Healthcare, Biotech, Pharmaceutical:

MannKind Pushes Through Three With Numerous Milestones Pending

MannKind Corporation (MNKD), a still-speculative healthcare play that is more apt to trade on catalysts and milestone events than on broad market movement, took advantage of the green pouring from Wall Street last week and jumped over the three dollar mark again while setting a new 52-week high in the process. Volume rolled in at roughly five times the trading norm as partnership rumors made rounds while the potential impact of the company's inhaled insulin product, Afrezza, also grabbed headlines.

The push through three makes MNKD a winner for investors by returning more than a 50% gain since the post-financing lows of late last year. Given the potential for Afrezza to infiltrate the insulin delivery market, should it ultimately receive FDA approval, it's safe to assume that even higher could be reached as the latest round of trials evolve. Afrezza failed to receive approval a couple of years ago because the company used a different model of inhaler during the trials than what it intended to use during the commercial phase. With that detail sorted out for the current trial, investors are looking for a positive outcome this time, as is company founder and CEO Al Mann who has personally invested over a billion dollars into the product.

With trial results slated for release over the course of the coming quarters and an NDA filing also expected this year, MNKD has plenty on tap to keep investors interested. Financing is no longer a concern that will weigh down the stock this year as it did last year, so these upcoming milestone events have the potential to provide substantial price catalysts. Discussions of potential partnerships, as we saw last week, may only add fuel to the fire, but because many are still skeptical that Afrezza will reach open market, however, and also because similar high-profile products failed commercially in the past, any swift spikes are likely to be followed by some profit taking and consolidation, which could lead to volatility.

Not only does Afrezza have to prove it can make it through the FDA, but it also has to win over a skeptical crowd that feels it has seen this story before. Last week's move provides an indication that some believers may be jumping on board, while the pending milestones should keep it interesting for the coming months.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/1262151-weekly-stock-watch-week-of-11-march-2013?source=google_news