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Enough top-performing CAPS members have turned bullish on Human Genome Sciences (Nasdaq: HGSI ) recently to upgrade it from the two- and three-star rank it has held for the past year to a more formidable four stars. A total of 289 members have given their opinions on the drug developer, with many of them offering analysis and commentary explaining the recent optimism.
Human Genome Sciences' first quarter revenue of $177 million blew away last year's comparable amount and even far surpassed the $48 million it recorded for the full year 2008 thanks to sales of its anthrax treatment ABthrax to the U.S. government. It fulfilled the bulk of its contract to deliver the doses to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile, but it's working to secure more contracts for the drug.
Beyond the Anthrax product, the company is partnered with Novartis (NYSE: NVS ) in developing the hepatitis C treatment Albuferon, which is expected to face intense competition from treatments from Schering-Plough (NYSE: SGP ) , Roche, and potentially Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VRTX ) , which is developing telaprevir. While test results released in March for Albuferon weren't as good as investors had hoped, the company still expects its launch in the second half of 2010.
The company is also inching closer to issuing phase 3 results for its lupus -- specifically SLE -- treatment, which is being developed with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK ) , later this year. A specific lupus treatment hasn't been approved in decades, although failed attempts for treatments of a later stage disease, lupus nephritis, have recently been chalked up by ace negotiator BioMarin Pharmaceutical with partner La Jolla Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: LJPC), and Genentech and Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB ) .
To see what the very best CAPS analysts are saying now about Human Genome Sciences -- as well as other winning stocks they are picking -- head on over to CAPS and have a look. The community research and resources in CAPS are totally free, unlike analyst opinions reserved for paying clients.
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