FDA Approved a Total of 39 New Drugs in 2012 -- Fifteen Year High

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Feb 7, 2013) - A sharp increase in drug approvals and mergers and acquisitions combined to create a bull market for the Biotechnology Industry in 2012. The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB), the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) and the First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index ETF (FBT) have all gained over 20 percent in the past year, outperforming the broader markets by a good margin. Research Driven Investing examines investing opportunities in the Biotech Industry and provides equity research on Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO) and NuPathe Inc. (NASDAQ: PATH).

Access to the full company reports can be found at:

www.RDInvesting.com/HALO
www.RDInvesting.com/PATH

Bloomberg recently reported drug approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reached a 15 year high in 2012. The FDA approved a total of 39 novel medicines last year, an increase of 30 percent when compared to a year ago. Oncology drugs lead the way with 11 new drugs approved last year. Over the last ten years the number of FDA approvals had averaged roughly 23 a year. The passage of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) played a major role in the sharp increase in approvals.

The PDUFA "has provided critical resources for improving the quality and timeliness of premarket review of drugs," said FDA spokeswoman, Sandy Walsh. "These accomplishments could not have been achieved without the innovations of the biopharmaceutical industry and the dedication and skill of FDA's drug review staff."

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Halozyme's research targets the extracellular matrix, an area outside the cell that provides structural support in tissues and orchestrates many important biological activities, including cell migration, signaling and survival. The company ended 2012 with a cash balance of approximately $100 million and expects 2013 net cash burn to be between $45 and $50 million.

NuPathe's lead product, Zecuity, has been approved by the FDA for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Zecuity is expected to be available by prescription in the fourth quarter of 2013. In addition to Zecuity, NuPathe has two proprietary product candidates based on its LAD, or Long-Acting Delivery, biodegradable implant technology that allows delivery of therapeutic levels of medication over a period of months with a single dose.

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