Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Biotech / Medical : ABT - Abbott Labs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Frostman who wrote (294)	7/5/2000 1:18:07 PM
From: Skywatcher	Respond to of 328

Abbott seeks European approval of AIDS/HIV drug ABBOTT PARK, Ill., July 5 (Reuters) - Drug maker Abbott Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:ABT - news) said Wednesday it submitted an application to European regulators seeking approval for AIDS and HIV treatment ABT-378/r. The Abbott Park, Illinois-based company said the application was submitted to the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medical Products for review based on clinical data from studies conducted around the world. ABT-378/r, whose chemical name is lopinavir/ritonavir, is a protease inhibitor (PI) and was filed under the trade name Kaletra. The European regulatory submission of ABT-378/r is based on Phase II and Phase III trials in more than 700 patients from a broad range of treatment groups including those new to antiretroviral therapy as well as those who have failed other drug regimens. The primary studies include two Phase II trails in PI-naive and PI-experienced patients, and a Phase III study in naive patients. A Phase I and Phase II pediatric trial in 100 children was included in the submission, Abbott said. ``Many physicians reserve the most potent drugs for use in patients who have failed other drugs,'' Dr. Eugene Sun, head of Abbott's antiviral drug development, said in a statement. ``Clinical trials were designed to demonstrate that ABT-378/r is useful in a broad range of patients, reflecting its potency and tolerability in the patients studied.'' Lopinavir is co-formulated with a small amount of ritonavir. The small dose of ritonavir serves to boost levels of lopinavir to create high and sustained blood levels of lopinavir, Abbott said. In vitro studies suggest that these drug levels provide much greater anti-viral effect than any other protease inhibitor, the company said. High drug levels in the blood ensure sustained viral suppression, thus guarding against the emergence of resistant virus. The emergence of new mutations of the HIV virus has made the development of new treatments more important, Abbott said. Based on the need for new treatment options, the company initiated its early access programme prior to regulatory submission and market authorisation to provide ABT-378/r to HIV-positive patients for whom the drug is necessary to construct a viable treatment regimen. The programme was designed by working closely with key regulatory agencies and representatives of several HIV treatment organisations and currently is available to 5,200 patients in 17 countries. LOOKIN GOOD chris

To: Frostman who wrote (294)	7/6/2000 12:14:28 PM
From: Skywatcher	Respond to of 328

Abbott Laboratories Named One of the Nation's Best Companies for Minorities By Fortune Magazine ABBOTT PARK, Ill., July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, Abbott Laboratories was named to FORTUNE magazine's annual ranking of the ``50 Best Companies for Minorities'' in the United States. ``Our company needs the benefit of the widest variety of viewpoints and experiences,'' said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott Laboratories. ``Fostering a diverse workplace and inclusive environment allows us to embrace different ways of thinking and doing business that are vital to our future success.'' In this year's ranking, FORTUNE recognized Abbott's continuing efforts in diversity and inclusion, highlighting the company's mentorship program and national award-winning internship program -- spotlighting the fact that more than 40 percent of the company's interns are minorities. In addition to these specific programs, Abbott's long-term diversity strategy focuses on every aspect of the company from hiring and advancement to management style, culture and environment. To compile the ranking, FORTUNE and the Council on Economic Priorities, surveyed the FORTUNE 1000 and as well as the 200 largest privately held U.S. companies, ranking companies by 15 different categories. Companies were judged on overall diversity programs; employee bonuses tied to fulfilling diversity goals; number of minority graduates hired by companies; minority representation on the company's board of directors, among corporate officers and in middle management; recent hiring practices; percentage of dollars spent with outside minority-owned suppliers; and percentage of charitable contributions given to programs primarily benefiting minorities. FORTUNE's list of ``Best Companies for Minorities'' will appear in the magazine's July 10 issue. This FORTUNE achievement is one of several honors Abbott has received for the company's ongoing diversity initiatives. The company was recently featured as one of Diversity and Bar Magazine's ``Employers of Choice'' for its diversity initiatives and representation. Chicago Lawyer's 1999 In-House Counsel Diversity Survey of large Chicago-area corporations found that Abbott had the highest percentage of minority attorneys, at 24.1 percent, with 28 minority attorneys. Abbott was also included on Next Step Magazine's ``Diversity 100'' list for a second year in a row. Abbott Laboratories is a global, diversified health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical, diagnostic, nutritional and hospital products. The company employs 57,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. chris...

