Why Theravance Shares Soared
Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of biotechnology company Theravance shot up as much as 18% after brokerage firm Piper Jaffray insinuated that a positive outcome from the FDA regarding Breo Ellipta, which has a PDUFA date of March 7, could create a takeover opportunity.
So what: Breo Ellipta -- which combines a long-acting beta agonist with an inhaled corticosteroid for 24-hour, long-term COPD relief -- uses components from both Theravance and GlaxoSmithKline . Glaxo actually owns a 25% stake in Theravance to begin with, and they currently have multiple COPD treatments in clinical trials and/or working their way through the FDA review process, so a buyout, assuming approval, could make logistical sense.
Now what: Don't say I haven't already climbed this tree -- because I have. My exact words on Jan. 25 with regard to which biotech was the next buyout candidate were, "Personally, I'd call a hookup between Theravance and GlaxoSmithKline a no-brainer. Theravance and Glaxo have been like peanut butter and jelly when it comes to developing revolutionary new COPD treatments." I really don't see anything on the safety side of things that would preclude Breo Ellipta from an approval later this week, so I'd agree that Piper Jaffray is probably wise to be speculating on a buyout in the near future.
Craving more input? Start by adding Theravance to your free and personalized watchlist so you can keep up on the latest news with the company.
While you can certainly make huge gains in biotechs like Theravance, the best investing approach is to choose great companies and stick with them for the long term. The Motley Fool's free report "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich" names stocks that could help you build long-term wealth and retire well, along with some winning wealth-building strategies that every investor should be aware of. Click here now to keep reading.
The article Why Theravance Shares Soared originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name TMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle @TMFUltraLong.Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
