• Telix Pharmaceuticals share price jumps 16% on FDA designation

    medical research

    The Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) share price has jumped by 16.02% today on the back of a market announcement released this morning. The announcement confirmed the company has received a ‘Breakthrough Therapy’ (BT) designation for its renal cancer imaging product from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

    What does this mean for Telix?

    The BT designation means that the FDA will work closely with Telix to provide guidance on the development of its product TLX250-CDx. The product is being developed to determine if “indeterminate renal masses” identified in MRI or CT imaging are either clear cell renal cell cancer or non-clear cell renal cell cancer. It does this using positron emission tomography imaging, which is an imaging technique that uses radioactive substances to visualise and measure metabolic processes in the body.

    According to the announcement, the new BT designation offers Telix a number of significant benefits. These include eligibility for FDA’s ‘Fast Track’ designation and more frequent and intensive interactions with the FDA. It also gives the company the opportunity to submit a ‘rolling’ biological licence application for the product, which allows it to submit its application in separate modules to streamline the approval process. 

    In order to achieve BT designation, Telix needed to provide preliminary clinical evidence that demonstrated its product could have substantial improvement on at least one clinically significant endpoint over available care. This means that the Telix product has shown positive results.

    Commenting on the news, Telix CEO Dr Christian Behrenbruch said:

    The granting of breakthrough designation by the FDA for our kidney cancer imaging product provides Telix with the opportunity to interact closely with the FDA to expedite the registration process of TLX250CDx, a particularly important consideration given the current Phase III development status of the asset. There is a significant unmet medical need to improve diagnosis and staging of clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC), which is the most common and aggressive form of kidney cancer. It’s encouraging that the agency recognizes this.

    About the Telix Pharmaceuticals share price

    Telix is a biopharmaceutical company with a focus on molecularly targeted radiation. It is developing clinical-stage oncology products that will aim to address unmet medical needs in renal, prostate and brain cancer. The company is based in Melbourne and also has operations in Belgium, Japan and the United States.

    In April, Telix released its Q3 FY2020 results and the company appears to be in healthy shape. It had cash reserves as at 31 March 2020 of $34.49 million, and invested $10.61 million during the quarter in direct R&D activities. Telix also spent around $4 million on one-off costs during Q3. These costs were related to making a drug product for its prostate and kidney cancer therapies.

    The company received cash from sales of $1.14 million in Q3 FY2020, which was a 15% increase on the previous quarter. 

    During and subsequent to Q1 2020, Telix saw a number of achievements including:

    • Gaining permission to trial TLX250-CDx in the US
    • Acquisition of a licensed radiopharmaceutical production facility in Belgium
    • A commercial agreement with Cardinal Health as a commercial partner in the United States.

    The Telix share price is up 96% from its 52-week low of $0.755 cents. It has dropped 3% since the beginning of the year, however, the Telix share price is up 17% since this time last year. 

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    Motley Fool contributor Chris Chitty has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • This ASX airliner is flying under the radar

    airplane on the ground at airport terminal

    The Regional Express Holdings Ltd (ASX: REX) share price has recovered more than 195% from its lows in late-March and is trading relatively flat for the year.

    Australia’s largest regional airliner’s share price recovery has dwarfed that of larger airliners like Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) and Virgin Australian Holdings Ltd (ASX: VAH). Here’s why the Regional Express share price has been flying under the radar and why it could be a long-term buy.

    Expanding into the ‘Golden Triangle’

    Regional Express recently announced that the airliner will expand its domestic operations into the ‘Golden Triangle’. In local aviation terms, the ‘Golden Triangle’ refers to the lucrative domestic routes between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

    The company will look to raise $30 million to support the initiative in order to purchase 5–10 narrow-body jets to be based in major cities on the east coast. The airliners board aims to have the new routes in operation by the start of March 2021. The company’s new domestic operations will be priced at affordable levels and incorporate its hybrid business and service model.

    How has Regional Express performed?

    Regional Express operates exclusive services to 60 regional destinations in Australia and currently has a fleet of 60 Saab aircraft. The company has made an operational profit every year since 2004, 2 years after it was founded.

