DeCode - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[islandia]

Hier ein Neulisting an der NASDAQ aus meiner Heimat:


Warm reception for Icelandic gene firm`s IPO
(UPDATE: Updates with subscription level, detail on company)

By Ben Hirschler

LONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - A controversial company aiming to tap Iceland`s unique genetic heritage won a warm reception from investors with its initial public offering 23 times subscribed, syndicate officials said on Tuesday.

DeCODE Genetics Inc. (NasdaqNMCGN - news) has bought exclusive access to Iceland`s health records and plans to ``mine`` genetic information from the population, whose composition has remained stable since the ninth century, to study links between genes and disease.

DeCODE, which is listing on the tech-rich Nasdaq market in the U.S. and on Easdaq in Europe, raised $172.8 million as 9.6 million of its shares were priced at $18 each, the top of the expected $14-18 price range.

Lead underwriter Morgan Stanley Dean Witter had earlier increased the offering by 20 percent from an initial eight million shares, giving the company a market capitalisation of around $800 million at the issue price.

Iceland`s gene pool is virtually untouched since the Norsemen first settled there, making the country and its 270,000 inhabitants a unique ``laboratory`` in which to study genetics and disease inheritance.

But not everyone is happy with 12-year access deal clinched in January between the government and deCODE Chief Executive and former Harvard University professor, Kari Stefansson.

Critics include the Icelandic Medical Association and a pressure group called Mannvernd, which says it plans to file lawsuits, although it has not yet started litigation.

Iceland is one of a number of so-called founder populations being studied by geneticists.

Other groups whose DNA is being investigated include the Mormon community in Utah, descendants of original French settlers in Quebec, the population of Newfoundland and certain communities in Finland.

DeCODE plans to use money raised through the IPO for research and development, capital expenditures, working capital, and general corporate purposes.

In February 1998, deCODE signed a deal with Swiss-based drug maker Roche to study the genetic causes of 12 diseases.

The Roche deal could be worth more than $200 million in research funding and milestone payments, the company said, and revenues from Roche accounted for 95 percent of turnover of $16.4 million in 1999.

Shares in deCODE will start trading on Nasdaq later on Tuesday with Easdaq dealings commencing on Wednesday.

[islandia]

Hier nochmal wie der erste Handelstag verlief:


Biotechs ride genome project to strong IPOs
By Cecily Barnes
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
July 18, 2000, 1:40 p.m. PT
update Three weeks after scientists announced a milestone in the Human Genome Project, a series of biotech companies today launched initial public offerings, and enthusiastic portfolio managers have responded with their pocketbooks.

Unlike numerous e-commerce companies that have debuted to indifferent or downright negative investors, two of the biotech companies soared in early trading today. Both DeCode Genetics and Transgenomic rose more than 100 percent after increasing the number of shares sold and pricing at the top of or above their offering ranges.


"Companies specializing in making sense out of the human genome are perceived to be in great demand," said Eric Schmidt, biotechnology analyst with SG Cowen.

DeCode Genetics, an Iceland-based company that intends to sequence the country`s genealogy, jumped 110 percent to $31.50 before falling to $25.44.

The company raised $173 million through the sale of 9.73 million shares, 20 percent more shares than originally intended. The shares sold at $18 each, the top of the initial $14 to $18 price range.

DeCode intends to map the genealogy of "almost all living Icelanders and most of their ancestors," according to the company`s prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In some cases, information exists on Icelanders dating back to the ninth century. The Icelandic genome map will provide scientists with another database from which to study the links between genes and diseases.

DeCode trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker "DCGN." Morgan Stanley Dean Witter handled the sale.


2 messages
Now is a good time to invest. Ian Neubert
BioThech will be B I G !!! ... 3-4 years from now. VladimirOr



More commentary


Transgenomic, which manufacturers tools that can be used to separate DNA and analyze genetic variations, rose 100 percent to $30 before falling to $24. The Omaha, Neb.-based company raised approximately $67 million through the sale of 4.5 million shares at $15, $1 above the $12 to $14 price range. The company increased the number of shares sold by nearly 500,000.

Transgenomicis is among the biotechnology companies that could benefit from the human genome as more studies mandate more research equipment.

