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Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter!! AGRT,ACTG,ZAGG,SNTS,CTIC,BLDP
(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) STOCK MARKETING INC PRESENTS : (OTCBB: AGRT) AGR Tools, Inc., (NASDAQ: ACTG) Acacia Research Corp., (NASDAQ: ZAGG) Zagg, Inc., (NASDAQ: SNTS) Santarus, Inc., (NASDAQ: CTIC) Cell Therapeutics, Inc., (NASDAQ: BLDP) Ballard Power Systems, Inc.
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(OTCBB: AGRT - AGR Tools, Inc.)
LATEST NEWS!!
AGR Experiences Recent Surge in Dealer Interest
CONROE, TX, Dec 21, 2009 -- AGR Tools, Inc. is pleased to announce that AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc., with which AGR Tools, Inc. has entered into a binding share exchange agreement, has experienced a recent surge in dealer interest due to its recent appearance in a feature on Business Television, or BTV. Since the company was profiled on BTV, AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. has fielded inquiries from 22 potential distributors and retailers, each of which represents an estimated minimum of $250,000 in annual sales. The company is currently in negotiations with five of these potential dealers but has not yet reached any definitive agreements.
The possible expansion of AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc.'s dealership network represented by this interest will be instrumental in achieving the objectives the company has outlined for 2010. The Company plans to add to its growing list of distribution centers throughout North America, with Northern Illinois as the most recent addition to its network of 21 distributors in 15 states and provinces in the United States and Canada.
As the only major manufacturer of diamond tools that markets and distributes its products directly to their customers, AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. has a major advantage over its competition. By selling directly, it plans to control a quarter of the approximately $8 billion North American diamond tool market. "The recent influx of requests from distributors and retailers illustrates that our expansion strategy is progressing as planned," stated Rock Rutherford, the CEO of AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. "We are pleased with the level of interest in our products and the steps we are taking towards realizing our goal of capturing 25% of the diamond tool market." About AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc.
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AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. is a major supplier of diamond tools and adhesives. It specializes in producing consumable tools for the natural stone, engineered stone, concrete and masonry industries. Its goal is to provide its clients with superior quality products, excellent customer service and the most competitive prices in the diamond tool industry. The company has completed extensive research and testing, and uses the latest technologies to assure AGR Tools is at the forefront of the diamond tool industry. The company employs some of the world's top scientists, engineers and metallurgists to produce the highest quality diamond tools for the construction industry.
On October 29, 2009, AGR Tools, Inc. and AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. entered into a binding share exchange agreement. See AGR Tools, Inc.'s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 2, 2009 regarding the new share exchange agreement with AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. for details on various conditions which must be met before the share exchange between the two companies closes. There can be no assurance that the share exchange will close. AGR Tools, Inc must issue 46,186,516 shares of its common stock to the current shareholders of AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. in order to complete the share exchange. Accounting for the anticipated cancellation of 25,000,000 shares of its common stock, upon the closing of the share exchange AGR Tools, Inc. will have 81,186,516 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.
More information on AGR Stone & Tools USA, Inc. can be found at: www.agrtools.com
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(NASDAQ: ACTG - Acacia Research Corp.)
LATEST NEWS!!
Acacia Subsidiary Licenses Medical Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) Technology to Aspyra
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec 22, 2009 -- Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:ACTG) announced today that its Hospital Systems Corporation subsidiary has entered into a license agreement with Aspyra, Inc. covering a portfolio of patents that apply to medical picture archiving and communication system (PACS) technology. This agreement resolves the parties' dispute that was pending in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
ABOUT ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION Acacia Research's subsidiaries develop, acquire, and license patented technologies. Acacia Research's subsidiaries control over 125 patent portfolios, covering technologies used in a wide variety of industries.
Information about Acacia Research is available at www.acaciatechnologies.com and www.acaciaresearch.com.
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(NASDAQ: ZAGG - Zagg, Inc.)
LATEST NEWS!!
