Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #1 Rank ("strong buy") List today:

• 3M Co (MMM)
• Acadia Realty Trust (AKR)
• Actel Corp (ACTL)
• Amerigon Inc (ARGN)
• Avnet Inc (AVT)
• Santander BanCorp (SBP)
• Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp (BGFV)
• Briggs & Stratton Corp (BGG)
• Carrols Restaurant Group Inc (TAST)
• Cavco Industries Inc (CVCO)
• Connecticut Water Service Inc (CTWS)
• Crane Co (CR)
• Dow Chemical Co (DOW)
• Drew Industries Inc (DW)
• Enbridge Energy Management LLC (EEQ)
• Euronet Worldwide Inc (EEFT)
• GAMCO Investors Inc (GBL)
• Hertz Global Holdings Inc (HTZ)
• Intuitive Surgical Inc (ISRG)
• Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc (KERX)
• Lionbridge Technologies Inc (LIOX)
• LJ International Inc (JADE)
• Maidenform Brands Inc (MFB)
• MDU Resources Group Inc (MDU)
• MeadWestvaco Corp (MWV)
• Medical Action Industries Inc (MDCI)
• National Semiconductor Corp (NSM)
• Nelnet Inc (NNI)
• Omnova Solutions Inc (OMN)
• Phillips-Van Heusen Corp (PVH)
• Quantum Corp (QTM)
• Rogers Communications Inc (RCI)
• Schweitzer-Mauduit International Inc (SWM)
• Skechers U.S.A. Inc (SKX)
• Spartech Corp (SEH)
• Tenet Healthcare Corp (THC)
• Thomas & Betts Corp (TNB)
• Toro Co (TTC)
• Travelers Cos Inc (TRV)
• Universal Technical Institute Inc (UTI)
• United America Indemnity Ltd (INDM)
• Virage Logic Corp (VIRL)

View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List
"MMM" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"AKR" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"ACTL" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"ARGN" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"AVT" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"SBP" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"BGFV" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"BGG" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"TAST" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"CVCO" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"CTWS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"CR" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"DOW" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"DW" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"EEQ" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
Zacks Investment Research

Biotech investors interested in seeing more details about these companies and a full list of their related stories can do so by typing the stock ticker symbol into the Stock Quotes box on the right side of the page.

Helix BioMedix, Inc. (OTC:HXBM), a developer of bioactive peptides, announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.

Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings (NYSE:LH) announced William B. (Brad) Hayes, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is scheduled to speak at the Credit Suisse 18th Annual Healthcare Conference in Phoenix AZ.

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ:ONCY) announced updated results from a Phase II study of intravenous REOLYSIN(R) in patients with sarcomas metastatic to the lung in a poster presentation at the 15th Annual Connective Tissue Oncology Society Meeting held in Miami Beach, Florida, from November 5th to 7th.

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq:PPDI) announced it has completed its acquisition of Excel PharmaStudies, Inc., the market leader and one of the largest contract research organizations in China.

Imagenetix, Inc. (OTC:IAGX), announced today that William Spencer, President and CEO of Imagenetix, will be presenting the Company's store at the 2nd annual LD MICRO Conference on Thursday, December 3rd, at 10:30 AM PST at the Luxe Sunset in Los Angeles.

Amarin Corporation plc (NASDAQ:AMRN) announced the appointment of John F. Thero as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.

Phase Forward (NASDAQ:PFWD), a leading provider of data management solutions for clinical trials and drug safety, today announced the Mass Technology Leadership Council, Inc. named Phase Forward Private Sector Company of the Year at the 2009 Mass Technology Leadership Awards in Boston last night.

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq:BSTC), a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class collagenase-based products, announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.

Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Ltd. (NYSE:CPD) has launched ketorolac tromethamine ophthalmic solution, 0.5% following a final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Sun Pharma's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for generic Acular® ophthalmic solution on the first day following patent expiration.

Stellar Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTC:SLXCF), a Canadian pharmaceutical developer and marketer of high quality, cost-effective products for select health care markets, announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.

Cyberonics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CYBX) announced the company will report financial results for the second quarter ended October 23, 2009 of its fiscal year ending April 30, 2010 on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 5:00 PM EST.

GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTC:GOVX), an Atlanta-based, biopharmaceutical company developing human vaccines for disease caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other infectious agents, today announced its third quarter 2009 financial results and provided an operational update.

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:RDEA), a biotechnology company focused on the development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of gout, cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), today reported recent accomplishments and financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

Covidien (NYSE:COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, announced the successful completion of its tender offer through its subsidiary, Transformer Delaware Corp., to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Aspect Medical Systems, Inc.

PharMerica Corporation (NYSE:PMC), a national provider of institutional pharmacy and hospital pharmacy management services, announced Gregory S. Weisner, Chief Executive Officer, will make a presentation regarding the Company at the Credit Suisse 18th Annual Healthcare Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time.

Ferro Corporation (NYSE:FOE) announced it has closed on its previously announced common stock offering. The total number of shares sold was 41,112,500, including 5,362,500 shares issued in connection with the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares.

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX) announced it has reached an agreement in principle with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) related to product advisories issued by its Guidant subsidiary in 2005.The alleged conduct and product sales occurred prior to Boston Scientific's 2006 acquisition of Guidant.

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:KERX) will hold a conference call on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. EST to discuss the third quarter 2009 financial results and business outlook for the remainder of 2009.

The Quigley Corporation, (Nasdaq:QGLY), www.quigleyco.com, announced it would issue its third quarter results at 8:30 AM (ET) on Thursday, November 12, 2009.

