Opinion on  Geron Corp. (GERN)     Sector: Healthcare  >  Industry: Biotechnology & Drugs
Stem Cell Index Surges in Past Week

The stem cell trade was back in a big way over the past week, with several stocks in the <font> ETF Innovators Stem Cell Index </font> registering impressive gains, compared to market and biotech ETF benchmarks such as the S&P 500 SPDR (NYSE:SPY) +6%, iShares Nasdaq Biotech (NASDAQ:IBB) +2%, SPDR S&P Biotech (NYSE:XBI +4%). Hot stocks over the past week among the 40 component companies in the stem cell index include NeoStem (AMEX:NBS) +52.2%, Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CYTX) +37%, and Geron (NASDAQ:GERN) +22%. Two other widely followed stocks from the index registered smaller gains, including Osiris Therapeutics (NASDAQ:OSIR) +6% and StemCells (NASDAQ:STEM) +1%.

 

Last week, NeoStem filed a patent application covering cosmetic stem cell face lift technology while simultaneously announcing an expansion to its stem cell collection network, which is located at the Giampapa Institute for Anti-Aging Medical Therapy in Montclair, New Jersey. NeoStem also signed a deal for the exclusive worldwide rights to an innovative technology and pending patents that involve using a patient's own stem cells derived from their bone marrow to promote healing of chronic wounds.

 

As <font> highlighted in this article </font> at Schaeffer's Research, Geron experienced major call option buying and a large stock price gain in the past week in the absence of any major news. In January, the FDA cleared the way for Geron to conduct a human clinical trial for GRNOPC1 in patients with acute spinal cord injury.

 

On Friday, CYTX announced an 18-month deal with GE Healthcare (NYSE:GE) to commercialize Cytori's StemSource cell banking technology in North America (expected U.S. launch during 1H09) to serve the markets for stem cell banking and research. The deal expands upon an agreement announced between the two companies in January that calls for GE Healthcare to commercialize Cytori's Celution 800/CRS System in 10 European countries to serve the cosmetic, reconstructive medicine, stem cell banking, and research markets.

 

My 17-page PDF <font> stock profile of Cytori </font> from mid-March is available to view or download at the stock research section of BioMedReports.com and click here for <font> my Seeking Alpha article </font> on NeoStem from one month ago while the stock was trading around one dollar.

 

Disclosure: Long CYTX.