VPHM - Sector: Healthcare---Industry: Biotechnology & Drugs

[AussieTrader]

On fire in pre market as well, now trading above $12.50 on big volume. above the 200ema now, but below 200sma $14. Interesting to see if VPHM can break the post slump peak at $13.20.

Nicely followed Oliver, you have been active on VPHM and keeping it in front of peoples eyes. Applaud.

[la-onda]

VPHM update:
Coverage Reit/Price Tgt Changed*
ViroPharma: VPHM; Piper Jaffray = Outperform: $12 » $15

http://www.briefing.com/Investor/Public/MarketAnalysis/Calendars/UpgradesDowngrades.htm

UPDATE 1-ViroPharma hepatitis C data promising, shares up
Tue Aug 29, 2006 12:30 PM ET

(Recasts, adds analyst comment)

CHICAGO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Shares of ViroPharma Inc.<VPHM.O> rose nearly 11 percent to a five-month high on Tuesday after the company released better-than-expected early-stage data on its experimental treatment for hepatitis C virus, which it is developing with Wyeth Inc.<WYE.N>

ViroPharma on Monday announced results from early studies of its drug HCV-796 in combination with the standard treatment pegylated interferon that were more encouraging than a prior study of the drug alone, according to an analyst.

ViroPharma's oral treatment HCV-796 is designed to block an enzyme called polymerase that the virus needs to replicate. If left unchecked, the virus can cause fatal liver damage.

Results of a prior study, announced in May, suggested the drug might be less effective than another experimental drug being developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. <VRTX.O>.

Piper Jaffray analyst Rachael McMinn, in a note to clients, said the preliminary data for HCV-796 were "better-than-anticipated." She said the data suggest the compound may be inferior to the Vertex's drug VX-950 but superior to one under development by Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc.

ViroPharma said its experimental drug would move into midstage clinical trials in the fourth quarter,

Shares of ViroPharma rose 10.92 percent $12.39 in midday trading on Nasdaq, after touching a high of $12.85 in the session.

[la-onda]

ViroPharma Drug Encourages Analyst
Tuesday August 29, 3:18 pm ET
Analyst Reiterates 'Buy' Rating on ViroPharma After Company Says Hepatitis C Data Promising

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of ViroPharma Inc. climbed in afternoon trading on Tuesday after the drug development company reported positive data from an early-stage clinical study of an experimental drug to treat hepatitis C.

The stock rose $1.37, or 12 percent, to $12.54 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq. Over the past 52 weeks, the shares have traded in a range of $7.07 and $24.36.

Lazard Capital Markets analyst Joel Sendek maintained a "Buy" rating, and said he was encouraged by the new data.

In the early trial, doses of the drug candidate, HCV-796, were combined with another hepatitis C treatment, pegylated interferon alfa-2b. After 14 days, the combined drugs produced an average viral reduction of nearly 100 percent.

"The data from this Phase I combination trial confirms our previous view that in terms of efficacy, HCV-796 is in mid-range of the drugs in development for HCV," Sendek wrote in a client note. But Sendek noted that the best way to evaluate HCV-796 is through larger, longer trials with patients who have never received treatment for the disease and patients who haven't yet responded to treatment.


Sendek's price target is $21.
The analyst also expects complete results of the trial to be presented later this year and a mid-stage trial to begin in the fourth quarter.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060829/viropharma_mover.html?.v=1

[la-onda]

fyi:
ViroPharma "market outperform"

Wednesday, August 30, 2006 2:52:04 AM ET
JMP Securities

NEW YORK, August 30 (newratings.com) - Analyst Adam Cutler of JMP Securities reiterates his "market outperform" rating on ViroPharma Incorporated (ticker: VPHM). The target price is set to $15.

In a research note published yesterday, the analyst mentions that the data from ViroPharma's Phase I(b) testing of the company's oral polymerase inhibitor HCV-796 in combination with pegylated interferon (PEG IFN) for the treatment of HCV patients was positive. ViroPharma is generating substantial cash flows through Vancocin and the timing of the approval of generic Vancocin is unclear, the analyst says.

[la-onda]

from yahoi:
KEY POINTS:

* Details of HCV-796 Phase II trial design generally in line with expectations

* Phase II Trial To Start In September - Expect Next Eventful 1H07 For HCV-
796. We have learned new details of the design of the upcoming Phase II
study for HCV-796, VPHM and partner WYE's polymerase inhibitor for hepatitis
C. The Phase II trial is described as an open-label study comparing the
safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of PEG-INTRON-ribavirin +/- 500 mg
twice daily HCV-796 in 267 patients with HCV genotype 1 who are either
treatment naive or who have previously failed PEG treatment (non-
responders). The trial is expected to start in September, slightly earlier
than VPHM's guidance of 4Q06. Wyeth's expected timeline, which we interpret
to mean the targeted completion of recruitment by November, would imply
preliminary three-month data by February 2007.
* Trial Design Generally As Expected, But With A Few Twists. We expect that
the vast majority of the 267 patients will be treatment naive and that the
PEG non-responders will be an exploratory analysis. We would caution
investors against expecting any substantial efficacy in a non-responder
population, given the early viral rebound noted in Phase I monotherapy
trials with HCV-796. While we believe that HCV-796 could find an important
role in the failure population, it is likely that it will need to be
combined with new oral antivirals to achieve robust responses in this
patient subgroup. Second, we understand that the trial may test longer
duration dosing of HCV-796 than we had expected. Toxicology studies for 13
weeks have been completed to allow for at least three-month dosing duration
in Phase II. However, the company has longer-term toxicology studies
underway that could enable patients from this study to roll over into
extended continued treatment after month 3. Finally, despite the early
details citing an open-label design, we expect that the trial will likely be
a placebo-controlled, double blinded trial as is the typical practice for
Phase II antiviral studies. Overall, we are encouraged that Wyeth has moved
so quickly to begin the trial and that trial protocols and centers appear to
be in late stage planning.
* Recap Of Phase Ib Data: Efficacy Good Enough To Make HCV-796 A Contender. As
a reminder, VPHM recently announced positive data from a 14-day Phase Ib
trial testing ascending doses HCV-796 (100 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg and 1,000 mg
vs. placebo twice daily) in combination with PEG in treatment naïve
patients. HCV-796 demonstrated a placebo-adjusted sustained reduction in
viral load (VL) of 1.6-1.8 log at day 14. In patients with HCV genotype 1,
the most difficult-to-treat genotype, HCV-796 showed a robust placebo-
adjusted VL reduction of 1.3-1.9 log at day 14. Full data from this study is
targeted for presentation at a medical meeting in 1H07.

