Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now

The�megabillion-dollar buyout�of Life Technologies (NASDAQ: LIFE  ) by Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO  ) grabbed a lot of headlines earlier this week. Fool contributor Rich Smith, however, has a different story to tell.

It's the story of one overpriced company buying another company that's an even worse bargain, which resulted in a medical equipment behemoth that's even more egregiously overpriced than the two companies were separately.

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Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Redpoint Bio Corp (RPBC)

Redpoint Bio Corporation (Redpoint), incorporated in August 1995, is a development-stage biotechnology company. The Company leverages discoveries in the molecular biology of taste to discover and develop taste modulators for the food and beverage industries. Its food and beverage program has been focused on identifying flavor modifiers that improve the taste of ingredients. In June 2009, the Company announced that it had identified an all-natural sweetness enhancer, RP44. RP44 is Reb-C (rebaudioside C), a component of the stevia plant.

Sweetness Enhancer Program

Redpoint announced that it had identified RP44, an all-natural sweetness enhancer, in June 2009. In January 2010, it disclosed that RP44 is Reb-C (rebaudioside C), a component of the stevia plant. RP44 is derived from material found in the side stream of the Reb A production process. A purified component of stevia known as Reb A has received regulatory approval in the United States. Unlike Reb A, RP44 has a low intrinsic level of sweetness and therefore is not useful as a sweetener.

Diabetes and Obesity Drug Discovery Program

The Company�� initial programs focused on the modulation of the TRPm5 ion channel, a signaling element in taste sensation, in order to discover compounds that modulate the taste of food and beverage products. Redpoint initiated a program designed to leverage the research it had already conducted on the discovery of modulators of the TRPm5 ion channel to further explore opportunities for the discovery of diabetes or obesity therapeutics. TRPm5 modulators discovered at Redpoint have been shown to elicit the secretion of hormones known to play roles in metabolism in relevant model systems.

The Company competes with International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Givaudan SA, Symrise, Firmenich, Senomyx, PureCircle Ltd, GLG Life Tech Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co., Inc., Metabolex, Inc., OSI Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline! , Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Greenfield Farms Food Inc (OTCMKTS: GRAS), International Stem Cell Corp (OTCMKTS: ISCO) and Redpoint Bio Corporation (OTCMKTS: RPBC) have all been getting some extra attention lately in various investment newsletters. However, none of these small cap stocks appear to have been the subject or paid promotions or investor relations activities. So does that make any of them good bets for traders and investors alike? Here is a quick look and a reality check:

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: Receptos Inc (RCPT)

Receptos, Inc. (Receptos), incorporated on June 9, 2008, is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutics for immune disorders. The Company�� product candidates span three specialty disease areas. The Company�� lead asset, RPC1063, is being developed as an oral therapy for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Its second asset, RPC4046, is being developed for the treatment of an allergic/immune-mediated disorder, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), which is an orphan disease. RPC1063 is an oral, once daily, selective and potent sphingosine 1-phosphate 1 receptor (S1P1R) modulator. RPC4046 is a monoclonal antibody selective to interleukin-13 (IL-13) and produced by recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology.

As of December 31, 2012, RPC1063 was being tested in the Phase II portion of an accelerated design, randomized Phase II/III study for the treatment of RMS. In addition, Receptos has obtained special protocol assessment (SPA) agreement from the United States food and drug administration (FDA) on its clinical trial design for the planned Phase III portion of the Phase II/III study, as well as a second planned RMS Phase III study. RPC1063 is also being tested in a randomized Phase II study for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), a gastrointestinal (GI) disea se.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company was enrolling a randomized Phase II study evaluating the ability of RPC1063 to induce clinical remission in patients with moderately-to-severely active UC called TOUCHSTONE. The Company�� second asset, RPC4046 for the treatment of EoE, builds upon its competencies in immunology and GI diseases. In-licensed from AbbVie Bahamas Ltd. and AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie) RPC4046 is a monoclonal antibody directed against the IL-13 target, which has been validated in Asthma, a predominantly allergic/immune-mediated disorder.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Receptos (RCPT) is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutics for immune disorders. This stock closed up 5% at $23.19 in Monday's trading session.

