Michael King Launches Coverage at Dawson James Securities

NEW YORK & BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dawson James Securities, Inc., today announced that Senior Biotechnology Analyst, Michael King, has launched coverage of the biotechnology sector at the firm. King is also a Managing Director and Director of Research at Dawson James.

“The life sciences sector is a key franchise for the firm, and Mike’s coverage heralds our increased commitment to the space. We look forward to Mike’s contribution towards our franchise growth and future footprint in this space.”

“I am pleased to be back in coverage after a brief hiatus after joining Dawson James from Rodman & Renshaw. I appreciate the welcome I have received at the firm, and am eager to increase the number of names I have under coverage over the coming months. The twelve companies we have launched on today represent what I consider to be extraordinary opportunities in the small-to-mid-cap biotech space. Our goal, first and foremost, is to make investors money with our investment recommendations.”

King initiated coverage on the following companies:

1. Affymax (AFFY), Market Outperform, $32 price target
2. Agenus (AGEN), Market Outperform, $6 price target (transfer of coverage from Senior Analyst, Robert Wasserman)
3. Adventrx Pharmaceuticals (ANX), Market Outperform, $2 price target
4. Astex Pharmaceuticals (ASTX), Market Outperform, $5 price target
5. Celsion (CLSN), Market Outperform, $9 price target
6. Cytokinetics (CYTK), Market Outperform, $2 price target
7. Galena Biopharma (GALE), Market Outperform, $3 price target
8. Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (KERX), Market Outperform, $4 price target
9. Navidea Biopharmaceuticals (NAVB), Market Outperform, $5 price target
10. Rockwell Medical (RMTI), Market Outperform, $12 price target
11. Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (SPPI), Market Outperform, $15 price target
12. Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT), Market Perform, No Price Target

“Mike’s coverage of these twelve companies is an important step in our commitment to both our investor and corporate clients,” commented Dawson James CEO, Robert Keyser. “The life sciences sector is a key franchise for the firm, and Mike’s coverage heralds our increased commitment to the space. We look forward to Mike’s contribution towards our franchise growth and future footprint in this space.”

Mike has nearly 20 years of experience as a leading biotechnology equity research analyst, consistently ranking at the top of Institutional Investor magazine's annual sell-side research survey in addition to being named that publication's "Home Run Hitter" in 2000 and the Wall Street Journal’s Best on the Street in biotechnology in 2001. Mike also served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Communication at ZIOPHARM Oncology (NASDAQ: ZIOP), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of a diverse portfolio of cancer therapeutics. Prior to joining ZIOPHARM, Mr. King was a Managing Director and Senior Biotechnology Analyst at Wedbush Securities.

Prior to that, Mr. King was a Managing Director and Senior Biotechnology Analyst at Merriman Curhan Ford with other prior positions at leading firms including Dillon Read, Vector Securities International, Robertson Stephens, Banc of America Securities and Rodman & Renshaw, where he was Director of Research. Mr. King began his career in finance in sales at Kidder, Peabody & Co.

For a copy of the above mentioned reports, please contact Donna Williamson at Dawson James Securities, Inc., at [e-mail] or visit our Research Repository at www.dawsonjames.com/portal.html. Michael King can be reached at [e-mail].