    Despite the company’s resilience and consistent profitability, Regional Express has not been spared the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The airliner withdrew its profit guidance in mid-March and has managed to maintain services to regional Australia thanks to funding arrangements with both federal and state governments. 

    Should you shares in Regional Express?

    Regional Express currently dominates regional services, covering 85% of the routes on offer. However, it should be noted that expanding into servicing capital cities comes with a range of additional risks. The current environment also remains highly volatile given the evolving nature of the coronavirus pandemic. Qantas also sacked 6,000 workers and implement a 3-year recovery plan, despite being a highly-regarded airliner.

    If Regional Express can build on its existing infrastructure and maintain a lower cost base, it should be competitive. I think the prospect of Regional Express expanding its services would be great for consumers and potentially shareholders, too. I think investors should keep an eye on the sector and Rex, in particular, before making an investment decision.

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    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

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    Motley Fool contributor Nikhil Gangaram has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 10 key things to consider to help you buy quality ASX shares

    Checklist page on wooden table with red pen

    While there’s no single ‘right’ way to buy ASX shares, buying when a share is trading at a discount to the sum total of its worth based on earnings, dividends, equity and debt – aka intrinsic value – means you are more likely to make money. That’s because the price at which you enter a stock has a major bearing on your future returns.

    But avoiding paying too much for ASX shares is easier said than done. As an investor, you don’t have the resources to analyse companies across key criteria like growth, value, quality and timing. Even the fund managers and brokers invariably get it wrong. That explains why after 10 years, 85% of large cap funds underperformed the S&P 500, and after 15 years, nearly 92% are trailing the index.

    The key to maximising future returns is to understand a handful of financial ratios, plus some other key indicators. Do this and you’ll significantly improve your ability to buy the right shares at the right price.

    First, the key financial ratios

    No single piece of data should ever be looked at in isolation. The smarter approach is to draw from a handful of criteria to get a much better snapshot of a share’s overall health. Firstly, let’s take a look-see at the financials.

    • Price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio: A combination of the price-to-earnings (PE), divided by the prospective earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate gives the PEG ratio, which measures the price of earnings growth. Ideally you should be looking for a PEG of less than one. Tip: the lower the PEG ratio, the more a stock may be undervalued relative to its future earnings expectations.
    • Price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio: Contrary to the popular belief of many investors, P/E is not a measure of absolute value. As such, it can often raise more questions than it answers. However, a share’s P/E – which is its current share price divided by its earnings per share (EPS) – provides a useful starting point for comparing different shares within like or similar sectors. If you’re set on using P/E as a measure, you need to understand: A) why it might be low, relative to its peers; and B) the outlook for the next 12 months. If you don’t understand these 2 factors, you risk buying value traps, which will drag down your overall portfolio performance.
    • Payout ratio: As a percentage of net profit paid out as dividends, the payout ratio is an important proxy into the sustainability of a company’s dividend. It also provides strong clues into a company’s future growth upside. A payout ratio less than 50% can also signal that the company plans to use surplus cash to grow the business.
    • Return on equity (ROE): A key measure of how well management uses its equity, ROE is earnings (revenue minus expenses, taxes and depreciation) divided by equity. As long as debt remains controllable – ideally with a net-debt to equity ratio under 70% – there’s no better indicator of business performance than the ROE. Another way to look at ROE is to ask whether or not every $1 used in financial growth is able to convert into $1 of market value.
    • Return on investment capital (ROIC): ROIC measures the cash rate of return on the capital that a company has invested. In some cases, it’s modified by replacing earnings with earnings plus the interest on long-term debt. In this case, a comparison with return on equity (ROE) determines whether the company benefitted from the extra debt. Assuming the return on equity (ROE) is higher than ROIC, the debt has succeeded in adding value to the business.
    • Earnings per share (EPS) growth rate: Within normal markets, share prices typically increase if EPS increases. And the faster a company grows its EPS, the higher those earnings tend to be valued.

