Company Description
OPKO Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPK) is a multinational biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company. According to its public disclosures, OPKO seeks to establish positions in large, rapidly growing markets by using its discovery, development and commercialization expertise together with novel and proprietary technologies. The company operates in the pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing industry within the broader manufacturing sector and is listed on the Nasdaq stock market under the ticker OPK.
OPKO describes itself as a biopharmaceutical and diagnostics business with activities that span pharmaceutical products, diagnostic testing and laboratory services, and research and development collaborations. The company reports that it aims to build positions in its chosen markets by combining internal research capabilities, clinical development activities and commercialization experience.
Business Segments and Operations
Based on the company information provided, OPKO operates through pharmaceutical and diagnostics activities. A prior description notes that OPKO’s pharmaceutical segment consists of pharmaceutical operations in multiple countries and pharmaceutical research and development operations. The diagnostics activities include clinical and genomics laboratory operations through BioReference and point-of-care operations.
OPKO has stated that its diagnostics segment has generated a significant portion of its revenue. BioReference Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of OPKO, provides clinical testing services. OPKO has also disclosed that BioReference continues to operate core clinical testing services in the New York and New Jersey region and the 4Kscore® Test franchise following the sale of certain oncology and related clinical assets.
Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostics Focus
OPKO characterizes itself as a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of therapeutic candidates and vaccines, often through collaborations. For example, the company has reported collaborations involving an Epstein-Barr virus vaccine candidate being developed with Merck, and multispecific antibody programs being advanced through ModeX Therapeutics, an OPKO Health company. These activities reflect OPKO’s stated emphasis on discovery and development of new biologic candidates.
On the diagnostics side, OPKO has highlighted the 4Kscore® Test, which it describes as a blood test indicated for the assessment of the likelihood of aggressive prostate cancer in certain men with elevated or abnormal screening PSA results. The company has reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a supplemental application enabling performance of the 4Kscore® Test without digital rectal examination information.
ModeX Therapeutics and Multispecific Antibodies
ModeX Therapeutics Inc. is described as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and an OPKO Health company. ModeX focuses on multispecific biologics for cancer and infectious disease. According to ModeX disclosures, its platforms are designed to unite multiple biologic functions in a single molecule to create multispecific antibodies and vaccines. The ModeX pipeline includes candidates against solid and hematologic tumors and several viral threats.
ModeX reports that it uses a platform known as ModeX Synergistic Targeting of Antibody Receptors (MSTAR) to generate multispecific antibodies from modular building blocks. These multispecific antibodies are intended to address multiple disease pathways simultaneously. ModeX has disclosed clinical programs such as MDX2001, a tetraspecific T cell engager-expander in a Phase 1 trial for advanced solid tumors, and MDX2004, a trispecific antibody-fusion protein being evaluated in a Phase 1/2a study for advanced cancers and immune disorders.
Strategic Collaborations
OPKO has reported multiple collaborations that reflect its stated strategy of using partnerships to advance its technologies. For example, ModeX entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to discover and develop multispecific antibodies for several therapeutic indications. Under that agreement, ModeX is eligible for an upfront payment, potential product selection payments, clinical and regulatory milestone payments and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on global net sales for selected molecules.
OPKO has also reported a collaboration with Merck on an investigational Epstein-Barr virus vaccine candidate in a Phase 1 trial evaluating safety and tolerability in healthy adults. In addition, OPKO has described collaborations with Entera Bio to develop oral formulations of peptide-based therapies, including an oral dual GLP-1/glucagon tablet candidate (OPK-88006) for obesity and metabolic disorders and an oral GLP-2 tablet for short bowel syndrome and related conditions.
Diagnostics Portfolio and BioReference Health
BioReference Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of OPKO, operates clinical laboratory services. OPKO has reported that BioReference’s continuing operations include core clinical testing in the New York and New Jersey region and the 4Kscore® Test franchise. The company has also disclosed that it completed the sale of BioReference oncology and related clinical assets to Labcorp. According to OPKO, this transaction was intended to streamline BioReference’s laboratory services business and better position the subsidiary to optimize its test menu and pursue sustained profitability.