  Monday's Volume: 69,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 55,356
  
  Volume % Change: 50%

  From a technical perspective, RCPT ripped higher here right above some key near-term support at $21 with decent upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of RCPT within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if RCPT manages to take out its all-time high at $25 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in RCPT as long as it's trending above support at $21 and then once it sustains a move or close above its all-time high at $25 with volume that's near or above 55,356 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then RCPT will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $30 to $35.

• [By RichardCox]

  For those willing to take on some added volatility (and potential for increased risk based on less diversification), investors can look at Receptos Inc. (RCPT), to play this year's momentum in IPO entries. Enhanced expectations for the company's IPO drove the company to raise its initial share offering to 5.2 million shares. Receptos has reached late-stage development for its oral treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). MS treatments are dominated by industry heavyweights but MS pills are expected to surge in the next few years because oral treatments are becoming more efficient than injected therapies, and can cater to a broader consumer base. Being a new company, the Receptos chart only offers limited incite, and will not be included here.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap �biopharmaceutical stock Receptos Inc (NASDAQ: RCPT) was one of the many hot biotech IPOs of last year and its also up 72.4% since the start of this year alone, meaning its time to take a closer look at this small cap stock with potential treatments for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) along with the performance of biotech ETF benchmarks like the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF (NASDAQ: IBB) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSEARCA: XBI).

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: Biomerieux SA (BIM)

Biomerieux SA is a France-based company that specializes in the field of in-vitro diagnostics for medical and industrial applications. The Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells systems used in clinical applications, such as for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, respiratory infections, among others and industrial applications, such as for the analysis of industrial or environmental samples. The Company also provides its customers with related services for the installation and maintenance of instruments, and training for product users. BioMerieux SA operates through its numerous subsidiaries in various countires, such as bioMerieux Deutschland GmbH, bioMerieux Austria GmbH, bioMerieux Benelux SA/NV, among others. In January 2014, it acquired 100% stake in BioFire Diagnostics Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  BioMerieux (BIM) jumped 3.8 percent to 76.53 euros, the largest gain in eight months. The French maker of tests for HIV and hepatitis reported sales for the first half of 754 million euros and confirmed its revenue-growth forecast.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp (NVIV)

InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp., formerly Design Source, Inc., incorporated on April 2, 2003, is a development-stage company. The Company is developing and commercializing technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The Company develops biopolymer scaffolding devices for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The biopolymer devices are designed to protect the damaged spinal cord from further secondary injury and promote neuroplasticity, a process where functional recovery can occur through the rerouting of signalling pathways to the spared healthy tissue.

The Company�� biopolymer-based devices are surgically implanted or injected into the lesion created during traumatic injury, or the primary injury. Additional applications of its platform technologies include the treatment for, spinal cord injury following tumor removal, peripheral nerve damage, and postsurgical treatment of any transected nerve. Its biocompatible scaffolding device for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury, is regulated as a Class III medical device by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company's biocompatible hydrogel is used for the local release of methylprednisolone to treat acute spinal cord injuries and the biocompatible polymer scaffolding device seeded with autologous human neural stem cells.

The Company�� porous biopolymer scaffold consists of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and-polylysine. PLGA is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, which is used for applications, such as surgical sutures (Dolphin sutures and Ethicon sutures), drug delivery (Lupron Depot and Sandostatin LAR Depot), and tissue engineering (Dermagraft). The PLGA-polylysine biopolymer scaffolding device is biocompatible and biodegradable and degrades naturally inside the body without requiring subsequent removal.

