Investopedia: AstraZeneca Looks To Fish Oil To Round Out Its Cardio Portfolio

Investors waiting for M&A activity in the controversial purified pharma-grade fish oil market got some Tuesday morning, but probably not with the company they were expecting. AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) announced the acquisition of third-in-line pharma-grade fish oil company Omthera (Nasdaq:OMTH) for up to $443 million in total consideration. Although the deal offers a significant premium to where Omthera was trading and makes sense as a platform/portfolio addition, it's not exactly a risky high-value deal for AstraZeneca.

To read the full article, please click here:
http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/052813/astrazeneca-looks-fish-oil-round-out-its-cardio-portfolio-azn-omth-amrn.aspx

Investopedia: Another Negative Fish Oil Study Adds To Amarin's Marketing Challenges

Nothing has come easy for Amarin (Nasdaq: AMRN).

This manufacturer of the ultra-pure fish oil (EPA in particular) treatment Vascepa has garnered a devoted following of investors who believe that this is not just the next Lovaza (the purified fish oil treatment that Glaxo (NYSE:GSK) acquired in 2007 for $1.7 billion by buying Reliant Pharmaceuticals), but even more. Unfortunately for the bulls, Amarin has not yet garnered the new chemical entity (NCE) status from the FDA that would better shield it from competition, and interest in partnering or acquiring the company has been lackluster enough that the company has gone forward with its own marketing program.

Perhaps even worse, though, is the accumulation of data suggesting that fish oil may not be effective in reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. On Wednesday, the New England Journal of Medicine reported results from the largest done to date on the efficacy of fish oil, and the results were not positive. The real questions for Amarin investors now are whether this trial is relevant to Vascepa and/or what impact it will have on real-world doctors.

Please click below to continue:
http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/050913/another-negative-fish-oil-study-adds-amarins-marketing-challenges-amrn-gsk-omth-lpdx-sny.aspx

Investopedia; Amarin's Magic Pill

Sometimes good ideas are just there staring scientists in the face. A great deal of energy has been spent finding drugs that can lower cholesterol and triglycerides and counteract the coronary side-effects of the typical American lifestyle. All the while, part of the answer may have just been swimming around our oceans.

Data released by Amarin (Nasdaq:AMRN) on Monday morning indicates strong triglyceride-lowering potential for its purified EPA omega-3 pill, and a potential blockbuster for this small company.

Strong Data Should Drive Approval 

Amarin's results in a Phase 3 study of AMR101 were quite good. The study showed that a daily dose of four or two grams reduced triglyceride levels by 21.5% and 10.1%, respectively. Arguably even more important, though, was that the data showed no meaningful increase in LDL levels (the so-called "bad cholesterol"). (For more, see Measuring The Medicine Makers.)

Here's why that matters: GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) has done quite well with its Lovaza pill, a mixture of DHA and EPA ethyl ester omega-3 that also lowers triglyceride levels. While Lovaza is quite efficacious in lowering triglycerides (and maybe better than AMR101), it does lead to higher LDL levels. That combination is worrisome for some patients, and could give AMR101 a real shot at blockbuster status. (For more, see Pharmaceutical Phenoms: America's Best-Selling Medicines.)

To read the full piece, please click below:
http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/Amarins-Magic-Pill-AMRN-GSK-PFE-AZN-ISIS-SNY0419.aspx