Benzinga's Daily Biotech Pulse: Hematology Conference In The Spotlight, Dr. Reddy To Launch Generic Opioid Addiction Drug

Here's a roundup of top developments in the biotech space over the last 24 hours.

Scaling the Peaks

(Stocks hitting 52-week highs on June 14)

• ABIOMED, Inc. ABMD
• AngioDynamics, Inc. ANGO
• BioLife Solutions Inc BLFS
• BIO-TECHNE Corp TECH
• CONMED Corporation CNMD
• Cytosorbents Corp CTSO
• Emergent Biosolutions Inc EBS
• Endologix, Inc. ELGX
• Galectin Therapeutics Inc. GALT
• Haemonetics Corporation HAE
• ICU Medical, Incorporated ICUI
• Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp IART
• Kindred Biosciences Inc KIN
• Mirati Therapeutics Inc MRTX
• Neogen Corporation NEOG
• Qiagen NV QGEN
• SurModics, Inc. SRDX
• Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc RARE

Down In The Dumps

(Stocks hitting 52-week lows on June 14)

• Achieve Life Sciences Inc ACHV
• Atossa Genetics Inc ATOS
• Evelo Biosciences Inc EVLO
• Intec Pharma Ltd NTEC
• MiMedx Group Inc MDXG
• Sonoma Pharmaceuticals Inc SNOA
• TESARO Inc TSRO

Stocks In Focus

Verastem Announces Common Stock Offering

Verastem Inc VSTM announced a registered sale of 7.17 million shares to funds managed by Consonance Capital, priced at $6 per share. The company expects to realize gross proceeds of $43 million from the offering.

The stock rallied 8.24 percent to $6.04 after hours.

Dr. Reddy's To Launch Generic Opioid Addiction Drug

Dr.Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (ADR) RDY announced that the FDA gave its nod to its generic version of U.K.-based INDIVIOR PLC/S ADRINVVY's opioid addiction drug Suboxone. The company said it's launching buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film, a therapeutic equivalent to Suboxone, in the U.S.

Mylan NV MYL was also granted approval for its own generic version, although the company didn't release information on a potential launch.

On The Radar

European Hematology Association Presentations

• Ra Pharmaceuticals Inc RARX – Phase 2 data for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria treatment candidate RA101495
• Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc KPTI – updated Phase 1b/2 data for its multiple myeloma treatment selinexor, in combination with standard approved therapies, namely Velcade, Pomalyst or Darzalex
• La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company LJPC – Phase 3 data for LJPC-401 for treating beta thalassemia patients suffering from iron overload
• MORPHOSYS AG/S ADR MOR – Phase 2 data for chronic lymphocytic leukemia therapy MOR208+idelalisib
• Blueprint Medicines Corp BPMC – Phase 1 data for avapritnib, codenamed BLU-285, that is evaluated in a study dubbed EXPLORER for treating advanced systemic mastocytosis
• ArQule, Inc. ARQL – Phase Ia data for its B-cell malignancy treatment candidate ARQ 531
• Affimed NV AFMD – Phase 1b data for Hodgkin lymphoma cancer treatment AFM13 in combination with Merck & Co., Inc. MRK's Keytruda
• Beigene Ltd (ADR) BGNE – Phase 1/2 data for its BGB-3111 for treating Waldenstom's macroglobulinemia
• Stemline Therapeutics Inc STML – Phase 2 data for SL-401 for treating blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm cancer
• Global Blood Therapeutics Inc GBT – Phase 2a data for GBT440, which is being evaluated in a study called HOPE-KIDS 1 for treating sickle cell disease in children aged between 6 and 17; In a release ahead of the presentation, the company said new 24-week data for 900mg strength of GBT440 showed sustained and durable improvements in hemoglobin levels and a reduction in clinical measures of hemolysis
• Epizyme Inc EPZM – Phase 2 data for its diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma treatment candidate
• Atara Biotherapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: ATRA} – Phase 2 data for its ATA 129 for Epstein-Barr virus
• BIOLINERX Ltd/S ADR BLRX – Phase 2 data for BL-8040, which is tested for stem-cell mobilization for bone-marrow transplantation
• Other Presentations
• Selecta Biosciences Inc SELB is due to release Phase 2 data for SEL-212, which is being evaluated for tophaceous gout, at the 2018 European League Against Rheumatism Congress.

FDA Tidbits

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb released a statement delving on the agency's efforts to acquaint consumers with information on dietary fiber in food. The FDA issued guidance for food manufacturers to count the fibers while calculating the finer per serving to declare on the Nutrition Facts label. In addition to the eight dietary fibers the agency already recognizes, it's also evaluating additional fibers to be recognized.