    Next, the more qualitative measures

    It’s important to overlay the above key financial ratios with some important measures of growth and value. Digging around in the annual report can provide valuable insights into:

    • Management’s track record and industry knowledge. One key element to look for within managements’ talents is evidence they’ve carved out a sustainable competitive advantage for the business. Without it, a company can’t generate long-term, above-market returns.
    • Sales activity: There’s no smoke and mirrors here, either a company’s revenue has tracked upwards over the long term or it hasn’t. If not, why not, and more importantly, when did the rot set in?
    • CAPEX, staff numbers and R&D: You want to see sufficient evidence that the company is investing in future growth – this includes its staff. If there is no evidence of sufficient investment, then why not, and equally important – when did the wheels start falling off?
    • Structural growth: Unlike cyclical growth, which is vulnerable to the economic cycle, you want to find out how much structural growth is being driven by what’s happening inside the business. A shift or change in the basic ways a company functions or operates can signal that it’s serious about applying new technology or adopting to regulatory or industry-changing reforms.

    A little homework returns in spades

    Running a ruler over of any of the stocks you have on your radar – before you buy (or sell) – is tantamount to a health check. The good news is that using the 10 criteria above isn’t rocket science; all of the data you’re looking for is publicly available.

    Instead of buying purely on share price momentum – which isn’t investing, it’s speculating – this checklist will ensure that at the very least, you’re entering stocks with solid balance sheets and sustainable income streams, both of which are needed to support either consistent dividends and/or reinvestment in future growth.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mark Story has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Should ASX investors be worried about insider selling?

    business man holding sign stating time to sell

    Should investors be worried about what effect insider selling might have on the value of their ASX shares?

    If you own shares in a company, surely the notion of one of this company’s senior management figures selling off large stakes of their own equity would raise a red flag? If this does happen, wouldn’t it be prudent for you as an ordinary, retail investor to follow management and jump ship?

    Well, I don’t think it’s that simple.

    What is ‘insider selling’?

    Not to be confused with ‘insider trading’, insider selling refers to when a member of a company’s management team or board of directors sells shares in the company. By law, these sales (as well as any buy orders) have to be reported to the market. This provides us with the opportunity to scrutinise whether a company’s leaders are ‘putting their money where their mouths are’, so to speak.

    We saw this in action just yesterday. Former ASX tech high-flyer WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) informed the market (before open) that its founder and CEO, Richard White, has sold 2,445,653 shares of his own company at a market value of approximately $45.9 million. These sales apparently occurred between 22 June and 29 June. WiseTech shares understandably dipped more than 2% yesterday on the news.

    Is insider selling really a bad thing?

    When I consider this question, I always try to place the situation in context. Every person worth their salt when it comes to prudent, wealth-building practices knows that keeping your investments diversified across different assets and asset classes is usually a good idea. If I was in Mr White’s position (the WiseTech CEO, not the Breaking Bad character!), I wouldn’t want 90% or more of my wealth tied up in a single company. This is regardless of how much faith I had in the company’s future. Looking at Mr White’s remaining holdings in WiseTech, we can see that he still holds around 151 million shares. This means that the selling announced yesterday represented a mere 1.62% of his total holdings.

    Insider selling is actually very common among founder-led companies. Many famous founder/CEOs from around the world have sold off shares of ‘their’ companies over the years. They include Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Alphabet’s Sergey Brin and Larry Page. This is usually done to diversify wealth or to fund other ventures. Then again, some other founder/CEOs, like Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett or Tesla’s Elon Musk, have been reluctant to part with their shares for most of their lives.

    Foolish takeaway

    When it comes to insider selling, generally I don’t feel too alarmed. If it looks as though management are ‘fire-saling’ their stock, or inexplicably selling off vast chunks of shares for no reason, it might be a different story. But I do feel the media likes to beat up those people like Mr White who might just want to take some profits off the table after years of investing in their companies. Personally, the latter doesn’t bother me, we’re all human after all.

