Cephalon, investors await FDA Treanda decision

After seeing its stock price shed about a third of its value since last summer, Cephalon is keeping its fingers crossed that tomorrow's scheduled regulatory decision on its cancer drug Treanda can turn things around. At least that's what the analysts are seeing. Some expect a sharp upturn if the agency approves Treanda for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

"This is the first big step. It will be the foundation for our oncology business," Liz Barrett, vice president of Cephalon's oncology unit, told the Wall Street Journal. Analysts peg its potential in the neighborhood of $250 million a year. But Cephalon is also looking for additional approvals, including using the therapy as an add-on to Rituxan, which could make it a seven-figure market blockbuster.

- here's Cephalon's release
- read the report in the Wall Street Journal