On April 19, 2018 Alkermes plc (NASDAQ: ALKS) reported that it will host a conference call and webcast presentation at 8:30 a.m. ET (1:30 p.m. BST) on Thursday, Apr. 26, 2018, to discuss the company’s first quarter 2018 financial results (Press release, Alkermes, APR 19, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2343568 [SID1234525541]). Management will also provide an update on the company.

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The webcast player and accompanying slides may be accessed on the Investors section of Alkermes’ website at www.alkermes.com. The conference call may be accessed by dialing +1 888 424 8151 for U.S. callers and +1 847 585 4422 for international callers. The conference call ID number is 6037988.

A replay of the conference call will be available from 11:00 a.m. ET (4:00 p.m. BST) on Thursday, Apr. 26, 2018, through 5:00 p.m. ET (10:00 p.m. BST) on Thursday, May 3, 2018, and may be accessed by visiting Alkermes’ website or by dialing +1 888 843 7419 for U.S. callers and +1 630 652 3042 for international callers. The replay access code is 6037988.

On April 19, 2018 Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) reported that it will report its first quarter 2018 financial results on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, after the close of the U.S. financial markets (Press release, Amgen, APR 19, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2343565 [SID1234525542]). The announcement will be followed by a conference call with the investment community at 2 p.m. PT. Participating in the call from Amgen will be Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer, and other members of Amgen’s senior management team.

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Live audio of the conference call will be simultaneously broadcast over the internet and will be available to members of the news media, investors and the general public.

The webcast, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen’s business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen’s website, www.amgen.com, under Investors. Information regarding presentation times, webcast availability and webcast links are noted on Amgen’s Investor Relations Events Calendar. The webcast will be archived and available for replay for at least 90 days after the event. (Press release, Amgen, APR 19, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2343565 [SID1234525542])

On April 19, 2018 The Board of Shire (the "Board") confirms that it has received three conditional proposals from Takeda regarding a possible offer for the Company, on 29 March 2018 (the "First Proposal"), 11 April 2018 (the "Second Proposal") and 13 April 2018 (the "Third Proposal") (Press release, Shire, APR 19, 2018, View Source [SID1234525577]).

The First Proposal comprised £28 per share in new Takeda shares, to be listed in Japan and in the US through an ADR listing, and £16 per share in cash, representing a potential value of £44 per share and approximately £41 billion for the total issued and to be issued share capital of the Company. Based on Takeda’s current market capitalisation, Shire shareholders would own approximately 50 per cent. of the enlarged Takeda.

Following a thorough review of the First Proposal with its advisers and a Board meeting on 8 April 2018, the Board unanimously rejected the First Proposal, concluding that it significantly undervalued the Company, its growth prospects and pipeline.

The Board has since received two further proposals:

the Second Proposal comprised £28.75 per share in new Takeda shares, to be listed in Japan and in the US through an ADR listing, and £16.75 per share in cash, representing a potential value of £45.50 per share, only a marginal increase to the First Proposal, and approximately £43 billion for the total issued and to be issued share capital of the Company. Based on Takeda’s current market capitalisation, Shire shareholders would own approximately 51 per cent. of the enlarged Takeda; and
the Third Proposal also comprised £28.75 per share in new Takeda shares, to be listed in Japan and in the US through an ADR listing, and £17.75 per share in cash, representing a potential value of £46.50 per share and approximately £44 billion for the total issued and to be issued share capital of the Company. Based on Takeda’s current market capitalisation, Shire shareholders would own approximately 51 per cent. of the enlarged Takeda.

The Board met again and thoroughly considered the Third Proposal with its advisers and unanimously rejected it, concluding that it continues to significantly undervalue the Company and Shire’s growth prospects and pipeline.

Following the Board meeting on 14 April 2018 which rejected the Third Proposal, at the Board’s request Shire’s advisers entered into a dialogue with Takeda’s advisers to discuss whether a further, more attractive, proposal may be forthcoming and to understand the basis on which such a proposal would be made.

The Board and management of Shire remain committed to enhancing shareholder value and are focused on fully evaluating internal and external opportunities to maximise value for shareholders, including any further proposals from Takeda.

This announcement is made without the consent of Takeda.

On April 19, 2018 Oasmia reported that the Private Placement has enabled Oasmia to place 26 new convertible instruments with a limited group of investors at a nominal value of SEK 1,000,000 per convertible instrument through an accelerated book building procedure (Press release, Oasmia, APR 19, 2018, View Source [SID1234556570]).