    3 “Double Down” Stocks To Ride The Bull Market

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    Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Alphabet (A shares), Facebook, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Facebook, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares) and Facebook. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • The latest ASX stocks to be upgraded by brokers to “buy”

    thumbs up

    The market is off to a good start on the first day of the new financial year. This might be particularly so for a handful of ASX stocks that have been upgraded by top brokers to “buy”.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) gained 0.6% in after lunch trade led by property and technology shares.

    But there’s plenty of action outside of those sectors too.

    Copper turning to gold

    The OZ Minerals Limited (ASX: OZL) share price is one example with the copper miner jumping 2.8% to $11.27 at the time of writing.

    JP Morgan’s move to upgrade OZ Minerals to “overweight” from “neutral” probably had something to do with the stock’s outperformance.

    The broker admitted that it was too conservative in ascribing value to the miner’s Carrapateena block cave project.

    But as it turns out, the capital expenditure for the project isn’t as high as originally feared, while ore grades and mine life of the block cave is also better than expected.

    JP Morgan’s 12-month price target on OZ Minerals is $12.80 a share.

    Flying high

    Another stock taking off today is the Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price. Shares in our largest carrier jumped 3.3% to $3.90 after Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) lifted its recommendation on Qantas to “outperform”.

    While predicting the earnings recovery for the airline is extremely difficult in this environment, the broker believes Qantas can sustainably achieve $1 billion in cost cuts a year by FY23. This should allow the company to fly through to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “A return to profitability is likely in FY22+, but in the near-term cash flow can still be positive considering the ~A$2bn non-cash depreciation and amortisation impact,” said Macquarie.

    “Using FY23 as a basis for valuation, which should be at FY19 levels… Qantas is trading on 3.1x EV / EBITDA which is a 20% discount to the 3.9x three-year average.”

    The broker’s price target on the stock is $4.35 a share.

    Tasty bite

    Meanwhile, the Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF) share price is on track to record it’s fourth consecutive trading day of gains.

    Shares in the KFC franchisee added another 0.3% to $9.45 at the time of writing, which takes its total four-day gain to just over 17%.

    But Canaccord Genuity thinks there’s more room for the stock to climb as it upgraded Collins Foods to “buy” from “hold” following its profit announcement this week.

    The broker believes its local KFC network is well placed to benefit from the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and pointed out that its underperforming European operations are performing better than it expected.

    “While the earnings multiples (23x FY21e EPS) are relatively full, yesterday’s result suggests that CKF remains comparatively well-placed to navigate any broader economic weakness that persists into 2021,” said the broker.

    Canaccord’s price target on the stock is $9.75 a share.

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    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Macquarie Group Limited and OZ Minerals Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Collins Foods Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Lam Research Jumps With Chips

    Lam Research Jumps With ChipsLam Research jumped Tuesday, momentarily moving past a 325.22 cup-with-handle buy point. Probably already actionable from downward-sloping trend line. Blue Dot Special – stocks with RS at new high that haven’t broken out.

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  • These 3 ASX healthcare shares are at all-time highs!

    asx healthcare shares

    Shares in the healthcare sector have been a favourite amongst investors during the coronavirus pandemic. Here are 3 ASX healthcare shares that have shown resilience during the pandemic and are trading at all-time highs.

    Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN)

    Ansell is a global leader in developing, manufacturing and distributing health and safety protection solutions. In mid-March, I wrote an article about Ansell and the potential surge in demand for safety and protective equipment. I wish I acted on this hunch as the Ansell share price has surged 86% from its lows in March. The company is currently trading at all-time highs.

    With people becoming more aware of safety and hygiene protocols due to COVID, Ansell is well poised to benefit. In late March, Ansell reaffirmed its FY20 guidance for earnings per share, citing strong demand for its hand and body protection products. Ansell also assured investors that its balance sheet remains in a strong position and the company is working to maximise its product output.

    ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

    ResMed is another healthcare share that has surged to all-time highs. The company is a global manufacturer of medical devices and treatments focused on the management of respiratory and sleep disorders. The coronavirus pandemic has seen a surge in demand for the company’s invasive and non-invasive ventilators.

    In Q3, ResMed tripled its ventilator production to produce more than 52,000 units for an urgent Australian Government contract. The ResMed share price has the potential to see further upside in the short term as fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections grow.