ZAGG Introduces ZAGGsparq, Versatile Mobile Battery for Consumer Devices
ZAGGsparq(TM) Provides a Portable Battery Charge for Any USB-Charged Device
SALT LAKE CITY, Dec 22, 2009 -- ZAGG Inc. (NASDAQ:ZAGG) (www.ZAGG.com), a leading producer of mobile electronics accessories including the popular invisibleSHIELD(TM) and ZAGGaudio(TM) brands, introduces the ZAGGsparq(TM), a portable lithium polymer battery system that can provide multiple charges for any personal electronic device powered by a USB plug. The ZAGGsparq is available for shipment from ZAGG.com at the retail price of $129.99.
The ZAGGsparq can provide a portable battery charge for any USB-charged device including cell phones, handheld gaming systems, and digital cameras. The ZAGGsparq plugs into a standard wall outlet and provides two USB ports for charging mobile devices. Then, unplug the lithium polymer ZAGGsparq and it carries multiple charges for any personal electronic device that can be powered by a USB plug -- up to four complete recharges for a power-hungry Apple iPhone.
"The constant risk of low batteries is a significant concern for gadget users, in particular when traveling," said Brian Packer, Vice President of Marketing of ZAGG. "The ZAGGsparq carries multiple charges for any personal electronic device with you and fits easily in a pocket or bag, so it is perfect for everyone from travelers to businesspeople." The 6000ma lithium polymer cell of the ZAGGsparq can be charged more than 2,000 times before significant drop-off in battery life, making it the world's most powerful portable battery for its size.
"This forward thinking technology allows the ZAGGsparq to carry much larger and more potent charges than competing products," said Robert G. Pedersen II, President and CEO of ZAGG. "The ZAGGsparq really complements our line of existing products, and with thousands already sold in the first two weeks, we believe it will continue to be very popular with our innovative customer base." For more information about ZAGG or any of their products, please visit www.ZAGG.com.
About ZAGG Inc.: ZAGG is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the mobile experience. ZAGG designs, manufactures, and distributes protective clear coverings and accessories for consumer electronic and hand-held devices, worldwide under the brand names invisibleSHIELD(TM) and ZAGGaudio(TM). ZAGG has also introduced AppSpace, a powerful recommendation engine for the fast-growing mobile app market, combined with the networking power of social media. The invisibleSHIELD is a protective, high-tech patented film covering, designed for iPods, laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, PDAs, watch faces, GPS systems, gaming devices, and other items. The patent-pending invisibleSHIELD application of clear protective film covering a device is the first scratch protection solution of its kind on the market, and has sold millions of units. Currently, ZAGG offers over 4,000 precision pre-cut designs with a lifetime replacement warranty through ZAGG.com, major retailers like Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Cricket, resellers, college bookstores, Mac stores, mall kiosks, and other online retailers. The company continues to increase its product lines to offer additional electronic accessories and services to its tech-savvy customer base, including upcoming technologies like ZAGGbox, to be introduced at CES 2010, and HzO, a breakthrough gadget waterproofing technology. For more product or investor information please visit the company's web site at www.ZAGG.com.
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(NASDAQ: SNTS - Santarus, Inc.)
LATEST NEWS!!
Santarus Receives Previously Announced $20 Million Milestone for FDA Approval of ZEGERID OTC
SAN DIEGO, Dec 22, 2009 -- Santarus, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNTS), a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has received the $20 million milestone payment previously announced on December 1, 2009 relating to the approval of ZEGERID OTC(TM) (omeprazole 20 mg/sodium bicarbonate 1100 mg capsules) under its over-the-counter (OTC) licensing agreement with Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc., the consumer healthcare division of Merck & Co., Inc. Schering-Plough and Merck merged on November 3, 2009.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Schering-Plough HealthCare Products' New Drug Application (NDA) for ZEGERID OTC for OTC treatment of frequent heartburn on December 1, 2009. The OTC heartburn market in the U.S. is estimated at $1.7 billion based on data from Information Resources, Inc., a market research firm, and company estimates. ZEGERID OTC capsules are expected to be available on retail store shelves in the first half of 2010.