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The convertible loan is issued with the purpose of replacing the Company’s financing under the Company’s convertible loan 2017:2 in the total amount of MSEK 26, which fell due for payment 18 April 2018. The fallen due loan amount under the Company’s convertible loan 2017:2 will be paid to the convertible loan holders in May 2018 and the fallen due interest was paid in April 2018.

In order to enable the placement, the Board of Directors of Oasmia has, by virtue of the authorisation granted by the Annual General Meeting held on 25 September, 2017, resolved on a directed issue of a new convertible loan in the amount of SEK 26,000,000. The convertible instruments have been subscribed at 100 per cent of the nominal amount and the convertible loan bear an interest rate of 8 per cent per year. The conversion rate is based on the closing price of Oasmia’s shares on Nasdaq Stockholm on 18 April 2018 with premium and will amount to SEK 4.90. The term of the loan is approximately one year with a maturity date on 22 April 2019 if not converted to shares earlier. The terms of the convertible instruments are based on an accelerated book building procedure on 18 April 2018 and the Board of Directors has thereby ensured that the terms of the convertible instruments corresponds to fair market standards.

If the convertible loan is fully converted into shares, the number of shares in Oasmia increases by 5,306,122 from 176,406,372 to 181,712,494 and the share capital increases by SEK 530,612.20 from SEK 17,640,637.20 to SEK 18,171,249.40. In the event of a full conversion into shares, the dilution effect will amount to approximately 2.9 per cent.

On April 19, 2018 Argos Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ARGS), an immuno-oncology company focused on the development and commercialization of individualized immunotherapies based on the Arcelis precision immunotherapy technology platform, reported interim results from its randomized, active controlled, open-label, multi-center Phase 3 ADAPT trial of Rocapuldencel-T in combination with sunitinib/standard-of-care for the treatment of newly diagnosed metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Based on these results, the Company has decided to discontinue the trial (Press release, Argos Therapeutics, APR 19, 2018, View Source [SID1234525543]).

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As previously reported, a total of 462 patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma were enrolled in the ADAPT trial and randomized 2:1 between combination treatment with Rocapuldencel-T and sunitinib (combination arm) vs. sunitinib monotherapy (control arm) after undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy. The Company recently submitted a protocol amendment to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration providing for four co-primary endpoints focused on various measures of survival. Based upon review of the interim data, the Company does not believe that it would achieve these endpoints if the trial were to be continued. After consulting with the principal investigators of the trial, the Company has therefore decided to discontinue the trial and has informed the FDA of its decision.

The most recent interim analysis was conducted after 51 new events (deaths) had occurred since the time of the February 2017 interim analysis. Median overall survival for the intent-to-treat patient population, one of the four co-primary endpoints, was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The estimated median overall survival for the combination arm was 28.2 months (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 23.4, 35.2) compared to 31.2 months (95% CI: 23.0, 44.5) for the control arm. The hazard ratio was 1.10 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.42). The two other co-primary endpoints that were evaluated at this time, including overall survival for the patients who remained alive at the time of the February 2017 interim analysis and overall survival for all patients for whom at least 12 months of follow-up was available, also did not demonstrate a favorable result. A fourth endpoint, five-year survival, was not evaluated because there was insufficient data at this time to perform this analysis.

Based on a review of the status of its internal programs, resources and capabilities, Argos plans to explore a wide range of strategic alternatives that may include a potential merger or sale of the Company, among other potential alternatives that could maximize both near and long-term value for our shareholders. The Company has retained Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated to serve as its financial advisor in the process.

Argos does not have a defined timeline for the exploration of strategic alternatives and is not confirming that the process will result in any strategic alternative being announced or consummated. Argos does not intend to discuss or disclose further developments during this process unless and until its Board of Directors has approved a specific action or otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate.

Argos also today reported that it does not expect to regain compliance with The Nasdaq Capital Market continued listing requirements by the April 24, 2018 deadline. As a result, Argos expects that its common stock will be delisted from The Nasdaq Capital Market and that trading in the Company’s common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market will be suspended effective at the open of business on April 23, 2018. The Company has filed an application to transfer trading and quotation of its common stock to the OTCQB Venture Market, operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., under its current trading symbol "ARGS," effective as of April 23, 2018. Quotation and trading information for the common stock will be available on www.otcmarkets.com.