>>What do you think of CORR . . . ??<<
David, on 12/31 in explaining my 10 picks I said:
"(7) Cor Therapeutics (CORR), developing cardiovascular therapeutics. First to market is Integrilin (partnered with SGP), an anti-blood clotting agent, FDA-approved a few months ago for both unstable angina and angioplasty, unlike its competition, Merck's more expensive Aggrastat, approved only for unstable angina, and Centocor's ReoPro, approved only for angioplasty. Integrilin sales probably about to accelerate; also, several interesting cardiovascular therapeutics in the pipeline. CORR seems very cheap at these levels and due for a bounce." (https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=7048668 )
I still think that's a CORRect assessment. Integrelin appears to be competing effectively against Merck's Aggrastrat and Centocor's ReoPro. It is now available at more than 1000 hospitals (Schering's sales force at work!). The "anecdotal" evidence on the CORR thread, from a couple of doctors and/or hospital personnel, tends to confirm that Integrilin is the superior product and is becoming the anti-clotting agent of choice for many emergency room physicians and cardiologists. At the H&Q conference, the company argued that one of Integrilin's attractions for emergency room personnel was that it could be used even for unstable angina even before the cardiologist was brought in, because it both (a) was approved for angioplasty as well as unstable angina, and (b) in any event will clear the system quickly if stopped by the cardiologist, unlike ReoPro,
The CEO, at the time of the CORR earnings release the other day said he was comfortable with projections of $50-60 million in Integrilin sales for 1999 (see George Wohanka's reply #346 on the CORR thread: Message 7497988 ), and sales are likely to increase further in 2000 ($100-150 million?). I haven't tried to work these numbers through the income statement in detail - in part because I don't have a clear handle on costs, or on the details of the SGP co-promotion agreement -- but this increasingly healthy income stream seems likely to move the stock up from here, i.e., up from below the levels it traded at before FDA approval, even without considering the pipeline of a couple of other cardiovascular products.
Why does CORR trade so cheap? Probably because it competes with Merck, and that fact alone makes lots of potential investors run the other way. I would expect CORR's price t to rise as it emerges that it is competing just fine, thank you, and added to my position yesterday at 10 13/16 - I had hoped for a dip on the earnings news, but didn't get it.
-- RCM |