To: Frostman who wrote (294)	7/6/2000 12:14:28 PM
From: Skywatcher	Respond to of 328

Abbott Laboratories Named One of the Nation's Best Companies for Minorities By Fortune Magazine ABBOTT PARK, Ill., July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, Abbott Laboratories was named to FORTUNE magazine's annual ranking of the ``50 Best Companies for Minorities'' in the United States. ``Our company needs the benefit of the widest variety of viewpoints and experiences,'' said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott Laboratories. ``Fostering a diverse workplace and inclusive environment allows us to embrace different ways of thinking and doing business that are vital to our future success.'' In this year's ranking, FORTUNE recognized Abbott's continuing efforts in diversity and inclusion, highlighting the company's mentorship program and national award-winning internship program -- spotlighting the fact that more than 40 percent of the company's interns are minorities. In addition to these specific programs, Abbott's long-term diversity strategy focuses on every aspect of the company from hiring and advancement to management style, culture and environment. To compile the ranking, FORTUNE and the Council on Economic Priorities, surveyed the FORTUNE 1000 and as well as the 200 largest privately held U.S. companies, ranking companies by 15 different categories. Companies were judged on overall diversity programs; employee bonuses tied to fulfilling diversity goals; number of minority graduates hired by companies; minority representation on the company's board of directors, among corporate officers and in middle management; recent hiring practices; percentage of dollars spent with outside minority-owned suppliers; and percentage of charitable contributions given to programs primarily benefiting minorities. FORTUNE's list of ``Best Companies for Minorities'' will appear in the magazine's July 10 issue. This FORTUNE achievement is one of several honors Abbott has received for the company's ongoing diversity initiatives. The company was recently featured as one of Diversity and Bar Magazine's ``Employers of Choice'' for its diversity initiatives and representation. Chicago Lawyer's 1999 In-House Counsel Diversity Survey of large Chicago-area corporations found that Abbott had the highest percentage of minority attorneys, at 24.1 percent, with 28 minority attorneys. Abbott was also included on Next Step Magazine's ``Diversity 100'' list for a second year in a row. Abbott Laboratories is a global, diversified health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical, diagnostic, nutritional and hospital products. The company employs 57,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. chris...

To: Frostman who wrote (294)	7/12/2000 4:29:27 PM
From: Skywatcher	Respond to of 328

Abbott Profits Up 6.2 Percent ABBOTT PARK, Ill. (Reuters) - Health-care products company Abbott Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:ABT - news) on Wednesday said its second quarter profits rose 6.2 percent, meeting Wall Street estimates and benefiting from strong hospital products sales. The Abbott Park, Illinois-based company, a maker of hospital products, pharmaceuticals, baby formula and nutritional supplements, posted a second quarter profit of $685 million, up from $645 million earned in the second quarter of 1999. Earnings per share for the quarter rose to 44 cents from 41 cents a year ago and met the consensus estimate of market research firm First Call/Thomson Financial. Shares in Abbott, which have been on the rebound since the beginning of March when they dipped below 30, rose 1/2 to 43-1/4 in early trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Worldwide sales for the second quarter were $3.37 billion, up 3.4 percent from $3.26 billion in the second quarter of 1999. Total sales were reduced 1.4 percent by the relatively stronger U.S. dollar. Hospital products segment sales in the second quarter jumped 17.4 percent to $659 million from $561 million in the second quarter of 1999. ``Abbott continues to make progress particularly with our quality initiatives and in our efforts to strengthen our commitment to science,'' said Miles White, chairman and chief executive officer of Abbott, in a statement. ``We significantly increased our R&D spending to support our growing pipeline of promising drug candidates and, through business alliances, continued to access promising technologies,'' he said. Pharmaceutical products sales in the 2000 second quarter rose 3.5 percent from a year-ago. Ross products sales were $497 million in the second quarter, up 6 percent from $469 million in the second quarter of 1999. International segment sales, including direct exports from the U.S., were $807 million, up 3.2 percent from the year-ago quarter. International sales were hit by the relatively stronger U.S. dollar, but without the currency impact, international segment sales were up 6.4 percent. Diagnostic products segment sales were $761 million in the second quarter compared with $759 million in the year-ago period. Total sales in U.S. markets in the 2000 quarter rose to $2.075 billion, up 3.5 percent from a year-ago. Total international sales, including direct exports from the United States, were $1.30 billion, a 3.3 percent increase from $1.25 billion recorded a year ago. LOOKING GOOD TODAY... start of the day was real slow, but the reality checked in at the end of the day and we have a nice 40K block after hours which is the first time I've seen this one trade after hours in a long time. chris