The NDA was submitted by Schering-Plough HealthCare Products under the terms of a license agreement for OTC proton pump inhibitor (PPI) products using Santarus' proprietary technology. Santarus may be entitled to receive up to an additional $37.5 million in sales milestones. Santarus will also be entitled to a low double-digit royalty, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances, on net sales of any ZEGERID OTC products sold by Schering-Plough HealthCare Products under the license agreement. In turn, Santarus will be obligated to pay royalties to the University of Missouri on net sales of any such OTC products.
Santarus is continuing to manufacture, promote and sell its ZEGERID (omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate) prescription products in both 20 mg and 40 mg dosage strengths of omeprazole in the U.S. prescription market for PPI products. Approximately 96% of ZEGERID Capsules prescriptions are written for the 40 mg dosage strength. Prescription strength ZEGERID is indicated for the treatment of heartburn and other symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), for the short-term treatment of erosive esophagitis diagnosed by endoscopy, for maintenance of healing of erosive esophagitis (controlled studies do not extend beyond 12 months), and for short-term treatment of active benign gastric ulcers and active duodenal ulcers.
Important Safety Information about Prescription Strength ZEGERID Capsules and Powder for Oral Suspension The most frequently reported adverse events with ZEGERID are headache, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In 178 critically ill patients treated with ZEGERID Powder for Oral Suspension, adverse events generally reflected the serious, underlying medical condition of the patients, but some adverse events occurred with more frequency in patients treated with ZEGERID Powder for Oral Suspension than in those treated with the comparator (acid-controlling) drug. For more information about these and other events, please see Table 13 of the full Prescribing Information at www.Zegerid.com. Symptomatic response to therapy does not preclude the presence of gastric malignancy. Atrophic gastritis has been noted occasionally in gastric corpus biopsies from patients treated long term with omeprazole.
ZEGERID Capsules contain 304 mg of sodium per dose. ZEGERID Powder for Oral Suspension contains 460 mg of sodium per dose. This should be taken into consideration for patients on a sodium-restricted diet.
Sodium bicarbonate is contraindicated in patients with metabolic alkalosis and hypocalcemia. ZEGERID is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation.
Since both 20 mg and 40 mg ZEGERID contain the same amount of sodium bicarbonate (1100 mg in capsules, 1680 mg in packets of powder for oral suspension), two 20 mg capsules are not equivalent to, and should not be substituted for, one 40 mg capsule, and two 20 mg packets are not equivalent to, and should not be substituted for, one 40 mg packet.
About Santarus Santarus, Inc. is a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing proprietary products that address the needs of patients treated by gastroenterologists and other physicians. The company's current commercial efforts are focused on ZEGERID(R) (omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate), which is indicated for the treatment of certain upper GI diseases and disorders, and on GLUMETZA(R) (metformin hydrochloride extended release tablets), which is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Santarus is also developing two late-stage lower GI product candidates, budesonide MMX(R) and rifamycin SV MMX(R), for the U.S. market. Budesonide MMX is being investigated in two multicenter Phase III clinical trials for the induction of remission of mild or moderate active ulcerative colitis. Rifamycin SV MMX has been investigated in a Phase II clinical program in travelers' diarrhea. More information about Santarus is available on the company's Web site at www.santarus.com.
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(NASDAQ: CTIC - Cell Therapeutics, Inc.)
LATEST NEWS!!
Cell Therapeutics Commits to PhRMA's Code on Interactions With Healthcare Professionals
SEATTLE, Dec 22, 2009 -- Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) (Nasdaq and MTA: CTIC) announced today its support of the Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America's (PhRMA) "Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals, revised July 2008" (PhRMA Code). Adherence to the Code is voluntary for commercial biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. "As CTI prepares for the potential launch of pixantrone to treat patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, we are committed to exchanging information with healthcare professionals in an ethical and responsible manner with the patient's best interests in mind," stated Craig W. Philips, President of CTI. "Our sales representatives will serve as an important resource for healthcare providers and we are focused on providing information about our therapies in a manner that consistently meets or exceeds PhRMA code guidelines." The PhRMA Code provides guidance on interactions between U.S. healthcare professionals and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies focusing on appropriate sales and marketing practices and training for company representatives.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) will review the New Drug Application (NDA) for pixantrone for the treatment of relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) on February 10, 2010. Pixantrone is a fast track designated product which has been accepted for review by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of April 23, 2010.