OPKO’s financial disclosures indicate that the diagnostics segment generates revenue from services, while the pharmaceutical segment generates revenue from products and from the transfer of intellectual property and other sources. The company has noted that changes in diagnostics revenue have been influenced by clinical test volume, asset sales and reimbursement rates, while pharmaceutical revenue has been affected by international operations, product mix, and collaboration-related revenue.
Research and Development Activities
OPKO reports that it invests in research and development to advance early-stage programs and clinical candidates. The company has referenced collaborations supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for multispecific antibodies for immune-impaired patients at risk for infections such as COVID and influenza. It has also described preclinical and clinical work on GLP-1/glucagon and GLP-2 programs for metabolic and gastrointestinal conditions, often in collaboration with Entera Bio.
ModeX’s programs, including MDX2001, MDX2003 and MDX2004, are part of OPKO’s broader R&D portfolio. The company has reported that these programs are being evaluated in or prepared for clinical trials in oncology and immunology, with data presented at scientific meetings such as the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), and endocrinology and nutrition congresses.
Corporate and Capital Markets Profile
OPKO Health is incorporated in Delaware and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol OPK. The company issues periodic financial results and business highlights, and it participates in healthcare investor conferences such as the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference and the Piper Sandler Annual Healthcare Conference, where management holds one-on-one meetings with investors and participates in public discussions.
OPKO has disclosed capital markets activities including a share repurchase program authorized by its board of directors and transactions involving its convertible notes. The company reports its financial condition, operating results and significant transactions through quarterly and annual reports and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Position in the Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostics Industry
According to its own descriptions, OPKO aims to build positions in large, rapidly growing markets by combining biopharmaceutical development with diagnostics capabilities. Its activities span therapeutic candidates, vaccines, multispecific antibodies, diagnostics tests and clinical laboratory services. The company’s collaborations with other pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, as well as its participation in scientific and investor conferences, reflect its role as a participant in the broader biopharmaceutical and diagnostics ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What does OPKO Health, Inc. do?
OPKO Health describes itself as a multinational biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company. It engages in pharmaceutical and diagnostic development programs and operates clinical and genomics laboratory services through subsidiaries such as BioReference Health. - On which exchange does OPKO Health trade and what is its ticker symbol?
OPKO Health’s common stock trades on the Nasdaq stock market under the ticker symbol OPK, as referenced in its press releases and SEC filings. - What are OPKO Health’s main business segments?
Company disclosures describe pharmaceutical and diagnostics activities. A prior description notes a pharmaceutical segment that includes pharmaceutical operations and research and development, and a diagnostics segment that includes clinical and genomics laboratory operations and point-of-care operations. - What is BioReference Health and how is it related to OPKO?
BioReference Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of OPKO Health. It operates clinical laboratory testing services and, according to OPKO, continues to provide core clinical testing in the New York and New Jersey region and the 4Kscore® Test franchise after the sale of certain oncology and related clinical assets. - What is ModeX Therapeutics?
ModeX Therapeutics is described as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and an OPKO Health company. It focuses on developing multispecific biologics for cancer and infectious disease, using platforms that combine multiple biologic functions in a single molecule. - What types of collaborations has OPKO Health reported?
OPKO has reported collaborations including a license and collaboration agreement between ModeX and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to develop multispecific antibodies, a collaboration with Merck on an investigational Epstein-Barr virus vaccine candidate, and agreements with Entera Bio to develop oral peptide-based therapies such as GLP-1/glucagon and GLP-2 tablet programs. - What is the 4Kscore® Test mentioned by OPKO?
OPKO describes the 4Kscore® Test as a blood test indicated for assessing the likelihood of aggressive prostate cancer in certain men with elevated or abnormal PSA results. The company has reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a supplemental application allowing performance of the test without digital rectal examination information. - How does OPKO describe its strategy in large, rapidly growing markets?
In its public statements, OPKO says it seeks to establish positions in large, rapidly growing markets by leveraging its discovery, development and commercialization expertise and its novel and proprietary technologies in both biopharmaceutical and diagnostics areas. - What role does BARDA play in OPKO’s activities?
OPKO has reported that development of certain multispecific antibodies for immune-impaired patients at risk for infections such as COVID and influenza is progressing with support from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and that revenue from a BARDA contract contributes to its pharmaceutical segment. - Where can investors find official information about OPKO Health’s financial results?
Investors can review OPKO’s quarterly and annual reports and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company also issues press releases announcing its financial results and conference calls.