Opko Health Stock Price, News & Analysis

OPKO Health's subsidiary ModeX Therapeutics has initiated Phase I clinical trials for an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) vaccine candidate in collaboration with Merck. The first participant has been dosed in the study (NCT06655324), which will evaluate the safety and tolerability of MDX2201 in up to 200 healthy adults. This milestone triggers an undisclosed cash payment from Merck to ModeX.

The vaccine candidate targets multiple viral proteins and aims to stimulate protective immunity against EBV, which causes infectious mononucleosis and is associated with several types of cancer and multiple sclerosis. Currently, there are no approved treatments or vaccines for EBV. The collaboration leverages Merck's clinical development expertise with ModeX's innovative technology platform to address this latent virus that affects a majority of the global population.

NextPlat Corp (NASDAQ: NXPL) has received vendor approval from JD.com, China's largest self-operated e-Commerce retailer, to list and sell OPKO Health Europe branded health & wellness and veterinary care products. The company plans to launch products on JD.com in Q1 2025, accessing over 340 million consumers.

The initiative includes listing OPKO human health products such as nutraceuticals for bone and joint health, and supplements for nutrition and immunity. Subject to Chinese regulatory clearance expected in Q1 2025, NextPlat plans to expand offerings to include veterinary and animal health products. This expansion comes as China's nutraceuticals market is projected to reach $100 billion by 2025.

The company has already begun online and offline marketing in China and recently participated in the 2024 China International Natural Health & Nutrition Expo (NHNE).

OPKO Health (Nasdaq: OPK) has announced its participation in the Piper Sandler 36th Annual Healthcare Conference, scheduled for December 3-5, 2024, at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in New York City. The company's management will engage in one-on-one meetings with investors and participate in a fireside chat on December 4th at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. The session will be webcast live and available for replay through OPKO Health's website's Investors section.

NextPlat Corp (NASDAQ: NXPL) announced its participation in the 2024 China International Natural Health & Nutrition Expo (NHNE), showcasing OPKO Healthcare products, including new veterinary care items. The expo, Asia's largest health and nutrition tradeshow, will host 1,200 suppliers and attract 120,000 buyers. NextPlat has been invited by the U.S. Consulate General in Wuhan to present OPKO products to selected Chinese buyers. The company is expanding its presence in China through new online storefronts on WeChat and JD.com, while planning physical distribution in retail chains during 2025. Recent weeks have shown increased demand for OPKO products in China following enhanced promotional activities.

OPKO Health (NASDAQ: OPK) reported Q3 2024 financial results with consolidated revenues of $173.6 million. The company completed the sale of select BioReference Health assets to Labcorp for $237.5 million and entered a $250 million note purchase agreement with HealthCare Royalty. Key financial highlights include operating income of $14.2 million and net income of $24.9 million ($0.03 per diluted share). The company initiated a $100 million share repurchase program, with 14.9 million shares already repurchased for $23.8 million. Additionally, OPKO received $51 million in BARDA funding for COVID and influenza programs development.

OPKO Health (NASDAQ: OPK) has scheduled its Third Quarter 2024 financial results announcement for November 7, 2024, after U.S. market close. The company will host a conference call and live audio webcast at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, where senior management will provide a business update, discuss results, and share financial guidance. Participants can pre-register for the call through a provided link, or dial in directly using 833-630-0584 (U.S.) or 412-317-1815 (International). A replay will be available until November 14, 2024.

ModeX Therapeutics, an OPKO Health company, has secured $51 million in additional funding from BARDA. This includes $35 million for developing a second novel multispecific antibody to SARS-CoV-2 and $16 million to initiate an influenza program. The total BARDA funding now reaches $110 million, with potential for up to $205 million if all options are executed.

The funding will support the development of ModeX's proprietary MSTAR platform, which incorporates multiple antibody binding sites into a single molecule. This technology aims to provide broader protection against viral threats and potentially benefit immune-suppressed patients. The project includes exploring gene-based expression of multispecific antibodies, which could reduce manufacturing costs and allow faster responses to emerging threats.

ModeX Therapeutics Inc., an OPKO Health (NASDAQ: OPK) company, has appointed Dr. Giovanni Abbadessa as Chief Medical Officer. With over 20 years of experience in drug development, Dr. Abbadessa joins from Sanofi, where he was Vice President in oncology asset development. This appointment comes as ModeX prepares for multiple clinical trials, including MDX2001, a novel solid tumor treatment that recently entered clinical trials.

Dr. Gary Nabel, ModeX's co-founder, President and CEO, praised Dr. Abbadessa's expertise in early-stage oncology development. OPKO Health's leadership, Drs. Phillip Frost and Elias Zerhouni, emphasized the importance of Dr. Abbadessa's skills as ModeX advances its pipeline of potential first-in-class treatments. Dr. Abbadessa expressed enthusiasm for ModeX's scientific discoveries and his commitment to advancing medical treatments to help patients.

Labcorp (NYSE: LH) has completed the acquisition of select assets from BioReference Health, a subsidiary of OPKO Health (Nasdaq: OPK), for $237.5 million. The deal includes BioReference Health's laboratory testing businesses in clinical diagnostics and reproductive and women's health outside of New York and New Jersey, generating approximately $100 million in annual revenue. This acquisition aims to enhance Labcorp's laboratory services network and expand access to its clinical services.

The transaction is expected to provide patients, physicians, and customers with greater access to Labcorp's comprehensive laboratory services and expanded testing capabilities. OPKO Health views this sale as a strategic move to improve efficiencies and enhance productivity of BioReference Health's operations, focusing on their core clinical diagnostics in New York and New Jersey and higher value testing segments.