Big Board Bio PRs: Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM), a lif

Big Board Bio PRs:

Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM), a life sciences company providing innovative genetic analysis solutions, announced the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will issue U.S. Patent No. 8,340,916 on December 25, 2012 with claims to novel methods for detecting fetal aneuploidy using massively parallel sequencing.

The patent is entitled Diagnosing Fetal Chromosomal Aneuploidy Using Massively Parallel Genomic Sequencing and was invented by Drs. Dennis Lo, Rossa Chiu and Alan Chan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Sequenom has exclusive rights to this patent.

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced the journal Vaccine has published the company's data from its 2011 Phase I clinical trial of its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion (F) recombinant nanoparticle vaccine candidate. The paper was authored by a team of researchers and clinicians at Novavax and Dr. Pedro Piedra of Baylor College of Medicine. Findings from the trial were announced in October 2011 and presented in September 2012 by Novavax at the Respiratory Virus Symposium (RSV 2012) meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The paper is currently available at www.novavax.com under Publications & Presentations/Publications and is expected to be published in the print edition shortly.

Novavax had conducted the blinded, placebo-controlled, dose-escalating Phase I trial to assess the safety and tolerability of aluminum phosphate-adjuvanted and unadjuvanted formulations of its RSV vaccine candidate. A secondary objective of the study was to evaluate total and neutralizing anti-RSV antibody responses and assess the impact of the adjuvant. The authors reported that Novavax' vaccine was well-tolerated, with no evident dose-related toxicity or attributable severe adverse events. At day 60, both RSV A and B microneutralization titers were significantly increased in subjects treated with the Novavax vaccine versus placebo. The authors also reported a 7- to 19-fold increase in the anti-F IgG and a 7- to 24-fold increase in the levels of antigenic site II binding antibodies in vaccine recipients, as well as the induction of serum antibodies capable of competing with palivizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) with known protective efficacy against RSV disease in animals and humans.

Abaxis, Inc. (NasdaqGS: ABAX), a medical products company manufacturing point-of-care blood analysis systems, today announced that its Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend of $1.00 per share on its outstanding common stock.

Aetna (NYSE: AET) and The US Oncology Network recently announced results of their cancer management program.

Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE: CXM) reported on a communication from staff of its current listing exchange that it considered the company to be noncompliant with certain listing requirements based on its quarterly report for the period ended September 30, 2012, and provided that the company should submit a plan to staff of the exchange that would reestablish compliance with the NYSE MKT listing requirement by March 31, 2013.

China Cord Blood Corporation (NYSE: CO) ("CCBC" or the "Company"), the first and largest cord blood banking operator in China, today announced that one of its non-wholly owned subsidiaries, Favorable Fort Limited ("Favorable Fort"), has entered into a definitive agreement with Cordlife Services (S) Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of the Company's strategic affiliate, Cordlife Limited (CBB.AU) ("Cordlife"), a cord blood and tissue banking service provider listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, to acquire Cordlife's interest in the joint venture, which has a minority interest in Shandong Province Qilu Stem Cells Engineering Co., Ltd. ("Qilu"), the operator of Shandong Cord Blood Bank, for a cash consideration of US$8.65 million.

Esterline Corporation (NYSE: ESL) (www.esterline.com), a leading specialty manufacturer serving the global aerospace and defense markets, today reported fiscal 2012 fourth quarter (ended October 26) income from continuing operations of $61.7 million, or $1.97 per diluted share, on sales of $530.7 million.

Hi-Tech Pharmacal Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: HITK) today reported results for the Company’s fiscal second quarter ended October 31, 2012.

ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMGN), a biotechnology company that develops anticancer therapeutics using its Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP) technology and antibody expertise, today announced that Daniel Junius, President and CEO, will present at the upcoming Oppenheimer 23rd Annual Healthcare Conference in New York.

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT: INO) announced today that preliminary results of a phase II clinical trial to treat leukemia with a WT1 DNA vaccine delivered with Inovio's proprietary electroporation delivery system showed robust vaccine-specific antibody responses in all vaccinated subjects evaluated to date.

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PCRX) and Aratana Therapeutics Inc. today announced a global licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension for animal health indications.

Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. and Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IRWD) today announced the expansion of their research collaboration.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Bayer HealthCare today announced that Bayer HealthCare has submitted an application for marketing authorization in Europe for EYLEA (aflibercept) Injection for the treatment of macular edema following Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO).

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO), announced that the company is providing an update on its technology platform advancements and pipeline of ZFP Therapeutics® as well as near- and mid-term operating goals during an Analyst and Investor Briefing being held today in New York City.

Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM), a life sciences company providing innovative genetic analysis solutions, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will issue U.S. Patent No. 8,340,916 on December 25, 2012 with claims to novel methods for detecting fetal aneuploidy using massively parallel sequencing.

Surescripts and Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD), one of the nation's leading drugstore chains, announced today that Rite Aid will leverage The Surescripts Network for Clinical Interoperability™ to electronically deliver patient immunization notifications directly to healthcare providers.