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9 pts

Opinion on  StemCells Inc. (STEM)     Sector: Healthcare  >  Industry: Biotechnology & Drugs
New Stock Indexes to Track Trends in Healthcare Sector

Oct 28, 2009 12:01 AM GMT
Mikerun
Return Risk
+1.04% LOW
Principal

Coming Soon. . . a premium service offered in collaboration with Investars YOU for full access to a global database of over 1,000 stocks which are organized and managed within my 20 ProActive HavRx stock indexes . The expected pricing for premium access is $60 per year and will include full access to all of the component stocks in the indexes and tracking data for the indexes. 

Emerging Cancer Diagnostic / Therapeutic (Dx / Tx) Index

The actively managed HavRx Emerging Cancer Dx / Tx Index constituents reflect a cross-section of emerging cancer companies with market caps below $500 million at the time of index inclusion, encompassing the categories outlined below.

 

 (1) diagnostics (molecular diagnostics and device-based diagnostics),

(2) lab services (personalized medicine applications to guide and track the effectiveness of cancer treatments),

(3) drug discovery (screening and modifying compounds to achieve anti-cancer effects during the early stages of preclinical and Phase 1 clinical studies),

(4) immunotherapy (a.k.a. cancer vaccines which are designed to stimulate the immune system to eradicate cancer),

(5) commercial or late-stage (Phase 2-3) clinical development therapeutics, devices, or diagnostics intended for use by cancer patients.

 

A World Health Organization report released last year estimates that cancer will overtake heart disease as the top cause of death in the world by 2010, which is part of an overall trend that predicts global cancer cases and deaths will more than double by 2030. In addition to the urgent need for safer and more effective cancer treatments; advances in genetic testing and screening have the potential to diagnosis the disease at much earlier stages and can also be used to monitor and guide the treatment process.

 

ImmunoTherapy / Vaccines Index

 

The actively managed HavRx ImmunoTherapy / Vaccines Index includes companies with market caps below $5 billion at the time of index inclusion which are developing or commercializing any type of immunotherapy, gene therapy, or vaccine product that is designed to stimulate the immune system for the eradication, combination treatment, or prevention of cancer. In addition, the index will track companies which are developing or commercializing any type of vaccine product or vaccine adjuvant for all types of infectious disease such as influenza (flu) and bio-defense applications.

 

Cosmetic / Restorative Medicine Index

The HavRx Cosmetic / Restorative Medicine (CRM) Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies that derive over 50% of revenue from any of the following activities: (1) prescription skin care therapeutics; (2) medical devices, products, services, OR equipment for procedures which are intended to enhance appearance; (3) medical devices, products, services, OR equipment for use as joint replacements, tissue repair agents, tissue reconstruction agents, surgical adhesives, and cardiovascular procedures; and (4) regenerative medicine products, services, and/or an active clinical pipeline which seeks to restore or repair the functionality of lost or damaged organ, tissue, cellular, and genetic material.

 

The CRM Index is organized to include companies which either enhance appearance or restore bodily functions (with increased demand expected from an aging Baby Boomer population and as medical advances allow people to live longer) - including a breakdown of approximately 15% stem cells + regenerative medicine, 25% skin care + cosmetic medicine, 30% orthopedic repair + implants, and 30% cardiovascular repair + implants.

Emerging Diagnostics Index

The HavRx Emerging Diagnostics Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies with market caps below $500 million at the time of inclusion. The index includes diabetes monitoring device makers, laboratory services, clinical diagnostics, diagnostic imaging, diagnostic equipment makers, and molecular diagnostics.

Global Generic Drug Index

The HavRx Global Generic Drug Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies which meet any of the following three requirements: (1) Derive either $500 million (USD) OR more than 50% of trailing 12-month revenues from the manufacture and sale of any type of generic (off-patent) prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drug product intended for use by humans, including contract manufacturing services for drug products and biological agents; (2) Have one or more compound(s) in active clinical development OR have a pending ANDA with the FDA for a generic drug candidate; (3) As an alternative to the revenue requirement, companies may also qualify by receiving FDA approval for an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) within the past 12 months.

 

Favorable growth trends for the generic drug industry include about $70 billion in brand name drug sales with patent expirations through 2012, a push to increase generic substitution rates from 65% of all prescriptions dispensed to over 70%, continued industry consolidation of small and mid-caps by industry leaders such as Teva Pharma (NASDAQ:TEVA) and Mylan Labs (NYSE:MYL), and news this past week that seven years is an appropriate time period to protect brand-name biotechnology medicines from cheaper generic rivals compared to industry groups which are lobbying for 12-14 years of marketing exclusivity as legislators debate a regulatory pathway for generic versions of biological agents.