"You have the sequence, but now what are you going to do with it? That`s the next step," said Peony Kao, an analyst at Renaissance IPO Fund. "Now you know what genes to target, you need to develop the compounds, you have to develop more drugs and conduct more research and studies for those drugs."

Transgenomic`s customers include Harvard University, the National Institutes of Health and SmithKline Beecham. The company trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker "TBIO." Chase Hambrecht & Quist handled the sale.

A third company, Argonaut Technologies, is expected to price tonight and begin trading tomorrow. The San Carlos, Calif.-based company sells chemistry instruments and services to pharmaceutical companies.

Argonaut plans to sell 4 million shares at a range of $13 to $15. The company has applied to trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker "AGNT." Warburg Dillon Read will handle the sale.

[islandia]

Heute ist die Schweigeperiode zu Ende. Mal sehen ob die Experimente der letzten Monate was interessantes herausgebracht haben. Die naechsten Tage duerften neue Nachrichten kommen.

[kammler]

Hallo islandia,

soeben sind die Quartalsergebnisse bekanntgeben worden. Scheint im Rahmen der Erwartungen zumindest
zweier Analystenhäuser gelegen zu haben:

"Lehman starts DeCODE Genetics as OUTPERFORM" (Reuters 11.21 Uhr) Target 35 USD

"Morgan Stanley starts DeCODE Genetics with OUTPERFORM" (dto 10.31 Uhr) Target 37 USD

Gruss CKammler

PS: Habe heute noch einmal nachgekauft !

[islandia]

So langsam kommen die News:

SOURCE: deCODE genetics and F.Hoffmann-La Roche
deCODE genetics and Roche Announce Milestone in Alzheimer`s Research
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, and BASEL, Switzerland, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- deCODE genetics (Nasdaq: DCGN; Easdaq) and F.Hoffmann-La Roche announced today that scientists at deCODE have successfully mapped a novel gene that contributes to the occurrence of the common form of Alzheimer`s disease (often referred to as late-onset Alzheimer`s).

The location of the gene linked to Alzheimer`s disease within a narrow chromosomal region was achieved through a study focusing on Alzheimer`s disease as a public health problem involving 1,100 participating Icelandic patients and their unaffected relatives. This finding underscores the role of genetics in the pathogenesis of this devastating illness, and represents a critical milestone on the way to identifying a gene and its disease-linked variants.

Roche plans to initiate discovery and development programs for new diagnostics and therapeutics building on this genetic information. deCODE genetics has received an undisclosed milestone payment from Roche for this accomplishment.

Alzheimer`s disease, the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, affects about 5% of people over the age of 65. Due to the continuing rise in life expectancy, the disease and its associated burden of suffering among individuals and their families and its costs to society are becoming ever more significant public health problems. Although progress has been made during the past decade in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer`s disease, there is still no cure.

Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE genetics noted that, ``We have made significant progress towards finding a novel gene that, depending on the presence of certain molecular variations, contributes to the common form of Alzheimer`s disease. This work underscores the feasibility and power of studying common complex diseases using Iceland`s unique resources.``

Jonathan Knowles, Head of Global Research at Roche added, ``We are very impressed by the rapid progress made by deCODE genetics towards identifying genes that play important roles in the molecular pathology of common diseases.``

In March 2000, Roche announced that deCODE scientists had mapped a gene linked to stroke. Last year, the two companies announced the identification of a narrow chromosomal region carrying a gene that contributes to osteoarthritis.

deCODE genetics (http://www.decode.com) is conducting research into the inherited causes of common diseases. Through its population-based approach and data-mining techniques, deCODE seeks to turn raw genomics data into products and services for the healthcare industry.

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world`s leading research-oriented healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and vitamins. Roche`s innovative products and services address prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, thus enhancing people`s well-being and quality of life.

Contact: Arni Sigurjonsson of deCODE genetics, [phone] or [e-mail]; or Katja Prowald of F.Hoffmann-La Roche, [phone] or [e-mail]; or Media - Ernie Knewitz of Noonan-Russo Communications, 212-696-4455, ext. 204, or [e-mail], for deCODE genetics