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Biotech / Medical : Gilead Science (GILD) Followers -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: scaram(o)uche who wrote (507)	2/27/1998 11:19:00 PM
From: Starlight	Respond to of 961

Found this on another drug co. thread: (Includes GILD) Geron, Gilead And Analyst David Crossen Head Up Informed Investors Bay Area Biotech Forum March 15 EMERYVILLE, CALIF (Feb. 27) BW HEALTHWIRE -Feb. 27, 1998--Biotech issues remained "stocks of the future" in 1997 as once again the group disappointed advocates who envision exciting new products and booming stock prices. But will 1998 be the year biotechs finally join the bull market party? For the latest insight into the peaks and valleys in biotech investing, plan on attending the Fourth Informed Investors Bay Area Biotechnology Forum on Sunday morning, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., March 15 at the Holiday Inn/Bay Bridge in Emeryville. Cost to attend the event, which includes a continental breakfast, is $15 prepaid and $20 at the door. For investors unable to attend, audio tapes of the entire Forum are available for $25 or $18 for any individual company's presentation. To register or obtain additional information, call 800/992-4683. Also, check out www.informedinvestors.com for more information about Informed Investors and news of other Forums scheduled throughout the country. The keynote speaker is David Crossen, Managing Director and Senior Health Care Analyst at NationsBanc Montgomery Securities. His talk is entitled "Are Biotechs A Good Buy In 1998?" Joining Crossen at the Forum are top executives at five biopharma companies -- Geron Corp. (NASDAQ:GERN), Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD), Xoma Corp. (NASDAQ:XOMA), Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) and Shaman Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SHMN). They will give analyst-style presentations followed by a Q & A session. Crossen's discussion on biotech investing was a highlight of the July 1997 Bay Area Biotech Forum in Emeryville and investors once again will have the opportunity to hear Crossen's latest opinions on biotech investing including stocks he likes and dislikes. Crossen has a keen ability to explain the arcane and complex nuances of biotechnology in a fashion understandable to all investors. "I remain cautious about biotech stocks because this is a difficult environment," Crossen said in a recent interview. "Sometimes investors have a different set of expectations than the companies can deliver. Investors are worried about earnings prospects, competition from other biotechs and major drug companies, and the companies' ability to deliver products." While cautious, Crossen said there are a number of stocks worth looking at for a variety of reasons. "On an individual case-by-case basis, there are some stocks worth considering," he said. "Of course, timing is important as are earnings expectations and other facets." Companies worth looking into right now, according to Crossen, include Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CTIC), BioTime (NASDAQ:BTIM), BiochemPharma (NASDAQ:BCHE) and Pathogenesis (NASDAQ:PGNS). Other biotechs that appear undervalued over a longer period of time include Sonus (NASDAQ:SNUS) and Centocor (NASDAQ:CNTO). Biotech "down and outers" that may have potential, Crossen said, include Liposome (NASDAQ:LIPO) and Urocor (NASDAQ:UCOR). Crossen called Geron, one of the presenting companies in Emeryville, "a young, very promising company." He'll elaborate on these companies and others in his discussion. In mid-January, Geron and the Univ. of Texas published results of a study that indicated a potential for increasing the life span of human cells, making them "potentially immortal." Geron's research activities are geared to treatments for atherosclerosis, macular degeneration and skin atrophy, among other age-related conditions. Its science also is potentially useful in treating cancer. In September, Geron received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to support development of its telomerase-based cancer diagnostic products. Also, it is partnering with Dutch giant Boerhringer Mannheim, a unit of Roche Holdings (NASDAQ:ROHHY), to facilitate its research. "We're actively pursuing partnerships for various cell and tissue therapies arising from the pioneering research successfully conducted over the last six months on telomeres and their role in the aging process," said David Greenwood, Geron's Chief Financial Officer. Future news releases will highlight the other four presenting companies in Emeryville which are also representative of the multiple facets of the burgeoning biotechnology industry. Since 1993, Sacramento-based Informed Investors has been linking investors with management of public companies. Informed Investors represents individual investors who collectively hold an estimated $1.5 billion in investable assets. -0- gdr/sf* CONTACT: Informed Investors Bob Taylor/Steve Chanecka or Tim Quast, 916/448-8222 or 800/992-4683 KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY MEDICINE BANKING Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page. URL: businesswire.com End of Report