These names in the biotech sector are seeing a substantial increase in search activity today, as determined by InvestingChannel. They include:
- Verona Pharma (VRNA), 1,943% surge in interest
- Athenex (ATNX), 1,880% surge in interest
- Exicure (XCUR), 534% surge in interest
- Edesa Biotech (EDSA), 401% surge in interest
- MediWound (MDWD), 295% surge in interest
Pipeline and key clinical candidates for these companies:
Verona Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of respiratory diseases with significant unmet medical needs. If successfully developed and approved, Verona Pharma’s product candidate, ensifentrine, has "the potential to be the first therapy for the treatment of respiratory diseases that combines bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory activities in one compound," the company states.
Founded in 2003, Athenex is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that says it is "dedicated to becoming a leader in the discovery, development, and commercialization of next generation cell therapy drugs for the treatment of cancer." The company’s current clinical pipeline is derived mainly from cell therapy, based on NKT cells and Orascovery, based on a P-glycoprotein inhibitor.
Exicure is an early-stage biotechnology company historically focused on developing nucleic acid therapies targeting ribonucleic acid against validated targets. The company continues to actively pursue out-licensing opportunities for its clinical asset, cavrotolimod, as well as for its preclinical candidates, including the SCN9A program for neuropathic pain, and to pursue all strategic alternatives with the goal of maximizing stockholder value.
Edesa Biotech is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for inflammatory and immune-related diseases with clear unmet medical needs. The company’s two lead product candidates, EB05 and EB01, are in later stage clinical studies.
MediWound is a biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes novel, cost effective, bio-therapeutic solutions for tissue repair and regeneration. Its strategy is to leverage our enzymatic technology platform, focusing on next-generation bioactive therapies for burn care, wound care, and tissue repair.
Recent news on these stocks:
December 20
Verona Pharma announced results of its Phase 3 ENHANCE-1 trial evaluating nebulized ensifentrine for the maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The ENHANCE-1 trial successfully met its primary and key secondary endpoints demonstrating significant improvements in lung function, symptoms and quality of life measures. In addition, ensifentrine substantially reduced the rate and risk of COPD exacerbations. Ensifentrine was well tolerated over 24 and 48 weeks. Ensifentrine is a first-in-class, selective dual inhibitor of the enzymes phosphodiesterase 3 and 4 combining bronchodilator and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory activities in one compound.
Athenex announced that collaborators at the Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative reported that the company’s oral paclitaxel plus encequidar in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor and carboplatin has graduated in the triple-negative subgroup of high-risk early-stage breast cancer. Oral paclitaxel, relative to intravenous paclitaxel, was associated with less neuropathy and was not associated with an increase in febrile neutropenia. Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative anticipates presenting these results at upcoming national meetings in Q2 of 2023.
Edesa Biotech has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its monoclonal antibody candidate, EB05. Approval of the company’s application follows favorable Phase 2 results from an international Phase 2/3 study of EB05 in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, a severe form of respiratory failure characterized by widespread inflammatory injury to the lungs. The Fast Track program provides Edesa with the opportunity for more frequent communication with the agency to discuss the development path for EB05 as a treatment for ARDS in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
MediWound announced the marketing approval of NexoBrid in Switzerland. MediWound has signed an agreement with Triskel Integrated Services to market and distribute NexoBrid in Switzerland, with a launch planned for the first quarter of 2023. Triskel also holds the distribution rights of NexoBrid in France, where NexoBrid is expected to launch in the third quarter of 2023.
December 19
MediWound announced data from its Phase I/II study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MW005 in the treatment of low-risk Basal Cell Carcinoma. The data shows MW005 to be safe and well-tolerated, with patients achieving complete clinical and histological clearance of their target lesions. MW005 contains the same active pharmaceutical ingredient as in NexoBrid and EscharEx. The results of this study represent further demonstration of the efficacy of MediWound’s core enzymatic platform technology across various indications. Based on these positive results, MediWound plans to continue enrolling patients in its Phase I/II study, optimizing its dosing regimen and application technique. The results are expected in 2023.
About “Biotech Alert”
The Fly will report on a selection of biotech stocks seeing a surge in interest from retail and financial professional investors, based on data from InvestingChannel.
This Fly exclusive recap reveals the biotech stocks that are seeing a spike in searches among the 15-plus million retail and financial professional investors through InvestingChannel’s online financial news media ecosystem.
This increased attention from the investors may be in response to, or advance of, outsized moves for stocks in the biotech sector, which tend to be volatile and prone to sharp swings in share price around binary events such as clinical study results and FDA approvals.
Published first on TheFly
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