Stocks to Die For! (Part 1)

Entrepreneurial investors, who have held stocks of the innovative biotechnology company Celera of Rockeville, Md, must have heaved a collective sigh of relief when the organization switched tracks from selling genomic information to discovering new drugs. Certainly Applera, which has a controlling stake in Celera, must have had a directive role in the path-breaking decision to change the business model, but even Celera’s founder who was responsible for the information-selling decision in the first place, has been supportive.

No innovation is without risk of failure. The decision to sell genomic information, and to compete with publicly funded research in the bargain, was attractive but unprecedented from the outset. It is to the credit of Celera’s management that a corrective decision was taken in time, and that the company’s future prospects make its stocks tremendously attractive.

How Technological Developments Drive Values of Stocks

Observers can tell that Celera’s fortunes have been swept to an unbelievable crest through changes in how new drugs are now developed. The basis for research throughout the pharmaceutical industry has moved away from 20th century organic chemistry to genetics of the new millennium. This evolution has competitive advantages in terms of the quantity of new molecules, which can be developed and evaluated, as well as in terms of designing medicines, which can cater to racial and even individual differences between patient groupings. Most drugs work at specific protein sites in the human body, and genomic information provides researchers with head starts in discovery processes.

Celera proves that technological evolution can change the fortunes of stocks beyond measure. The chances of favorable developments increase when sound management teams blend well with groups of creative scientists: this is the secret of Celera’s new success. The stocks of the company are likely to appreciate in superior fashion as the pharmaceutical industry switches over to protein micro-arrays for their new brands. There are also bright chances of major market expansion, as genomics may pave the way for remedies and treatment options for medical conditions, which are beyond adequate management today. The best part, as far as owners of Celera stocks are concerned, is that only a handful of competitors have the requisite know-how.

Stocks to die for! (Part 2)