ZEAL Displays Vigor, MDWD Getting Healed, VERU Up 80% YTD

(RTTNews) - The following are some of today's top gainers in the pharma/biotech sector.

1. CASI Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CASI)

Gained 21.81% to close Tuesday's (Mar.20) trading at $3.91.

News: The Company has announced a $50 million private placement.

About 15 million shares of common stock have been issued by the Company with accompanying warrants to purchase 6.17 million shares of common stock. The purchase price for each share of common stock and warrant is $3.24.

The warrants will become exercisable 180 days after issuance at a $3.69 per share exercise price, and will expire five years from the date of issuance, noted the Company.

The financing was led by ETP Global Fund LP, IDG-Accel China Growth Fund III, and Robert W. Duggan, former Chairman and CEO of Pharmacyclics Inc., and is expected to close on or about March 21, 2018.

2. MediWound Ltd. (MDWD)

Gained 14.89% to close Tuesday's trading at $5.40. This is the second straight day of gain for the stock.

Recent event:

-- On MAR.19, 2018, the Company announced financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2017.

The net loss for the fourth quarter of 2017 widened to $2.4 million or $0.09 per share from $1.9 million or $0.09 per share for the fourth quarter of 2016. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2017 were $0.53 million, up 23% from the $0.43 million in revenues for the fourth quarter of 2016.

Near-term Catalyst:

-- MediWound has been approached by another company to consider a strategic transaction and discussions in this regard are underway.

3. TransEnterix Inc. (TRXC)

Gained 14.72% to close Tuesday's trading at $1.87.

TransEnterix is a medical device company. It is focused on the commercialization of Senhance Surgical System, which digitizes laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery.

Recent events:

-- The Senhance System received FDA clearance for laparoscopic colorectal surgery and laparoscopic gynecologic surgery last October. -- On Mar.6, 2018, the Company announced operating and financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2017.

For the three months ended December 31, 2017, adjusted net loss was $14.1 million, or $0.08 per share, as compared to an adjusted net loss of $13.6 million, or $0.12 per share in the three months ended December 31, 2016. Revenue in the recent quarter rose to $3.4 million, primarily related to the sale of two Senhance Systems during the quarter, compared to revenue of $53 thousand in the year-ago period.

The Company had cash and restricted cash of approximately $97.6 million as of December 31, 2017.

Near-term Catalyst:

-- The Company has sought FDA clearance for the Senhance System to include laparoscopic inguinal hernia and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) surgery in the indicated list of covered procedures.

The Company expects to achieve FDA clearance for the expanded indications by mid-year 2018.

4. Cardiome Pharma Corp. (CRME)

Gained 14.01% to close Tuesday's trading at $1.79.

News: The Company's Canadian business portfolio comprised of 4 commercial and pipeline assets targeting cardiovascular and anti-infective indications are all set to be acquired by Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CPH.TO) for an upfront consideration of C$25.5 million.

The proposed transaction will be completed pursuant to the acquisition by Cipher of all of the outstanding shares of Cardiome, following a restructuring of Cardiome pursuant to a statutory plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

Pursuant to the arrangement, Cardiome shareholders will receive common shares, on a one-for-one ratio, of a newly created Canadian entity named Correvio Pharma Corp. that will apply for a substitution listing on the Nasdaq and TSX.

5. Veru Inc. (VERU)

Gained 11.28% to close Tuesday's trading at $2.17.

News: No news

The Company has 2 marketed products and a well stocked pipeline.

FC2 Female Condom and PREBOOST medicated individual wipe, a male genital desensitizing drug product for the prevention of premature ejaculation are the two marketed products.

Pipeline:

TAMSULOSIN DRS for the Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, VERU-944 for the treatment of hot flashes caused by prostate cancer hormonal therapies in men with advanced prostate cancer, VERU-111, a novel oral chemotherapy, for metastatic prostate cancer as well as for other forms of metastatic cancers, VERU-722 for the treatment of male infertility, and VERU-112 for the treatment of Gout and Familial Mediterranean Fever are the Company's investigational drugs.

The Company utilizes FDA's 505(b)(2) regulatory approval pathway to develop and commercialize drug candidates. This pathway allows for potentially expedited regulatory approval based on a previously established safety and efficacy profile of the product.

Upcoming event:

-- The Company is slated to make a presentation at the Oppenheimer 28th Annual Healthcare Conference at 1:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.

Near-term Catalyst:

-- The Company plans to file its first NDA with the FDA for Tamsulosin DRS this year.

6. Zealand Pharma A/S (ZEAL)

Gained 10.40% to close Tuesday's trading at $16.13.

News: The Company's first multinational phase III clinical trial of Dasiglucagon, a potential first-in-class glucagon analog, suitable for a ready-to-use rescue pen to treat severe hypoglycemia, has successfully met its primary key secondary objectives.

The primary and key secondary objectives in the trial were to evaluate the risk of treatment-induced and treatment-boosted anti-drug antibodies following three repeat doses of Dasiglucagon or GlucaGen. The blinded data-review of the trial demonstrated that Dasiglucagon did not induce or boost anti-drug antibodies.

Additional results from this phase III trial are anticipated to be available in Q2 2018.

A pivotal phase III efficacy trial of Dasiglucagon, initiated late 2017, is ongoing, and results from this trial are expected in H2 2018.