TechMARK movers: ProStrakan director buys
11th Jun 2010 13:28
ProStrakan non-executive director Dr Frank Fildes has acquired 40,000 shares in the pharma company at 70.11p each. The £28,000 investment takes his stake to 58,000 shares. The share price has fallen since the beginning of June because the US FDA has delayed a decision on Abstral, a treatment for
Read moreMARKET TALK: KBC Peel Hunt Upgrades Vectura To Buy
8th Jun 2010 11:12
1012 GMT [Dow Jones] KBC Peel Hunt upgrades Vectura Group (VEC.LN) to buy from hold following the drug maker's decision to seek partners to help it develop generic asthma medicine VR315 in the US. Analyst Paul Cuddon says the company previously indicated it wanted to go it alone after European partn
Read moreUK MARKET TALK ROUNDUP: BROKERS COMMENTS
8th Jun 2010 11:12
Broker comments in the UK today. Compiled by Dow Jones Newswires Markets Desk, [email protected] Contact us in London. +44-20-7842-9464 [email protected] 1012 GMT [Dow Jones] KBC Peel Hunt upgrades Vectura Group (VEC.LN) to buy from hold following the drug maker's decision to se
Read moreTechMARK movers: Axis-Shield slumps by one-fifth
10th May 2010 15:12
Diagnostics firm Axis-Shield lost more than one-fifth of its value after it admitted that sales so far this year are much lower than expected. Axis-Shield blames the lack of flu sufferers this winter and a reduction in discretionary health spending. Overall, sales in the 18 weeks to the end of Ap
Read moreVectura narrows losses, $7.5m milestone payment
10th May 2010 08:38
Respiratory inhaler firm Vectura says it has narrowed full-year losses and received a $7.5m milestone payment from Novartis after its Swiss partner started phase III clinical tests of a combination lung drug. Novartis is using its QAB149, or indacaterol, with the UK firm's NVA237 in an effort to tr
Read moreTechMARK movers: Sandoz buy concerns Vectura investors
20th Apr 2010 14:11
Drugs developer Vectura continues to fall on the news that Sandoz, the generics business of Novartis, has acquired rival respiratory drugs firm Oriel Therapeutics. There are worries that this implies that Sandoz thinks that Oriel's drugs are better than Vectura's and brings into question Vectura's
Read moreTechMARK movers: Share buying in Antisoma
9th Apr 2010 15:01
Shares in cancer drug developer Antisoma have had little to cheer about in recent weeks. They plunged at the end of March following news that Novartis had halted a Phase III trial for lung cancer treatment ASA404. APG Algemene Pensioen Groep NV appears to believe that this is a buying opportunity a
Read moreTechMARK movers: Pharma disappointments hit index
30th Mar 2010 15:52
TechMARK is dominated by pharma companies who have disappointed the market in the past week. Antisoma and Vernalis continue their declines. Shares in cancer drug developer Antisoma plunged following news that Novartis has halted a Phase III trial for lung cancer treatment ASA404. Vernalis was hit
Read moreTechMARK movers: ProStrakan cuts loss
18th Mar 2010 15:00
Pharmaceutical company ProStrakan reported a 41% increase in revenues to £79m and a reduced loss in 2009. The pre-tax loss fell from £25.2m to £15m. Net debt was £17.5m at the end of 2009. There are two US approvals pending in the first half of 2010. They are pain relief treatments for cancer pa
Read moreLondon close: Footsie bounces back
27th Nov 2009 16:28
Footsie ended the day with good gains as investors' nerves calmed following sharp declines on the back of worries about the financial sector's exposure to a debt default by Dubai World. Shares initially fell, adding to heavy losses yesterday after Dubai stunned financial markets when it announced t
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie advancing again
27th Nov 2009 14:11
Footsie has rallied and is now showing modest gains as worries over the Dubai debt situation ease. Royal Bank of Scotland has led teh recovery having calmed nerves by saying it has signed up for the government's asset protection scheme (APS). The bank said in a statement that the agreement was sign
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie still lower
27th Nov 2009 12:41
Footsie is still sitting slightly lower amid continued worries over the Dubai debt situation. But Royal Bank of Scotland is now going well having fallen back in early dealings on fears over the financial sector's exposure to a debt default by Dubai World. RBS calmed nerves by saying it has signed u
Read moreLondon open: Dubai fall-out hits again
27th Nov 2009 08:42
London has opened better than forecast after panic on Asian markets overnight over the problems in Dubai. Japan's Nikkei was down 301 points to 9,081, a new four-month closing low. Banks were bashed on worries about the financial sector's exposure to a debt default by Dubai World. Hong Kong fell ov
Read moreLondon pre-open: Dubai hangover
27th Nov 2009 07:42
After yesterday's major shake-out, London looks set for more of the same today, with traders predicting a triple digit fall for Footsie at the opening. Mobile phone retailer and broadband provider Carphone Warehouse has provided some cheer, however. It has upped its full year guidance after posting
Read moreVectura narrows half year profits
27th Nov 2009 07:20
Respiratory inhaler firm Vectura reported a 67% reduction in half year pre-tax losses and said it plans to establish an infrastructure in the US market. Loss after tax reduced to £3.3m in the half year ended 30 September compared with £10.0m last time. Revenues increased by 71% to £22.8m. Vectura
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