"Big Pharma Target"
Medgenics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: MDGN and AIM: MEDU, MEDG) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative and proprietary platform technology - a biological "Biopump" - which allows patients to produce, within their bodies and on a long-term basis, their own natural human protein therapy for the treatment of a range of chronic diseases, such as anemia and hepatitis C.
Over on Seeking Alpha, drugs to treat the hepatitis virus are seen as "becoming the hottest area of medicine." The article goes on to state:
"No wonder that large biotechs are looking to buy - hepatitis viruses, grouped as A, B, C, and D, are considered a worldwide epidemic and highly contagious. The World Health Organization (WHO) puts the number of those infected at 550 million, or nearly 8% of the entire human population. Almost 70% of people advance to a chronic state. It is the number one reason for liver cancer. There is no cure.
Which brings us to - Medgenics (MDGN) announcing an Orphan Drug Designation for its INFRADURE for the treatment of hepatitis D. Orphan Drug Designation means smaller clinical trials and faster approval time.
This announcement follows an astounding run of good news for Medgenics including FDA approval of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its EPODURE device for anemia and the launch of a US-based manufacturing facility for its Biopump, the company, making good on our prediction of a highly-favorable relationship with the FDA.
Also, good results would pave the way for hepatitis C trials in the US and for final approval for hepatitis D in Israel. Hepatitis D affects 15 million people worldwide. Hepatitis C is a larger market at 180 million, and we envision INFRADURE serving as a platform technology to launch all versions of treatment for the hepatitis virus."
Medgenics was also featured on the Seeking Alpha's Bio Pharma Movers List.