Bought back into Antisoma ASM the other day after being out for a couple of years looking good for 2007 if any one likes Bio Stocks.
Was tipped in today's Telegraph see below.
Antisoma
Stock: 25.25p -1p
Questor says Buy
Given that it was founded in 1988, it is not obvious to the outsider that Antisoma is one of the UK's longest established biotechnology companies.
To the external eye, given that the company has no drugs in late-stage phase 3 trials and it has just enough cash in the bank to last for another year or so, its place in the biotech firmament might appear even more surprising.
Earlier this year, Antisoma's shares slumped after Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche handed back its earlier purchase rights to Antisoma's leading drug for lung cancer, known as AS1404, and another drug for breast cancer.
The stock market quickly took fright, prompting fears Antisoma would have to tap investors for more cash to continue with development.
But that was then, and this is most certainly now, and Antisoma is looking a lot less sickly. Its shares have picked up strongly in the past few months as investors have realised the data so far on AS1404 and its other drugs is promising.
Glyn Edwards, Antisoma's chief executive, has said he is talking to other companies about striking a partnering agreement to fund expensive phase 3 trials for AS1404.
Biotech chief executives often say such things, but Mr Edwards is well regarded in his industry and his indication that he is not doing the ground work for a new fund raising has been taken to mean he really is close to an important agreement to replace Roche.
Would-be investors must remember Antisoma is operating in the field of cancer, where there is huge demand for new drugs. If it cracks the market for lung cancer alone, Antisoma's future will certainly look a lot healthier than it does today.
Indeed analysts believe AS1404 could bring in sales of more than $1bn (537m), making it officially a "blockbuster" in modern pharmaceutical parlance.
Roche's withdrawal from its deal with Antisoma heaps all the risk on the British company striking a new deal, but this could be on better terms than the one it would have had with Roche in any case. A slow burner.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2006/10/17/cxquest17.xml