Viking Therapeutics doubled after results of weight loss drug trial
Janux Therapeutics tripled on pancreatic cancer results
We look at the recent best performing ASX health stocks
There were a couple of big news from the world of biotech this week, both announced on Wednesday.
Nasdaq-listed Viking Therapeutics soared by 120% after trial results show that its obesity drug, VK2735, reduced body weight at the highest dose tested.
Vikings’ trial studied more than 170 patients with obesity or who are overweight. These patients received either different dose sizes of the injectable drug VK2735, or a placebo.
Those who received weekly doses of VK2735 lost up to 14.7% of their body weight from baseline, or 13.1% when adjusted for placebo, after 13 weeks.
Overall, Viking said 88% of patients who received VK2735 had lost weight, compared to only 4% that took the placebo.
Viking Therapeutics is one of several small obesity biotechs hoping to enter the huge $100 billion weigh-loss market that’s so far dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
Some experts predict that the emergence of these drugs could kill the fast food industry, but others are more pessimistic.
“It’s not going to have an impact on the population unless the drugs get brought down in price,” said Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina.
“It really needs to be in the hundreds of millions of consumers to have a monster impact. Even if out of 300 million consumers, a million take those drugs, it’s a tiny drop in the bucket for the food industry.”
Janux shares triple in one day
Meanwhile, another Nasdaq-listed stock, Janux Therapeutics, also rocketed on Wednesday, up +230% after the company released promising results for its prostate cancer drug.
In one dosing group, 83% of patients saw their PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels decline by 50% following treatment with Janux’s drug, JANX007.
Some analysts believe that JANX007 has the potential to be a blockbuster drug and capture the multi-billion-dollar prostate cancer market.
Janux now expects to provide an update on JANX007 doses for expansion in the second half of 2024.
Best performing ASX biotechs over the past month
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CODE COMPANY PRICE 1 WEEK RETURN % 1 MONTH RETURN % 6 MONTH RETURN % 1 YEAR RETURN % MARKET CAP NYR Nyrada Inc. 0.0830 361.11 260.87 232.00 -30.83 $2,964,165 PAA Pharmaust 0.3550 44.90 115.15 386.30 340.99 $147,142,287 BP8 Bph Global 0.0020 0.00 100.00 -20.00 -84.81 $3,908,232 IRX Inhalerx 0.0400 0.00 100.00 -11.11 -16.67 $7,590,678 AYA Artrya 0.3650 28.07 65.91 1.39 4.29 $28,706,882 HIQ Hitiq 0.0260 4.00 52.94 23.81 -13.33 $9,147,969 SHG Singular Health 0.1250 13.64 47.06 204.88 28.87 $25,395,897 CYP Cynata Therapeutics 0.2100 16.67 44.83 55.56 -33.33 $37,722,675 ONE Oneview Healthcare 0.3400 -5.56 44.68 58.14 223.81 $217,557,108 OPT Opthea 0.7000 17.65 42.86 23.76 -11.60 $457,337,957 PER Percheron 0.0820 18.84 41.38 54.72 -17.17 $65,812,783 TRI