PRICE TARGET AND JUSTIFICATION:
Our current $15 price target is based on sum-of-the-parts analysis: $6 for
Vancocin + $2 for cash + $7 for pipeline.

[sebfr]

Hi,

strong bearish signal...Gap is filling and price stopped near big resistance and fibonacci retracement...

[la-onda]

Insider has bought 2000 shares @ 12.25$ 

http://www.secform4.com/insider/showhistory.php?cik=vphm

Frederik, could we please JOIN the different VPHM threads?

http://www.3stocksonfire.org/trading/index.php?topic=497.750


cheers
Oliver

[Ramsburg]

Hi Oliver

Done

[la-onda]

I will use this merged VPHM thread from now one!
nice chart action after the insider buy was published yesterday

Please check the Cowen Report carefully
I have received another analyst report from Piper, if somebody is interested please contact me 

cheers
O.

[la-onda]

updated charts, Bollinger BAnds looks very interesting IMO 

[la-onda]

update from Motley Fool

The Long Road Ahead for ViroPharma
Friday September 29, 11:30 am ET
By Brian Lawler

Nothing is scarier for a pharmaceutical company than the potential threat of generic drug competition. For Pennsylvania-based ViroPharma (Nasdaq: VPHM - News), this threat is even more dire, because the company derives all of its revenues from one drug, Vancocin, that might be facing generic competition in the near future.

As one of my favorite Fools, Rich Duprey, reported earlier in the year, it's still very much up in the air as to when Vancocin might face generic competition, but assuming the worst, it could be as early as two years from now.

ViroPharma desperately needs a drug to come out of its pipeline to replace the $160 million in estimated revenue for 2006 that could be lost if Vancocin, an antibiotic to treat infections of the digestive tract, goes off patent in a couple of years. Fortunately, ViroPharma is on its way to ensuring that it will have such a drug candidate nearing approval if this worst-case situation happens for the company.

Yesterday, the company announced that it had started a phase 3 trial of a drug named Maribavir to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV, a herpes virus) infection after stem cell transplantation. Patients with suppressed immune systems, such as those who have undergone a transplant, are at high risk for CMV infection, which can lead to serious complications or death. In the U.S. alone, this represents a potential market for Maribavir of more than 46,000 patients annually.

According to ViroPharma, it will take about 18 months to enroll all 500 patients in the first Maribavir phase 3 trial. With a 180-day follow-up period after patient enrollment, this puts the timeline for possible trial results around 28 months from now, according to my estimates. A second phase 3 trial of the drug is expected to launch later this year.

The timeline for Maribavir is still somewhat murky, but assuming the second phase 3 trial will run as long as the first one is expected to, that puts potential regulatory approval of the drug at no earlier than three years from now (assuming no clinical trial setbacks).

Earlier in the year, ViroPharma released preliminary results of a phase 2 trial for Maribavir. The efficacy results looked good and showed that no patients treated with the drug developed herpes, whereas 11% of the placebo patients did. The company released scant details of the drug's safety, but did note that Maribavir had a "favorable tolerability profile."

I'm always skeptical to take management's words on a drug's trial results until I can read more about them in a scientific journal or presentation. I won't make any final judgments on the prospects of Maribavir for approval until the drug's full phase 2 results are released during a medical conference in early December.

Investors should watch intently to make sure there are no trial enrollment delays or other setbacks for Maribavir. Regardless, with Maribavir now in the final stage of clinical trials, ViroPharma has come a long way toward staving off the possible generic competition to its lead drug. That's something that should make any ViroPharma investor happy.

Fool contributor Brian Lawler does not own shares of any company mentioned in this article. The Fool has a disclosure policy.

[la-onda]

analyst update;  please check the attached document 
price target 14 $

[la-onda]

still inside the narrowed bollinger bands...

any comments from other board members?

cheers
Oliver

[la-onda]

nice weekly chart analysis from alimovestock, just FYI:
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=VPHM&p=W&yr=2&mn=0&dy=0&id=p90962572679&a=83322179&listNum=1

still invested as a long term investor 

cheers
O.

[la-onda]

any body else invested with me ?


ViroPharma "market outperform"

Monday, October 16, 2006 7:14:07 AM ET
JMP Securities

NEW YORK, October 16 (newratings.com) - In a research note published on October 13, analyst Adam Cutler of JMP Securities reiterates his "market outperform" rating on ViroPharma Incorporated (ticker: VPHM). The target price is set to $15.

http://www.newratings.com/analyst_news/article_1391116.html

please check MACD Crossing !!
out of the bollinger bands today?


long and strong
cheers
Oliver