The Company focuses to develop an injectable hydrogel designed to counteract the inflammatory environment that results during a secondary injury from a closed-wound spi! nal cord injury where further cell death occurs. It focuses to counteract the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury by replacing lost cells of the spinal cord and activating endogenous regenerative processes, such as the formation of new synapses and axonal sprouting based on molecules the stem cells produce.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  I came close to pointing this out yesterday, but didn't pull the trigger. Though delaying didn't cost you or me more than a few cents, I don't want to tarry any longer... Invivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (OTCBB:NVIV) is a buy.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: Bio-Reference Laboratories Inc.(BRLI)

Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. provides clinical laboratory testing services for the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of diseases primarily in the greater New York metropolitan area. It offers various chemical diagnostic tests, including blood and urine analysis, blood chemistry, hematology services, serology, radio-immuno analysis, toxicology, pap smears, tissue pathology, and other tissue analysis. The company also operates a clinical knowledge management service unit, which uses customer data from laboratory results, pharmaceutical data, claims data, and other data sources to provide administrative and clinical decision support systems. In addition, it operates a Web-based connectivity portal solution for laboratories and physicians to provide laboratory ordering and results to physician customers. The company provides its services directly to physicians, geneticists, hospitals, clinics, and correctional and other health facilities. Bio-Refe rence Laboratories, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Elmwood Park, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon] strong>DreamWorks (DWA)

  Read these reports. Look for something that might have interested me. Why would Geoff look at DNB, Chuck E. Cheese, etc.? What got him interested in the stock? Do I see the same thing?

  Whenever possible, also read the quarterly earnings call transcripts. You can listen to them too. But it�� easier if you read them and listen to them.

  Just listening is a bad idea.

  Whenever I can get a transcript of anything ��even Warren Buffett�� appearance on CNBC ��I��l keep a copy of the transcript even when I have a copy of the video (or audio). You can refer back to a transcript easily. You can highlight. You can take notes.

  Taking Notes

  Now, you are doing those things when reading an annual report, right?

  You never just sit down and read an annual report. You always sit down with a pen, a highlighter, a pad of paper, and a calculator. Use the margins of a 10-K ��or your pad of paper ��to jot down notes. Ask questions. Do calculations.

  If you ever see a 10-K after I��e read it ��it�� not very white anymore. There�� lots of stuff written in the margins. Mostly it�� questions I was asking myself. But it�� also calculations of numbers the company does not provide.

  Numbers to Know

  So, for example, in a bank�� 10-K I always write down:

  路 Deposits per share

  路 Deposits per branch

  路 Cost of deposits

  路 Texas Ratio

  You can actually look up the Texas Ratio of any bank here. And some banks calculate and report cost of deposits the way I like to think about it. But, it�� not common for banks to report deposits per branch ��although small banks will sometimes mention (perhaps in the shareholder letter) what their biggest branch has in deposits. Others may mention how quickly new branches achieved a deposit milestone.

  Those are the kinds of numbers I write in the margins of a bank�� 10-K. There will be questions like: ��hy is e

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Bio-Reference Laboratories Inc.(BRLI) projected fiscal-fourth quarter earnings below expectations and also gave a cautious view for the recently started fiscal year. The clinical-testing company said it has been under pressure from reimbursement rates, higher costs stemming from upgrading acquisitions in Florida and California, as well as substantial start-up costs for its inherited cancer program.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  As a result, LabCorp has dropped 11% to $87.79 and has helped drag down competitors like Quest Diagnostics (DGX), and BioReference Laboratories (BRLI).

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Some easy money from the European Central Bank helped boost stocks today, as Caterpillar (CAT), Joy Global (JOY),�Bio-Reference Laboratories (BRLI) and Amazon.com (AMZN) rose.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: Opt-Sciences Corp (OPST)

Opt-Sciences Corporation, incorporated on November 1956, conducts its business through its wholly owned subsidiary, O and S Research, Inc. The Company deposits anti-glare and/or transparent conductive optical coatings on glass used primarily to cover instrument panels in aircraft cockpits. It also provides full glass cutting, grinding and painting operations, which augment its optical coating capabilities. Its products are designed to enable pilots to read aircraft instruments in direct sunlight or at night or in covert situations using appropriate night vision filters or to protect the instruments from electromagnetic interference. The Company�� business is dependent on a robust commercial, business, and regional aircraft market and to a lesser degree the military aircraft market. It generally has a four to twelve week delivery cycle depending on product complexity, available plant capacity and required lead time for specialty raw materials, such as polarizers or filter glass.

