Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
"The Board is pleased to announce that in the four month period ended 31 October 2017 the Group's total sales grew by 20.6% and like-for-like sales1 grew by 4.3% compared to the same period last year. Customer loyalty remains high and our healthy pet scheme memberships continue to show excellent growth, at a run-rate in line with the 20%+ level reported at our most recent year end.
Has been mentioned in IC over the last few weeks. Rated a BUY by them in last week's edition.
One of the papers rated it a sell a few days ago. Others are more bullish.
Hutchison China MediTech - commonly known as Chi-Med - reported preliminary clinical activity, safety, and tolerability data of fruquintinib, an investigational selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor given in combination with Iressa, on Monday. The AIM and Nasdaq-traded firm said the data came from an ongoing Phase II proof-of-concept trial conducted in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. It said preliminary data from the Phase II proof-of-concept trial - the first study assessing combining fruquintinib with another tyrosine kinase inhibitor - demonstrated promising efficacy and an acceptable safety profile. The data was presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 18th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Yokohama, Japan, on 15-18 October. "Having proven efficacy as a monotherapy in colorectal cancer, fruquintinib is now demonstrating its tolerability and efficacy in innovative combinations which are made possible because of its high kinase selectivity, negligible off-target toxicity, and clean drug-drug interaction profile," said Chi-Med' chief executive Christian Hogg. "In January 2017, preliminary tolerability and efficacy of fruquintinib in combination with chemotherapy, Taxol (paclitaxel), was reported in a Phase I/II trial in gastric cancer. "Now, this early Iressa combination data further validates our long-held research approach to create highly selective and optimized drug candidates." The study assessed fruquintinib - 4 to 5mg, once daily three weeks on / one week off - in combination with Iressa - 250mg, once daily - in China as a first-line treatment for patients with EGFRm advanced NSCLC. Chi-Med said the most common treatment-emergent adverse events in 26 patients were increased aspartate aminotransferase, increased alanine aminotransferase, increased total bilirubin, increased thyroid stimulating hormone, and rash. The eight grade 3 adverse effects were increased alanine aminotransferase, increased aspartate aminotransferase, proteinuria, and hypertension. There were no serious adverse effects, or those that lead to death. Preliminary results in 17 efficacy evaluable patients showed an overall response rate of 76% and a disease control rate of 100%. Four partial responses were not yet confirmed at the time of data cut-off.
IC Biotech feature this week. "It's interesting to note that there are more British biotech companies making no revenue (17 out of 55) than there are groups generating cash from operations (five out of 55). But while HCM and AGY, CIR, HVO and ABZA aren't yet profitable, all have commercial operations that are used to fund new drug programmes. aside from minimising financial risks, these groups already have sales platforms in place for when their new medicines are ready to enter the market. In our view, it's this business model that makes them some of the most attractive biotech companies in the UK".
I'm also in Bioventix (like Matt), Verona Pharma, Valirx and Akers Bioscience. HCM is by far my largest holding. The few I bought at 3630 and sold at over 4400 paid for an iMac, yet I still have more shares than I intended with most in an ISA. David, Genmab looks very interesting, I might dip in there too - thanks for bringing it to my attention.
www.lse.co.uk and www.hl.co.uk up 65 pence today to 44.40 . chi-med.com up 89 pence to 44.64. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hcm+share+price+london&rlz=1CATAAB_enGB696GB697&oq=hcm+&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i60j69i61j69i60j69i59j69i57.5827j0j4&sourcei up 125 pence to 45.00. Which is correct and why the disparity? Thanks
Start of HMPL 689 Phase I Trial in China https://www.investegate.co.uk/hutchison-china-medi--hcm-/rns/start-of-hmpl-689-phase-i-trial-in-china/201708290700081286P/