately managed accounts (SMAs), which allow advisors to offer their investor clients a managed portfolio of securities with a personalized tax basis; unified managed accounts (UMAs) that allow the advisor to use various types of investment vehicles in one account; advisor-directed portfolios, where advisors create, implement, and maintain their own investment portfolio models to address specific client needs; mutual funds and portfolios of exchange-traded funds (ETFs); and access to a range of investment managers and investment strategists. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of Envestnet (NYSE: ENV ) have jumped today by as much as 13% after the company said it closed the acquisition of Prudent Wealth Management Solutions, or WMS.
- [By Monica Wolfe]
Envestnet (ENV)
During the second quarter, Columbia Wanger increased their position in Envestnet by 187.59%. The fund purchased a total of 511,394 shares at an average price of $20.28 per share. Since their addition, the price per share has increased approximately 26%.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Envestnet (NYSE: ENV) was also up, gaining 15.06 percent to $34.03 after the company priced 5,045,215 shares of common stock at $29.25 per share by selling shareholders.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Watch In Right Now: Physicians Formula Holdings Inc.(FACE)
Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. develops, markets, and sells cosmetic and skin care products for the mass market channel. Its cosmetic products include face powders, bronzers, concealers, blushes, foundations, eye shadows, eyeliners, mascaras, and brow makeup; and skin care products comprise cleansers, moisturizers, and treatments. Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. sells its products to various retailers in the food retail, drug chain, mass volume, specialty retail, and wholesale channels in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico, El Salvador, and Panama. The company, formerly known as PFI Holdings Corp., was founded in 2003 and is based in Azusa, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:FACE) reported that it has received an unsolicited, nonbinding proposal to acquire all its outstanding shares of common stock at a price of $4.90 per share, subject to several conditions, including the completion of due diligence and securing of financing commitments by the third party who submitted the proposal and the negotiation of a mutually acceptable definitive agreement
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Watch In Right Now: Peoples Bancorp Inc.(PEBO)
Peoples Bancorp Inc. operates as a holding company for Peoples Bank, National Association that provides financial products and services. It offers commercial and retail banking, insurance, brokerage, and trust services. The company accepts various deposit products, including demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit; and provides commercial, consumer, and real estate mortgage loans, as well as lines of credit. It also offers debit and automated teller machine (ATM) cards; corporate and personal trust services; safe deposit rental facilities; travelers checks, money orders, and cashier?s checks; and telephone and Internet-based banking services. In addition, the company provides a range of life, health, and property and casualty insurance products; and fiduciary and wealth management services. Further, it offers brokerage services through an unaffiliated registered broker-dealer; and credit cards to consumers and business es, as well as provides merchant credit card processing services through joint marketing arrangements with third parties. The company offers its financial products and services through 47 financial service locations and 40 ATMs in southeastern Ohio, northwestern West Virginia, and northeastern Kentucky. Peoples Bancorp Inc. was founded in 1902 and is based in Marietta, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Marietta, Ohio-based bank holding company Peoples Bancorp (PEBO) raised its quarterly dividend 7% to 15 cents per share, payable on Feb. 18 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 3.
PEBO Dividend Yield: 2.60%
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Watch In Right Now: Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (INO)
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on June 29, 1983, is engaged in the development of a new generation of vaccines, called synthetic vaccines, focused on cancers and infectious diseases. The Company's SynCon technology enables the design of universal vaccines capable of providing cross-protection against existing or changing strains of pathogens, such as influenza and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The Company's electroporation delivery technology uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to increase cellular uptake of the vaccine. Its clinical programs include cervical dysplasia (therapeutic), avian influenza (preventive), prostate cancer (therapeutic), leukemia (therapeutic), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV vaccines. It is advancing preclinical research and clinical development for a universal seasonal/pandemic influenza vaccine, as well as preclinical work for other products, including malaria and prostate cancer vaccines. Its partners and collaborators include University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health/Malaria Vaccine Initiative (PATH/MVI), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Merck, ChronTech, University of Southampton, United States Military HIV Research Program (USMHRP), the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and HIV Vaccines Trial Network (HVTN). As of December 31, 2011 it owned 16.1% interest in VGX Int��.
Inovio�� Solution
The Company�� synthetic vaccine platform consists of its SynCon vaccine design process and electroporation delivery technology. It has developed a preclinical and clinical stage pipeline of vaccines. The Company�� synthetic vaccines are designed to prevent a disease (prophylactic vaccines) or treat an existing disease (therapeutic vaccines). Its synthetic vaccine consists of a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) plasmid encoding a selected antigen! (s), which is introduced into cells of humans or animals with the purpose of evoking an immune response to the encoded antigen. The Company�� synthetic vaccines are designed to generate specific antibody and/or T-cell responses.
The Company�� SynCon technology provides processes that employ bioinformatics, which combine extensive genetic data and sophisticated algorithms. Its design process uses the genetic make-up of a common antigen(s) from multiple strains of a virus within a viral sub-type or taxonomic group (family) of pathogens, such as HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), influenza and other diseases to synthetically create a new antigen for the desired pathogen target that does not exist in nature. Its synthetic vaccine candidates are being delivered into cells of the body using its electroporation (EP) DNA delivery technology.