The Company�� offers incorporate an optical coating of some type. Its primary coatings are for aircraft cockpit display applications and consist of its anti-reflection coating used for glare reduction and its transparent conductive coating used for electromagnetic interference shielding. In addition, it also offers a full range of other specialty instrument glass, including night vision filter glass, circular polarizers, touchpads, glass sandwiches for liquid crystal displays (LCDs) as well as other custom designed specialty glass components and assemblies. It uses its technology to apply a micro thin optical non-glare and/or conductive coating to the glass. Both processes utilize the deposit of a thin film of metal or metal oxide on the surface of the glass. The process takes place in a heated vacuum chamber. It heats the deposited material to over 1800 degrees Centigrade causing it to evaporate.

The Company competes with JDSU, Mod A Can, Dontech, Schott Glass and Hoya Optics

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon] ng>Micropac

  Micropac is 76% owned by Heinz-Werner Hempel. He�� a German businessman. You can see the German company he founded here. He�� had control of Micropac for a long-time. I don�� have an exact number in front of me. But I would guess it�� been something like 25 years.

  ADDvantage

  ADDvantage Technologies is controlled by the Chymiak brothers. See the company�� April 4 press release explaining their decision to turn over the CEO position to an outsider. Regardless, the Chymiaks still control 47% of the company. Ken Chymiak is now chairman. And David Chymiak is still a director and now the company�� chief technology officer. Clearly, it�� still their company.

  By the way, the name ADDvantage Technologies has nothing to do with the Chymiaks. Today�� AEY really traces its roots to a private company called Tulsat. The Chymiak brothers acquired that company about 27 years ago. So, effectively, when you buy shares of AEY you are buying into a 27-year-old family-controlled company.

  That�� pretty typical in the world of net-nets.

  Solitron

  Solitron Devices is 29% owned by Shevach Saraf. He has been the CEO for 20 years. The post-bankruptcy Solitron has never known another CEO. Before the bankruptcy, Solitron was a much bigger, much different company. So even though we are not talking about the founder here ��and even though 70% of the company�� shares are not held by the CEO ��we��e still talking about a company where one person has a lot of control. Solitron only has three directors. Saraf is the chairman, CEO, president, CFO and treasurer. Neither of the other two directors joined the board within the last 15 years. So, we aren�� talking about a lot of tumult at the top.

  In fact, profitable net-nets seem to be especially common candidates for abandoning the responsibilities of a public company without actually getting taken private.

  OPT-Sciences

  This company is controlled by Arthu

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: Myriad Genetics Inc (MYGN)

Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Myriad) is a molecular diagnostic company. The Company is focused on developing and marketing predictive medicine, personalized medicine and prognostic medicine tests. It performs all of its molecular diagnostic testing and analysis in its own reference laboratories. These technologies include the cornerstone technologies of biomarker discovery, high-throughput deoxyribo nucleuc acid (DNA) sequencing, ribo nucleic acid (RNA) expression and multiplex protein analysis. The Company uses this information to guide the development of new molecular diagnostic tests that are designed to assess an individual's risk for developing disease later in life (predictive medicine), identify a patient's likelihood of responding to drug therapy and guide a patient's dosing to ensure optimal treatment (personalized medicine), or assess a patient's risk of disease progression and disease recurrence (prognostic medicine).

As of June 30, 2012, the Company had launched nine commercial molecular diagnostic tests. The Company markets these tests through its own approximate 385-person sales force in the United States. The Company also markets its BRACAnalysis, COLARIS, and COLARIS AP tests through its own European sales force and have entered into marketing collaborations with other organizations in selected Latin American, European and Asian countries. The Company also generates revenue by providing companion diagnostic services to the pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries and medical research institutions utilizing its multiplexed immunoassay technology.