Global Health Information Technology (Health IT) Index

The HavRx Global Health IT Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies with market caps below $10 billion that derive over either $50 million or 50% of their trailing 12-month revenue from products and services from the activities outlined below.

 

 (1) electronic transmission, storage, and processing of prescriptions;

(2) secure e-mail transmission for healthcare facilities;

(3) electronic transmission, storage, and processing of medical imaging and diagnostic information;

(4) electronic storage and systems for administrative functions of healthcare facilities and medical records;

(5) electronic transmission, storage, and systems for healthcare market data and clinical trial data;

(6) electronic systems, devices, and services for remote, real-time monitoring of patient health parameters;

(7) medical transcription services, products, and systems for conversion into electronic medical records.

 

Despite uncertainties over the prospects for major healthcare reform, increased spending on Health IT is widely recognized as an important feature to modernize medical records, measure healthcare outcomes, and improve/extend the reach of modern healthcare technology through remote patient monitoring and other related technologies.

Global Stem Cell Index

The HavRx Global Stem Cell Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of regenerative medicine companies (with stock prices of at least 15 cents at the time of inclusion) which derive over 50% of revenue or have compound(s) in active pre-clinical or clinical development which are designed to restore, replace, repair, or enhance the functionality or appearance of tissue and organ systems, including all types of embryonic and adult stem cell therapeutics. In addition, all types of products and services for stem cell banking are included in this index.

Health Benefit Providers Index

The HavRx Health Benefit Providers Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of retail pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, managed care companies, health insurers, hospital pharmacy operators, workers compensation insurers, and specialty health benefit providers.

 

Companies in this index such as UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH) and Aetna (NYSE:AET) have bounced off multi-year stock price lows on the prospect of less sweeping healthcare reform than originally feared, including the profit-less prospect of competing against a public, government-run healthcare plan.

Preventative Medicine Index

The HavRx Preventative Medicine Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies with market caps over $100 million at the time of inclusion that derive over either 50% or $100 million in trailing 12-month revenue from any of the following activities: (1) human vaccines which are already on the market or in active clinical development; (2) diagnostics and lab services; (3) diabetes care; and (4) vitamins, health supplements, functional foods, and weight loss products or services.

Regulatory Catalyst Index

The actively managed HavRx Regulatory Catalyst Index tracks the performance of healthcare companies with pending new drug, biological agent, or medical device/diagnostic product decisions at the FDA.

Pet Care / Animal Farma Index

The HavRx Pet Care / Animal Farma Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies with market caps below $5 billion at the time of inclusion that are active in the following business segments: animal breeding, animal `pharming`, veterinary stem cells, veterinary services, pet retailers, animal feeds nutrition, and veterinary medicine diagnostics. Favorable growth trends for the pet and animal care industry include (1) pet spending in the U.S. is estimated at $43.4B in 2008, up from $32.4B in 2003; (2) about 63% of U.S. households have a pet, which equals over 71M homes; and (3) the worldwide market for animal healthcare, excluding bulk feed and nutrition products, is expected to reach just under $20B in 2008, experiencing growth of 26% from $15.6B in 2003.

Global Hospital Index

The HavRx Global Hospital Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies which derive over 50% of revenue from the following activities: hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, dialysis facilities, hospice providers, inpatient behavioral healthcare facilities, and ambulatory surgery centers. The revenue requirement for this index excludes the following activities: home healthcare, outpatient medical services, and senior living centers.

 

Global Tobacco Index

 

The ProActive Global Tobacco Index is actively managed and tracks the performance of companies which derive over 50% of their revenue from the distribution or manufacturing of any type of tobacco product (e.g. cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco) or any related tobacco supplies (e.g. wrapping papers, tobacco leafs, filters).

 

The FDA now has regulatory authority over tobacco products and tobacco use represents a major cause of preventable deaths and healthcare costs in this country and around the world. However, from an investment standpoint, companies such as Altria (NYSE:MO) with a dividend yield near 8% may actually benefit from the measure which effectively prevents new tobacco products from entering the market, restricts marketing, but falls short of allowing the outright ban of all tobacco products.

Disclosure: No positions


STEM:  This call was made on 10/28/09 @ $1.42
Rating:   Positive   $1.42 (10/28/09)
Gain/Loss:   -8.45% in 39 days


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