    Fisher and Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH)

    Fisher and Paykel have been one of the best performers on the S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: XJO) for FY20. The company specialises in manufacturing and the distribution of products used in respiratory care. Fisher and Paykel recently published its full-year report for FY20 which saw Fisher and Paykel record an 18% increase in operating revenue of NZ$1.26 billion for the year.

    The company attributed the boost in revenue to an increase in demand for its Optiflow nasal high-flow therapy. Fisher and Paykel noted strong hardware sales and demand from hospitals for products used to treat COVID-19.

    This demand has also been reflected in the company’s share price which is trading near all-time highs. With fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections emerging, the Fisher and Paykel share price could see further upside as demand for ventilation treatments and respiratory humidifiers increase.

    Should you buy?

    ASX healthcare shares are usually a more defensive option during tough economic times as individuals still need medical care. The coronavirus pandemic will likely add to the essential services of healthcare as many individuals may pay more attention to their health.

    In my opinion, investors should compile a watchlist of healthcare shares that could blossom in 2020 and beyond, in particular, I would focus on health companies that have exposure to vaccines or auxiliary treatments for COVID-19.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    Motley Fool contributor Nikhil Gangaram has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell Ltd. and ResMed Inc. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Next Science share price surges higher on TGA approval

    asx healthcare shares

    The Next Science Ltd (ASX: NXS) share price was out of form in FY 2020 and fell a disappointing 70%.

    But thankfully for its shareholders, it has started FY 2021 with a bang.

    In afternoon trade on Wednesday the medical technology company’s shares are up 6.5% to $1.33.

    Why is the Next Science share price zooming higher?

    Investors have been buying Next Science’s shares after the release of an update on its Bactisure Surgical Lavage product.

    The Bactisure Surgical Lavage product was specifically designed to remove structurally resistant forms of bacteria (biofilm) through the physical deconstruction of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix. This makes bacteria more susceptible to traditional antibiotics and the body’s normal defence mechanisms.

    It is used to remove debris, including microorganisms, from wounds using pulse lavage. This clear, colourless, low-odour solution has received FDA 510(k) clearance in the United States and CE Mark approval in Europe.

    A clinical trial across seven sites in the United States on Infected Total Knee joint replacements found that there was a profound reduction in the recoverable bacteria after the application of the Bactisure. In fact, there were only 10% of individuals bearing a new or continuing infection at the end of the 90 day observation period.

    What did Next Science announce?

    This morning Next Science announced that Bactisure Surgical Lavage has been cleared by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for sale in Australia.

    This approval means that the product will now be sold in Australia by Zimmer Biomet. It is a leading orthopaedic implant supplier and Next Science’s appointed global distributor for the product.

    The company’s Managing Director, Judith Mitchell, appeared to be very pleased with the news.

    She said; “We are thrilled that we can now offer our technology to Australian surgeons to help them manage their patients in eliminating surgical site infections.”

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Alcidion Group share price jumps 10% on new contract

    ASX shares higher

    The Alcidion Group Ltd (ASX: ALC) share price has jumped 10.35% to 16 cents per share.

    This comes after the company announced a new contract with Sydney Local Health District (Sydney LHD) for the implementation of its Miya Precision platform. The technology will be used to assist in the delivery of virtual health care. 

    What did Alcidion announce?

    The Miya Precision platform will be used to virtually treat patients that have tested positive to COVID-19. This limits the risk to staff while also reducing the need for personal protective equipment. It will allow staff to monitor and communicate with patients remotely while they are in home isolation. The contract will be in place for an initial 12 month period and is valued at $560,000. 

    Sydney LHD has around 12,000 staff and is responsible for the health of more than 700,000 people. It operates Prince Alfred and Concord Hospitals, as well as its virtual hospital, rpavirtual.

    The announcement stated; 

    “While rpavirtual is currently focused on supporting Sydney LHD’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, after the current emergency situation passes, this innovative model of care will revert to providing essential monitoring of selected patients with chronic conditions from community facilities or their homes. This is part of a world wide trend towards using virtual care to improve patient outcomes and experience while reducing pressure on hospital facilities.”