Cancer Synthetic Vaccines
The Company has two broad types of cancer vaccines: preventive (or prophylactic) vaccines, which are intended to prevent cancer from developing in healthy people, and treatment (or therapeutic) vaccines, which are intended to treat an existing cancer by strengthening the body�� natural defenses against the cancer. Two types of cancer preventive vaccines are available in the United States. The United States Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) has approved two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix that protect against infection by the two types of HPV-types 16 and 18-that cause approximately 70% of all cases of cervical cancer worldwide. In addition, Gardasil protects against infection by two additional HPV types, 6 and 11, which are responsible for about 90% of all cases of genital warts in males and females but do not cause cervical cancer.
Cervarix manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is composed of virus-like particles (VLPs) made with proteins from HPV types 16 and 18. Cervarix is approved for use in females��ages 10 to 25 for the prevention of cervical cancer caused by! HPV type! s 16 and 18. Gardasil manufactured by Merck, is approved for use in females for the prevention of cervical cancer, and some vulvar and vaginal cancers, caused by HPV types 16 and 18 and for use in males and females for the prevention of genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11. The vaccine is approved for these uses in females and males ages 9 to 26. The FDA has also approved a cancer preventive vaccine that protects against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
Inovio�� VGX-3100 is designed to raise immune responses against the E6 and E7 genes of HPV types 16 and 18 that are present in both pre-cancerous and cancerous cells transformed by these HPV types. E6 and E7 are oncogenes that play an integral role in transforming HPV-infected cells into cancerous cells. In March 2011, it initiated a randomized, double-blind Phase II study of VGX-3100 delivered using the CELLECTRA intramuscular electroporation device in women with HPV Type 16 or 18 and diagnosed with, but not yet treated for, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3. The study is designed to enroll 148 subjects. In January 2011, it announced the publication of a scientific paper in the journal Human Vaccines detailing potent immune responses in a preclinical study of its SynCon vaccine for prostate cancer targeting two antigens, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA).
In January 2011, the Company announced the regulatory approval of a Phase II clinical trial (WIN Trial) to treat leukemia utilizing its new ELGEN 1000 automated vaccine delivery device. The single dose level, Phase II study, called WT1 immunity via DNA fusion gene vaccination in haematological malignancies by intramuscular injection followed by intramuscular electroporation. Cancer Vaccines encodes for hTERT, an antigen related to non-small cell lung, breast and prostate cancers. The vaccine is delivered using its electroporation delivery technology.
Infectious Disease Synthetic Vaccines
In Marc! h 2011, the Company announced the initiation of a follow-on open label, single dose Phase II clinical study in collaboration with ChronTech of the ChronVac-C HCV DNA vaccine delivered using its electroporation technology in treatment naive HCV infected individuals. Its HIV vaccines consist of candidates for HIV prevention, as well as therapy or treatment. PENNVAX-B is designed to target HIV clade B (most commonly found in the United States, North America, Australia and the European Union (EU). PENNVAX-G is designed to target HIV clades A, C and D, which are more commonly found in Asia, Africa, Russia and South America. This Phase I clinical study of PENNVAX-B (HVTN-080) vaccinated 48 healthy, HIV-negative volunteers to assess safety and levels of immune responses generated by Inovio�� PENNVAX-B vaccine delivered with its CELLECTRA electroporation device. PENNVAX-B is a SynCon vaccine that targets HIV gag, pol, and env proteins.The Company�� VGX-3400X targets H5N1. The vaccine consists of three distinct DNA plasmids coded for a consensus hemagglutinin (HA) antigen derived from different H5N1 virus strains; a consensus neuraminidase (NA) antigen derived from different N1 sequences; and a consensus nucleoprotein (NP) fused to a small portion of the m2 protein (m2E) based on a broader cross-section of influenza viruses in addition to H5N1 and H1N1. Conventional vaccines are strain-specific and have limited ability to protect against genetic shifts in the influenza strains they target. They are therefore modified annually in anticipation of the next flu season�� new strain(s). It is focused on developing DNA-based influenza vaccines able to provide broad protection against known as well as newly emerging, unknown seasonal and pandemic influenza strains.
Animal Health/Veterinary
VGX Animal Health, Inc. (VGX AH), a majority-owned subsidiary, has licensed LifeTide, a plasmid-based growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) technology for swine. LifeTide is one of onl! y four DN! A-based treatments approved for use in animals and is the only DNA-based agent delivered using electroporation that has been granted marketing approval (Australia). VGX AH is also developing a GHRH-based treatment for cancer and anemia in dogs and cats. It is developing a synthetic vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) administered by its vaccine delivery technology. The FMD virus is one of the most infectious diseases affecting farm animals, including cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and is a serious threat to global food safety.
The Company competes with Crucell N.V, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Inc., Novartis, Inc., MedImmune and CSL.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Egan]
Other drug makers rallying on the Ebola headlines include BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (BCRX), Inovio Pharmaceuticals (INO) and Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT).
- [By Sean Williams]
On the clinical data front, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALNY ) and Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NYSEMKT: INO ) both put investors in their happy place.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Watch In Right Now: BR Properties SA (BRPR3)
BR Properties SA is a Brazil-based company engaged in the real estate sector. The Company operates, along with its subsidiaries, in the acquisition, management, leasing and sale of commercial properties in Brazil, mainly office buildings, retail stores and warehouses. The Company also develops and contracts from third parties and the construction of new properties. The Company�� subsidiaries include BRPR I Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, BRPR II Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, BRPR III Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, BRPR IV Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, BRPR V Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, BRPR VII Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda and BRPR VIII Empreendimentos e Participacoes Ltda, among others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ney Hayashi]
The Ibovespa rose for the first time in five sessions, with developer BR Properties SA (BRPR3) leading gains, amid speculation the Brazilian benchmark�� longest losing streak in six weeks may have been excessive.
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