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.Akorn, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKRX) a specialty pharmaceutical company, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.Allos Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALTH), a biopharmaceutical company committed to the development and commercialization of innovative anti-cancer therapeutics announced management will present at two upcoming conferences: the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference and the Windhover Therapeutic Area Partnerships event, where the Company’s Pralatrexate for Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma project was named as one of Windhover’s Top 10 interesting oncology projects.ArQule, Inc. (Nasdaq:ARQL) announced it will present at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:10 p.m. eastern time.Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ALXN) announced researchers are scheduled to present data relating to Soliris® (eculizumab) as a treatment for patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) during the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), to be held December 5 – 8, 2009 at the Ernst N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) announced its presentation at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference will be webcast live, via the internet, on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 10:55a.m. EST.Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE:ELN) announced it will present at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference, on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at; 9:55 a.m. Eastern Time and 2:55 p.m. GMT.Genoptix, Inc. (Nasdaq:GXDX), a specialized laboratory services provider, announced the Company's participation at the Lazard Capital ManaGement 6th Annual Healthcare Conference at The St. Regis Hotel in New York City on November 17-18, 2009.Impax Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:IPXL) announced the Company will present at the Credit Suisse 18th Annual Healthcare Conference on Friday, November 13th, at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Standard time.ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMGN), a biopharmaceutical company that develops targeted anticancer therapeutics, announced several ImmunoGen poster presentations will be made at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics to be held in Boston, MA, on November 15-19, 2009.The positive mix lift expected as farmers choose to upgrade to next-generation technologies allows Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON) to reconfirm its commitment to double its 2007 gross profit in 2012, Monsanto President and CEO Hugh Grant will tell investors.Santarus, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNTS), a specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced Gerald T. Proehl, president and chief executive officer, will make a presentation at the Lazard Capital Markets 6th Annual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, November 17, 2009, at 10:55 a.m. Eastern time (7:55 a.m. Pacific time) at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.S3 Investment Company, Inc. (OTC:SIVC) announced the company's wholly owned Redwood Capital subsidiary has received payment valued at over $500,000 in the form of cash and stock from the recent closing of a client equity offering.Sigma-Aldrich® (Nasdaq:SIAL) announced it has entered into an exclusive worldwide distribution agreement with Stemgent, Inc. to offer Stemgent's portfolio of lentivirus-based delivery systems for the generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq:TEVA) announced the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has issued a decision in its litigation over the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market its generic version of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.'s Prevacid® (Lansoprazole) SoluTab.Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq:TEVA) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted final approval for the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market its generic version of Tap Pharmaceutical's proton pump inhibitor Prevacid® (lansoprazole) Delayed-Release Capsules, 15 mg and 30 mg. Customers will begin receiving product on November 11, 2009.Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq:VRTX) announced holders of its 4.75% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 have agreed to exchange approximately $109.0 million in aggregate principal amount of those notes and accrued interest for approximately 4.8 million shares of the Company’s common stock, which is approximately 140,000 shares more than the number of shares into which the notes were convertible under their original terms.

Jim Oberweis, Jr., money manager and editor of The Oberweis Report, is a long-standing expert in small cap, high growth growth stocks, and focused on those issues trading a reasonable valuations relative to their growth rates. Here, the advisors looks at a trio of specialty healthcare companies involved in niche markets such as women's health, autoimmune disease and vaccines. "The Female Health Company (NYSE: FHC) manufactures and markets the female condom. This product currently is the only medical device approved<span style="font: 12px[More...]

The Oberweis Report (http://www.thestockadvisors.com/ccount/click.php?id=2766), is a long-standing expert in small cap, high growth stocks, trading at reasonable valuations relative to their growth rates.Here, the advisors looks at a trio of specialty healthcare companies involved in niche markets such as women's health, autoimmune disease and vaccines."The Female Health Company (NYSE: FHC) manufactures and markets the female condom. This product currently is the only medical device approved by the FDA under a woman’s control intended to prevent unintended pregnancies and the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases. "The rise of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, especially in emerging countries, has increased the need for women to have their own means of disease prevention products. Approximately 80% of the company’s customers are public sector agencies including USAID, which distribute the products to areas in need."Near-term drivers include pending FDA approval of its second generation female condom and the recent reauthorization of the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) which will allocate $48 billion for AIDS prevention and treatment over the next 5 years."In the company’s latest reported fourth quarter, sales increased approximately 52% to $7.8 million from $5.2 million in the fourth quarter of last year. The Female Health Co. reported earnings per share of $.08 in the latest reported fourth quarter versus $.04 in the same quarter of last year. "Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutic products for the treatment of severe diseases including cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders and cancer. "The majority of the company’s current sales come from their Soliris product used to treat a rare blood disorder referred to as PNH (paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria). PNH is a rare, acquired (not inherited) blood disorder."PNH causes an individual’s immune system to destroy its own red blood cells (called hemolysis), resulting in life-threatening thrombosis, recurrent pain, kidney disease, disabling fatigue, and impaired quality of life."Soliris is the only available therapy to block hemolysis in patients with PNH. Soliris was discovered, developed and marketed exclusively by Alexion following FDA approval in the US in March 2007. "In June of 2007, the European Commission (EU) approved Soliris for the treatment of patients with PNH in 29 countries. Today roughly 67% of the company’s revenues are derived in the US with the remainder coming from Europe."In the company’s latest reported third quarter, sales increased approximately 250% to $76.5 million from $21.8 million in the third quarter of last year. Alexion Pharmaceuticals reported earnings per share of $.23 in the latest reported third quarter versus a loss in the same quarter of last year. "Akorn (NASDAQ: AKRX) develops ophthalmic and injectable pharmaceutical products. One of the company’s main growth drivers is its generic Tetanus Diphtheria vaccine, which the company estimates has already taken 25% of the market share versus its brand-name competitor in just a little over a year."Other near-term developments include the October 2008 launch of a premium ophthalmic anesthetic, Akten Gel 3.5%, which can be used for a variety of procedures including cataract surgery, retina surgery, and other miscellaneous ocular procedures."In the company’s latest reported third quarter, sales increased approximately 102% to $31.9 million from $15.8 million in the third quarter of last year. Akorn reported earnings per share of $.03 versus a loss in the same quarter of last year. "Clients of Oberweis Asset Management own approximately 600,000 shares of The Female Health Co., approximately 34,000 shares of Alexion and 850,000 shares of Akom.We consider the shares of these companies appropriate for risk oriented investors."

The accompanying table profiles the 13 companies mentioned in this article and statistics for all 113 companies (click here for a link to the entire index) with market caps between $25M-$150M, which are included in the new ETF Innovators (ETFI) Micro-Cap Bio-Pharma Index as a complement to the ETFI Emerging Bio-Pharma Index of companies with market caps between $150M-$1.5B.<br[More...]

The accompanying table includes the Top 25 rated companies with market caps over $50M U.S. Dollar which are included in the ETF Innovators (ETFI) Indian Generic Drug Index as a major component in the Global Generic Drug Index. The index also includes three companies based outside of India – Akorn (AKRX), Caraco Pharma (CPD), and Taro Pharma (TAROF). Akorn has a joint venture with Strides Arcolab (Akorn-Strides, LLC) which is focused on the hospital market for generic injectables, dominated by Hospira (HSP) and APP Pharma, which was acquired by Fresenius Medical (FMS).<br[More...]