Molecular Diagnostic Tests

The Company's molecular diagnostic tests are designed to analyze genes, their mutations, expression levels and proteins to assess an individual's risk for developing disease later in life, determine a patient's likelihood of responding to a particular drug, assess a patient's risk of disease progression and disease recurrence and measure a patient's exposure to drug therapy to ensu! re optimal dosing and reduced drug toxicity. The Company's BRACAnalysis test is a analysis of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes for assessing a woman's risk of developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. BRACAnalysis accounted for 81.7% of the Company's total revenue during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012. Its The Company's COLARIS test is an analysis of the MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 genes for assessing a person's risk of developing colorectal cancer or uterine cancer.

The Company's COLARIS AP test detects mutations in the APC and MYH genes, which cause a colon polyp-forming syndrome known as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), a more common variation of the syndrome known as attenuated FAP, and the MYH-associated polyposis signature (MAP). The Company's MELARIS test analyzes mutations in the p16 gene to determine genetic susceptibility to malignant melanoma. The Company's OnDose test is a nanoparticle immunoassay that is designed to assist oncologists in optimizing 5-FU (fluorouracil) anti-cancer drug therapy in colon cancer patients on an individualized basis. The Company's PANEXIA test is a comprehensive analysis of the PALB2 and BRCA2 genes for assessing a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer later in life. The Company's PREZEON test is an immunohistochemistry test that analyzes the PTEN gene and assesses loss of PTEN function in many cancer types.

The Company's Prolaris test is a 46-gene molecular diagnostic assay that assesses whether a patient is likely to have a slow growing, indolent form of prostate cancer that can be safely monitored through active surveillance, or a more aggressive form of the disease that would warrant aggressive intervention, such as a radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. The Company's TheraGuide 5-FU test analyzes mutations in the DPYD gene and variations in the TYMS gene to assess patient risk of toxicity to 5-FU (fluorouracil) anti-cancer drug therapy.

Companion Diagnostic Services and Other Revenue

! Through M! yriad RBM Inc., the Company provides biomarker discovery and companion diagnostic services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical researches industries utilizing its multiplexed immunoassay technology. The Company's technology enables the Company to screen large sets of clinical samples from both diseased and non-diseased populations against the Company's menu of biomarkers. The Company's companion diagnostic services consist of Multi-Analyte Profile (MAP), Multiplexed Immunoassay Kits and TruCulture.

The Company has compiled a library of over 550 individual human and rodent immunoassays for use in its multi-analyte profile (MAP) testing services. The Company has also developed RodentMAP, a panel for use in pre-clinical animal studies and OncologyMAP, which measures cancer-related proteins to assists researchers accelerate the pace of discovery, validation and translation of cancer biomarkers for early detection, patient stratification and therapeutic monitoring. The Company has developed multiplexed immunoassay kits that enable its customers to leverage its technology services with their in-house capabilities. The Company's internally developed multiplexed immunoassay kits include all of the components necessary for a customer to perform a test on their own Luminex instrument. TruCulture is a simple, self-contained whole blood culture that can be deployed to clinical sites around the world for acquiring cell culture data without specialized facilities or training.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) was also up, gaining 12.86 percent to $39.67 after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updated pricing for the sequencing of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap cancer diagnostic stock�Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ: MYGN) jumped to a five year high on Wednesday�thanks to good�news that the�government will be paying a heftier reimbursement for its main test than previously feared, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with small cap cancer diagnostic stocks like Rosetta Genomics Ltd (NASDAQ: ROSG) and�Genomic Health, Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) plus mid cap diagnostic stock Quest Diagnostics Inc (NYSE: DGX). I should also mention that Myriad Genetics has been in our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio since early February and we are now up some 32.5% since then ��thanks in part to the shorts being put in a short squeeze.

• [By John Udovich]

  On Monday, small cap molecular diagnostic stock Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ: MYGN) suddenly sank 9.34% to $23.50 just before the market closed���meaning its probably a good idea to take a closer look at what happened yesterday plus compare the stock�� performance verses small cap peer Sequenom, Inc (NASDAQ: SQNM) and mid cap peer Hologic, Inc (NASDAQ: HOLX).