About Pixantrone Pixantrone (BBR 2778), is a novel topoisomerase II inhibitor with an aza-anthracenedione molecular structure that differentiates it from the anthracyclines and other related chemotherapy agents. Anthracyclines are the cornerstone therapeutic for the treatment of lymphoma, leukemia, and breast cancer. Although they are sufficiently effective to be used as first-line (initial) treatment, they cause cumulative heart damage that may result in congestive heart failure many years later. As a result, there is a lifetime limit of anthracycline doses and most patients who previously have been treated with an anthracycline are not able to receive further anthracycline treatment if their disease returns. Pixantrone also can be administered through a peripheral vein rather than a central implanted catheter as required for other drugs in this class.
The PIX 301 EXTEND phase III clinical trial in relapsed or refractory aggressive NHL was a single-agent trial of pixantrone in patients who received two or more prior therapies and who were sensitive to treatment with anthracyclines. The results of the trial showed that patients randomized to treatment with pixantrone achieved a significantly higher rate of confirmed and unconfirmed complete response, had a significantly increased overall response rate and experience a significant improvement in median progression free survival compared to patients treated with standard chemotherapy. The most common (incidence greater than or equal to 10%) grade 3-4 adverse events reported for pixantrone-treated subjects across the studies were neutropenia and leucopenia.
About Cell Therapeutics, Inc.
Headquartered in Seattle, CTI is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing an integrated portfolio of oncology products aimed at making cancer more treatable. For additional information, please visit www.CellTherapeutics.com.
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(NASDAQ: BLDP - Ballard Power Systems, Inc.)
LATEST NEWS!!
Ballard Monetizes Non-Core Investment for $44.5 Million
VANCOUVER, Dec. 21, 2009 -- Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that it has closed an agreement effective today with a financial institution to monetize its rights under the Share Purchase Agreement with Ford Motor Company (Ford) relating to Ballard's 19.9% equity interest in Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation Corp. (AFCC). Ballard will receive total gross proceeds of approximately $44.5 million: a $37 million payment today and a further contingent payment of $7.5 million due upon maturation of the Share Purchase Agreement on or before January 31, 2013. Ballard's receipt of the contingent payment is subject to the financial institution's rights in the transaction remaining unsubordinated.
Bruce Cousins, Ballard's Chief Financial Officer said, "Given the recent improvement in public debt market conditions and Ford's credit rating, we believe that this is the appropriate time to monetize this non-core investment".
John Sheridan, Ballard's President & CEO said, "The cash proceeds from this transaction bolster Ballard's strong balance sheet and strengthen our positioning to execute our clean energy growth priorities in backup power, supplemental power, distributed generation and motive power applications".
Ballard expects to book a gain associated with this transaction of approximately $34 million in its fourth quarter results. This transaction does not affect Ballard's business relationships with AFCC, Daimler, Ford, and their affiliates. Ballard will continue to supply technical services and fuel cell components and modules.
Background As part of the monetization agreement, Ballard has pledged its shares in AFCC and assigned its right to "put" or sell those shares to Ford for $65 million plus interest after January 31, 2013. The value of the monetization of the agreement with a financial institution was determined based on a number of variables, including Ford's cost of borrowing, expected future London Interbank Offered Rates (LIBOR), time remaining to the Share Purchase Agreement's maturity date and general market and other conditions. All required approvals from Daimler AG, Ford and AFCC were received prior to the closing of this transaction. Ballard's intellectual property rights are unaffected by this transaction.
Lazard Fr?res & Co. LLC acted as a financial advisor to Ballard for the transaction.
About Ballard Power Systems Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) is a clean energy growth company with product leadership in fuel cell power solutions, initially on the material handling and stationary power markets. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com
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