QDEL - Sector: Healthcare---Industry: Diagnostic Substances

[setravis]

A 'Pandemic' Now Declared, Focus Back on Swine Flu Stocks
On Friday June 12, 2009, 12:00 pm EDT

The H1N1 virus is officially a pandemic, and vaccine stocks are responding.

Swine flu stocks are up again today, with some extending weekly gains to more than 20%. A number of companies released good news to end the week. From small-cap players to multi-billion dollar giants, shares are up big on high volume. Novartis (NYSE: NVS) announced today that it will have a swine flu vaccine ready by this fall. Shares are up by 4% on the news.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization raised its alert level on the virus to "Phase 6," indicating that it has officially become a pandemic.

As a whole the Swine Flu and Bird Flu Stocks Index is up by 2.5%. It is now beating the S&P 500 by 35.5% over the last month.

Generex Biotechnology (NASDAQ: GNBT) is leading the Index today with 10% gains. The company was granted five new patents for its drug delivery systems. The patents were awarded in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Lebanon. The stock is still in negative territory this week by -3%.

Sinovac Biotech (AMEX: SVA) is adding another 3% to its industry-leading 30% weekly rally. On Monday the company announced that it had begun production of a swine flu vaccine, and noted that it could produce up to 30 million doses per year.

Vical (NASDAQ: VICL) has fallen from earlier highs, and is now trading up fractionally. Thomas Weisel initiated coverage of the company today with an Overweight rating and a $5 price target. The analyst cited Vical's proprietary technology, strategic partnerships, and licensing agreements.

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) and Hemispherx Biopharma (AMEX: HEB) are both ahead by more than 4% today.

Pure Bioscience (NASDAQ: PURE) and AVI Biopharma (NASDAQ: AVII) are industry laggards today, falling by -3% and -6% respectively.

As of this writing the Swine Flu and Bird Flu Stocks Index is a top-three performing tickerspy Index over the last month, gaining 39.5%.

Investors can follow the Swine Flu and Bird Flu Stocks Index and view related performance charts and metrics at tickerspy.com.

Investors can follow the Swine Flu and Bird Flu Stocks Index and view related performance charts and metrics at tickerspy.com.
http://www.tickerspy.com/index/Swine-Flu-and-Bird-Flu-Stocks?refer=2028Y3
   

[setravis]

Profile: 

 
Quidel Corp.
10165 McKellar Court
San Diego, CA 92121
United States - Map
Phone: 858-552-1100
Fax: 858-453-4338
Web Site: http://www.quidel.com

DETAILS   
Index Membership: N/A
Sector: Healthcare
Industry: Diagnostic Substances
Full Time Employees: 322


BUSINESS SUMMARY   
Quidel Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of point-of-care (POC) diagnostic solutions for infectious diseases, and reproductive and women's health. It provides POC and other diagnostic tests under the QuickVue, QuickVue+, QuickVue Advance, Metra, Quidel, and MicroVue brand names. The company offers products for infectious diseases, such as Influenza, Group A Strep, and Respiratory Syncitial Virus; and for reproductive and women's health, including pregnancy, Chlamydia, Bacterial Vaginosis, and Bone Health. It also offers Immunoassay fecal occult blood test used to detect the presence of blood in stool specimens; and Helicobacter pylori test, a serological test to measure antibodies circulating in the blood caused by the immune response to the H. pylori bacterium. In addition, the company provides veterinary products; and clinical laboratory and research tests that are used in the measurement of circulating immune complexes, complement deficiencies, and complement activation. Quidel sells its products to professionals for use in physician offices, hospitals, clinical laboratories, retail clinics, and wellness screening centers through a network of national and regional distributors, and a direct sales force in the United States, as well as through distributor arrangements primarily in Japan, Europe, and the Middle East. Quidel Corporation was founded in 1979 and is based in San Diego, California.