    The contract will allow the health service to integrate their devices along with electronic medical records in their rpavirtual hospital for a period of 12 months. 

    Alcidion Managing Director, Kate Quirke stated; “We are delighted to enter this partnership with Sydney LHD. We have moved quickly to enable an initial rollout that addresses the short term challenges raised by COVID-19. This engagement allows us to demonstrate the value of our platform in one of the busiest hospitals in Australia.”

    About the Alcidion Group share price

    Alcidion develops and licenses 3 core healthcare software products: Miya Precision, Patientrack and Smartpage. It also resells other healthcare software products in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom (UK).

    In April, Alcidion released its Q3 FY2020 business update citing a solid performance amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

    The company reported that at 31 March 2020, sold revenue to be recognised in FY2020 was $17.2 million, exceeding the total FY2019 full year revenue of $16.9M. Of this sold revenue, $10 million was recurring revenue, representing a 37% increase on Q3 FY2019.

    Since the start of January, Alcidion reports that it has signed several significant new contracts, including;

    • Townsville Hospital and Health Service contract to implement Smartpage;
    • The implementation of a data warehouse across all Calvary Health Care sites;
    • Systems integration contract for national Digital Pregnancy Health Record pilot; and
    • Murrumbidgee LHD to expand and extend use of Miya Precision and Miya MEMRe.

    Last month, Alcidion Group Limited was added to the All Ordinaries (INDEXASX: XAO) and has a market capitalisation of around $158 million. 

    The Alcidion Group share price is up 65% from its 52 week low of $0.097 cents. It has dropped 13.5% since the beginning of January. However, the Alcidion share price has increased by 23% since this time last year.

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    Chris Chitty has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Alcidion Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alcidion Group Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    The post Alcidion Group share price jumps 10% on new contract appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Inovio’s Manufacturing, Scalability Concerns Of Coronavirus Vaccine Keeps This Analyst On The Sidelines

    Inovio's Manufacturing, Scalability Concerns Of Coronavirus Vaccine Keeps This Analyst On The SidelinesInovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: INO) reported Tuesday interim Phase 1 readout for INO-4800, its DNA vaccine candidate against the novel coronavirus.The Inovio Analyst: Piper Sandler analyst Christopher Raymond maintained a Neutral rating and $8 price target for Inovio.The Inovio Thesis: There wasn't a ton of detail at this point from the readout except that 94% or 34 of the 36 patients, demonstrating an "overall immunological" response at week 6, with a benign safety profile, Raymond said in a note. This appeared consistent with preclinical data published in May.Raymond, however, said he would like to see data on neutralizing antibody production and T cell response generation separately and broken out by dose before drawing too many conclusions.Benzinga is covering every angle of how the coronavirus affects the financial world. For daily updates, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.The analyst expressed satisfaction with the safety data reported by Inovio."While initial human immunogenicity data is a necessary first step toward a viable COVID-19 vaccine, at this stage it's difficult (if not impossible) to determine which development candidate(s) will fare best in large-scale clinical trials," Raymond wrote in the note.An equally important consideration is scalability.The analyst is concerned over Inovio's dispute with its longtime manufacturing partner VGXI.Investor hopes for INO-4800 to emerge as a viable vaccine candidate to address the current COVID-19 pandemic could prove unrealistic, barring clarity on the manufacturing scalability front, the analyst said.Inovio Price Action: Inovio shares tumbled 14.9% to $26.95.Latest Ratings for INO DateFirmActionFromTo Jun 2020HC Wainwright & Co.DowngradesBuyNeutral Jun 2020Cantor FitzgeraldMaintainsOverweight Jun 2020StifelDowngradesBuyHold View More Analyst Ratings for INO View the Latest Analyst Ratings See more from Benzinga * Inovio Analyst Downgrades COVID-19 Vaccine Developer, Says Risk Higher After Rally * The Week Ahead In Biotech (June 28- July 4): Pending Clinical Readouts In Focus During A Short Holiday Week(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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