Opko Health, Inc. (AMEX: OPK)

Company website: www.opko.com

Opko Health, Inc. OPK, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops therapies for the treatment and prevention of ophthalmic disorders and diseases. Its product candidates include bevasiranib sodium, which completed a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD) and diabetic macular edema. The company is also developing product candidates for the treatment of Wet AMD, which target other pathways involved in the pathogenesis of Wet AMD, including hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha. In addition, it is developing products for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa diseases. Opko Health has collaboration and license agreements with University of Pennsylvania, Intradigm Corporation, Pathogenics, Inc., University of Illinois, ZaBeCor Pharmaceutical Company, LLC, and University of Florida Research Foundation.

--------- What is Wet AMD?---------

Wet AMD also known as wet macular degeneration is when abnormal blood vessel growth forms beneath the macula. These vessels leak blood and fluid into the macula damaging photoreceptor cells. Wet AMD tends to progress rapidly and can cause severe damage to central vision. AMD is the leading cause of blindness for people over the age of 60. The National Eye Institute estimates that there are 1.7 million people with AMD in the U.S. alone and that this prevalence will grow to 11 million by 2013.

The market size will be worth $19 Billion by 2013!

Until recently, treatments for wet AMD were of limited efficacy. In the search for more effective treatments, researchers targeted VEGF, shown to be a key cause of the excess growth of abnormal and leaky ocular blood vessels that result in the loss of vision in these patients. Current VEGF antagonists, such as Lucentis by Genentech ( Ticker symbol-FDA; NYSE company worth 82 BILLION!), slow this vision loss, but require injections into the eye every four weeks, a particular issue for elderly patients who often have limited mobility.

This is where OPK comes into play.

OPK has developed a advanced therapeutic compound known as Cand5 or Bevasiranib. Bevasiranib is first in class interfering RNA that works to silence the genes that promote VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor, the overgrowth of blood vessels that lead to vision loss in Wet AMD. Bevasiranib is the first ever therapy based on the Nobel-Prize winning RNA interference technology to advance Phase 3 clinical trials.

Currently patients with Wet AMD use Genentech's Lucentis therapy which undergoes intravitral injections every four weeks to achieve vision preservation.

OPK is currently doing phase 3 multi national clinical trials with over 330 wet AMD patients where it combines Bevasiranib with Genentech's Lucentis to become the the first ever phase 3 trial of an agent based RNAi gene silencing technology. With OPK's treatment you reduce the number of eye injections from 13 a year to only 4 a year! This is significant to patients since they are of old age and often have limited mobility.

One major concern with these compounds is safety. Lucentis has shown a major risk of heart attacks while taking 13 eye injections a year while OPK's RNA Bevasiranib only has 4 injections a year without any risk of a stroke. This is key in passing phase 3 clinical trials.

OPK is on the verge of becoming the first company out there to cure Wet AMD. OPK has over 7 patents to protect their compounds.

OPK has also completed a phase 2 trial for a compound for Dry AMD and has many other developments in progress.

What really caught my eye here is the fact that Dr. Robert Frost is the Chairman and CEO of the company.

Robert Frost is a BILLIONAIRE who made his fortune in pharmaceuticals!

 Now why would a Billionaire get on the board of directors of a small AMEX company if he didn't believe 100% it was going to be a HUGE SUCCESS! He's a billionaire he doesn't have to do anything for the rest of his life if he didn't want to. Obviously he is extremely confident in OPK.

I can prove it....

Please give me 2 minutes of your time and go to this link- http://finance.yahoo.com/q/it?s=OPK

These are the insider transactions for the last 4 months.

Look at Robert Frosts transactions! ALMOST EVERY DAY HE IS BUYING HIS OWN STOCK!

There is nothing better then this! Now do you believe me that Dr. Frost is extremely confident in OPK. Obviously Dr. frost has done this many times and knows everything there is to know about the pharmaceutical business and I'm sure he will be prepared for the FDA when the time comes soon for OPK. Dr. Frost already owns a few Million dollars of OPK that he has purchased in the open market. Maybe he knows something we don't? Maybe the trials are going better then expected?

In my honest opinion, at $4.00 this is a win-win situation. I usually do not like pharma companies because they are risky when it comes to going to FDA for approval but I think this is a special situation that has my full attention and I feel confident about.

In fact, I think OPK could be a very possible takeover target soon and would add significant value to a bigger pharmaceutical company like Genentech.

What's also mind blowing is OPK's balance sheet!

Usually pharma companies this far in trials are deep in debt. OPK is actually a profitable company!

OPK has over 11 Million in assets and only about 10 Million in liabilities with only about $4 Million to be long term debt and over $6 Million in cash!

That is unbelievable!

If you are considering investing in OPK I highly suggest you listen to there recent presentation in the UBS 2007 Global Life Sciences Conference on Sept. 25. Go down to Ballroom E at 11:30 AM Here are the links- http://events.streamx.us/us/event/eventdetails.aspx?id=ubs20070924.    or at www.opko.com. I found this to be very informative and worth while.

Taking everything into consideration I think this is a very safe long term play that I believe if you can be patient will add great value to your portfolio.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at Staff@WallStreetGrand.com or call toll free 1-888-9-Club Grand

"Because your part of the Club!"

Disclaimer:

WSG has not been compensated for this profile of OPK.

Wall Street Grand's stock profiles are intended to be stock ideas, NOT recommendations. Please do your ownresearch before investing. It is crucial that you at least look at current SEC filings and read the latest press releases. Information contained in this profile was extracted from current documents filed with the SEC, the company web site and other publicly available sources deemed reliable. The purpose of this advertisement, like any advertising, is to provide coverage and awareness for the company.  The information provided in this advertisement is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to law orregulation or which would subject us to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country.

For our Full Disclaimer please visit our contact page.