Below is a summary of updates to the BioMedReports.com FDA Calendar, which includes a database of 297 entries as of 8/3/09.. The calendar was originally created by Mike Havrilla to track companies with pending new drug, biological agent, or medical device new product decisions at the FDA. With the launch of BioMedReports.com, the FDA Calendar has expanded to include the following categories: pending new submissions to the FDA (e.g. NDA, ANDA, BLA, 510k, PMA, sNDA, sBLA filings), pending complete response letter (CRL) re-submissions to the FDA, and pending late-stage clinical trial results.

On 8/2/09, Savient Pharma (NASDAQ:SVNT) announced it received a complete response letter (CRL) from the FDA for the Company's Biologics License Application (BLA) seeking approval of Krystexxa (pegloticase) as a treatment for chronic gout patients who do not respond to conventional therapy. The CRL cites deficiencies with the chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) section of the BLA and also provided the current draft of the proposed labeling and further guidance regarding a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS).

The Company intends to immediately request a meeting with the FDA to discuss and clarify the issues raised in the complete response letter. Under FDA regulations, the Company believes that this meeting is deemed a "Type A" meeting, meaning that the FDA would meet with the Company within 30 days of its receipt of the meeting request. SVNT stated that it is currently targeting a resubmission for early 2010 and expects to provide more details after meeting with the FDA to discuss the CRL. Resubmissions to the Agency are designated as either Class I (60-day) or Class II (six-month) reviews.

On 8/3/09, Repros Therapeutics (NASDAQ:RPRX) announced that, in the interest of patient safety (elevation of liver enzymes), it is voluntarily suspending dosing of all patients in its clinical trials of Proellex. This decision is based on available information regarding the occurrence of clinically significant increases in liver enzymes with 50 mg and 25 mg doses of Proellex, coupled with recent input from a consulting panel of liver experts.

The Company submitted a meeting request to the FDA on 7/30/09 and, in response, the Agency has proposed to change the topic of the previously scheduled End of Phase II meeting for endometriosis in late September into a discussion about the safety of Proellex and overall direction and scope of the program.The suspension of dosing will involve all ongoing clinical trials with Proellex for the treatment of chronic symptomatic uterine fibroids, anemia associated with this condition, and endometriosis.

On 8/2/09, Transcept Pharma (NASDAQ:TSPT) and privately-held Purdue Pharma announced an exclusive deal to commercialize Intermezzo (zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablet) in the U.S. Pending FDA approval, Intermezzo has the potential to be the first prescription sleep aid specifically approved for use in the middle of the night at the time a patient awakens and has difficulty returning to sleep. The PDUFA action date for the Intermezzo NDA is 10/30/09 for an expected FDA decision.

Purdue will pay TSPT near-term milestones that include an upfront cash payment of $25 million and an additional payment of up to $30 million based upon the timing of an FDA approval of Intermezzo, which approval and payment are subject to review and acceptance by Purdue. In addition, TSPT is eligible to receive up to an additional $90 million upon reaching future milestones related to achievement of intellectual property and U.S. net sales targets along with double-digit royalties ranging up to the mid-20% level on U.S. net sales.

Shares of TSPT have more than doubled since the stock was featured as an FDA Calendar Extreme Trade on 7/20/09 as one of 20 stocks below $5 with pending FDA decisions or clinical trial results.

On 8/3/09, BVX announced a 510(k) submission to the FDA seeking pre-market clearance for the Company's ICON VS electrosurgical generator. The generator has been designed to work with Bovie's Seal-N-Cut line of vessel sealing instruments providing both monopolar and bipolar energy options to the surgeon. The fully digital ICON VS generator has a user friendly interface allowing the surgeon flexibility to choose the type of effect desired. The monopolar and bipolar functions satisfy a wide variety of surgical demands needed during surgeries including vessel sealing.

On 8/3/09, Keryx Biopharma (NASDAQ:KERX) announced an agreement with the FDA for a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) on the design of a Phase 3 trial for its KRX-0401 (perifosine), in relapsed or relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma patients previously treated with bortezomib (Velcade). The SPA provides agreement that the Phase 3 study design adequately addresses objectives in support of a regulatory submission.

The study is a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of KRX-0401 vs. placebo when combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone and will enroll about 400 patients with relapsed or relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival and secondary endpoints include overall response rate, overall survival and safety. Perifosine is in-licensed by Keryx from Aeterna Zentaris (NASDAQ:AEZS) in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

On 8/3/09, Icagen (NASDAQ:ICGN) announced that the FDA has lifted the partial clinical hold related to the development of ICA-105665, the Company's novel orally available small molecule KCNQ potassium channel agonist, for the treatment of epilepsy. Accordingly, the Company is planning to initiate a proof-of-concept study in patients with photosensitive epilepsy. The study measures the ability of ICA-105665 to reduce the photic-induced epileptiform EEG responses. The duration of an observed effect will also be measured over time.

A range of doses of ICA-105665 will be studied in successive cohorts, and the response observed in each cohort will determine the subsequent dose for the next cohort. The objective of the study is to determine a potential dose range to study in subsequent, more advanced clinical trials. The study is anticipated to be completed by mid-2010 but interim results may be available earlier. In addition, the Company continues preparations for a proof-of-concept pain study, which is also expected to be initiated during 3Q09 with initial results expected by early 2010.

Disclosure: No positions

Last week, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (KERX) announced that its renal cancer drug KRX-0401 (perifosine) met both primary and secondary endpoints in a mid-stage trial. KRX-0401 is in-licensed by Keryx from Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (AEZS) in the US, Canada and Mexico. The data was presented at the eighth International Kidney Cancer Symposium in Chicago. The candidate demonstrated [...]

(KERX) Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Cancer Drug Impresses

BloggingStocks: The market was remarkably bored about most of what the Fed had to say about the results of the FOMC. A close reading of the minutes shows nothing new. The economy is very modestly better. The turn for the better will be slow and painful. Housing may ... Read more