Trivarx 0.0380 52.00 40.74 90.00 90.00 $12,854,590 NTI Neurotech Intl 0.1175 11.90 38.24 155.43 135.00 $98,437,745 DXB Dimerix 0.2300 -2.13 35.29 233.33 103.54 $91,841,711 SNT Syntara 0.0230 4.55 35.29 -42.50 -48.89 $27,448,707 IIQ Inoviq 0.6950 8.59 33.65 -1.42 17.80 $61,192,437 OSL Oncosil Medical 0.0080 -11.11 33.33 -20.00 -71.87 $15,796,329 ALA Arovella Therapeutic 0.1700 -5.56 30.77 269.57 466.67 $154,753,984 RNO Rhinomed 0.0400 0.00 25.00 -42.86 -55.56 $11,340,969 MYX Mayne Pharma 6.6400 26.00 24.11 44.03 110.79 $542,773,957 DVL Dorsavi 0.0160 -5.88 23.08 45.45 23.08 $9,546,586 PNV Polynovo 2.1700 8.77 20.56 45.15 -6.47 $1,370,112,011 GTG Genetic Technologies 0.1200 20.00 20.00 -40.00 -60.00 $11,426,307 CU6 Clarity Pharma 2.7500 4.96 19.57 150.00 225.44 $724,906,678 OIL Optiscan Imaging 0.0950 -4.04 18.75 31.94 -1.07 $79,357,376 MXC Mgc Pharmaceuticals 0.3950 -3.66 17.91 -80.25 -96.05 $16,444,362 VLS Vita Life Sciences.. 2.1600 11.05 17.07 50.52 46.44 $118,470,301 COV Cleo Diagnostics 0.1850 2.78 15.63 -9.76 $13,708,500 SIG Sigma Health 1.1150 2.29 15.54 49.10 83.69 $1,819,530,741 4DX 4Dmedical 0.6900 6.98 15.00 11.29 81.58 $254,074,470 COH Cochlear 343.9600 4.13 14.84 29.81 51.67 $22,436,311,782 AVH Avita Medical 5.4700 5.19 14.44 8.75 48.24 $331,902,743 NSB Neuroscientific 0.0400 11.11 14.29 -55.56 -56.04 $5,061,170 IDX Integral Diagnostics 2.3050 2.90 13.55 -26.12 -15.26 $553,323,827 MSB Mesoblast 0.3000 3.45 13.21 -34.76 -65.98 $299,525,960 RSH Respiri 0.0260 -10.34 13.04 -10.34 -45.83 $27,556,592 AHX Apiam Animal Health 0.3600 14.29 12.50 -12.20 -38.46 $63,901,933 VFX Visionflex Group 0.0090 12.50 12.50 -10.00 0.00 $11,335,930 IMU Imugene 0.1175 6.82 11.90 70.29 -9.62 $841,612,524 1AI Algorae Pharma 0.0100 -9.09 11.11 -28.57 6.57 $18,273,642 NOX Noxopharm 0.0720 5.88 10.77 89.47 -34.55 $17,534,277 CAJ Capitol Health 0.2700 3.85 10.20 17.39 1.89 $287,768,539 RHT Resonance Health 0.0550 0.00 10.00 -8.33 1.85 $23,685,325 MX1 Micro-X 0.1150 0.00 9.52 -4.17 -11.54 $59,664,343 SDI SDI 0.8200 7.19 9.33 -7.34 -13.68 $90,337,803 MAP Microbalifesciences 0.1850 2.78 8.82 -44.00 -51.00 $71,967,719 MDR Medadvisor 0.3150 1.61 8.62 36.96 26.00 $159,461,104 SNZ Summerset Grp Hldgs 10.4500 1.46 8.29 16.11 21.51 $2,401,384,166 REG Regis Healthcare 3.5900 5.28 8.13 49.58 135.41 $1,074,694,661 TLX Telix Pharmaceutical 12.1650 7.46 7.65 16.52 85.16 $3,790,592,582 RAC Race Oncology 0.8000 4.58 7.38 -8.57 -61.90 $127,199,477 FPH Fisher & Paykel H. 23.5200 6.23 7.25 14.68 -0.55 $13,623,872,701 AHI Advanced Health 0.0920 0.00 6.98 -56.19 -2.13 $22,303,384 ACW Actinogen Medical 0.0310 -16.22 6.90 14.81 -64.14 $74,597,510 PIQ Proteomics Int Lab 0.9800 -4.39 6.52 20.99 -0.51 $125,656,911 CSX Cleanspace Holdings 0.3450 -5.48 6.15 27.78 -24.18 $26,669,577 PAB Patrys 0.0090 0.00 5.88 0.00 -66.67 $18,517,026 AVR Anteris Technologies 17.1000 0.65 5.62 -16.59 -21.20 $306,733,035 IXC Invex Ther 0.0850 -15.00 4.94 85.33 -25.87 $6,763,846 ECS ECS Botanics Holding 0.0230 -8.00 4.55 0.00 -11.54 $24,348,075 EBR EBR Systems 0.7600 -3.80 4.11 -10.59 17.83 $230,265,569 AT1 Atomo Diagnostics 0.0260 -10.34 4.00 -13.33 -44.68 $16,619,260 OCC Orthocell 0.4200 10.53 3.70 13.51 9.09 $83,692,290 MVF Monash IVF Group 1.4400 -1.37 3.23 22.03 38.46 $566,918,692 IME Imexhs 0.6500 0.00 3.17 7.44 62.50 $27,772,200 PGC Paragon Care 0.2150 4.88 2.38 -2.27 -17.31 $140,252,318 IMM Immutep 0.3425 -3.52 2.24 24.55 44.96 $410,147,923 GSS Genetic Signatures 0.5100 0.00 2.00 13.50 -38.57 $95,106,147 BOT Botanix Pharma 0.1775 -6.58 1.43 -4.05 133.55 $281,418,727 EBO Ebos Group 34.3100 0.09 1.09 3.66 -16.34 $6,598,805,043 CGS Cogstate 1.2300 -4.65 0.41 -13.38 -12.77 $217,639,047 PME Pro Medicus 100.2300 5.69 0.16 38.21 66.63 $10,433,841,015 AC8 Auscann Grp Hlgs 0.0400 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 $17,621,884 AHC Austco Healthcare 0.1900 -5.00 0.00 11.76 46.15 $58,105,032 ATH Alterity Therap 0.0050 25.00 0.00 -16.67 -37.50 $17,531,019 AVE Avecho Biotech 0.0030 -14.29 0.00 -66.67 -66.67 $9,507,891 EPN Epsilon Healthcare 0.0240 0.00 0.00 -7.69 4.35 $7,208,496 IVX Invion 0.0050 11.11 0.00 0.00 -28.57 $38,547,193 LBT LBT Innovations 0.0150 15.38 0.00 5.01 -54.06 $20,173,058 MDC Medlab Clinical 6.6000 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 $15,071,113 NC6 Nanollose 0.0230 -11.54 0.00 -61.67 -61.67 $4,472,166 VHT Volpara Health Tech 1.1200 0.00 0.00 38.27 48.34 $284,899,225 RHC Ramsay Health Care 50.9300 0.28 -0.29 5.18 -24.68 $11,694,286,098 EMV Emvision Medical 2.0800 -1.89 -0.95 24.55 44.95 $166,828,220 M7T Mach7 Tech 0.6700 -1.47 -1.47 -11.84 1.52 $164,043,912 RMD ResMed Inc. 27.8700 1.60 -2.04 10.82 -11.58 $17,227,976,859 ZLD Zelira Therapeutics 0.8500 -3.41 -2.30 -26.72 -22.73 $9,645,082 PSQ Pacific Smiles Grp 1.4000 0.72 -2.44 6.87 18.64 $222,616,804 CSL CSL 285.3350 1.08 -2.62 8.32 -4.18 $137,923,124,874 CYC Cyclopharm 1.8000 -2.70 -2.70 -21.74 20.00 $169,373,387 PBP Probiotec 2.7500 -4.18 -2.83 1.85 20.09 $227,705,537 PAR Paradigm Bio. 0.3350 -4.29 -2.90 -51.49 -74.49 $122,662,461 ANN Ansell 23.9900 1.52 -3.03 4.40 -10.75 $3,011,080,654 VBS Vectus Biosystems 0.2900 -9.38 -3.33 -27.50 -56.72 $15,164,668 LGP Little Green Pharma 0.1400 7.69 -3.45 -17.65 -17.65 $43,513,519 ATX Amplia Therapeutics 0.0770 -2.53 -3.75 -3.75 -9.41 $15,520,512 1AD Adalta 0.0220 -4.35 -4.35 -4.35 -45.00 $9,990,277 GLH Global Health 0.1100 -4.35 -4.35 -26.67 -35.29 $6,385,449 ENL Enlitic Inc. 0.6800 -3.55 -5.56 $53,192,291 SOM SomnoMed 0.4250 1.19 -5.56 -47.72 -62.96 $38,006,989 FRE Firebrickpharma 0.0500 -1.96 -5.66 -82.46 -74.36 $8,947,337 PYC PYC Therapeutics 0.0790 -7.06 -5.95 21.54 0.00 $298,629,371 DOC Doctor Care Anywhere 0.0630 -3.08 -5.97 27.27 -3.08 $23,098,461 PCK Painchek 0.0300 0.00 -6.25 0.00 15.38 $43,075,482 AGN Argenica 0.5900 6.31 -6.35 47.50 37.21 $57,768,477 SHL Sonic Healthcare 29.3100 0.24 -7.13 -8.06 -10.72 $13,997,703,183 TRU Truscreen 0.0200 -20.00 -7.20 -11.06 -22.38 $8,400,507 NXS Next Science 0.3200 -9.86 -7.25 -47.97 -54.61 $100,634,811 CTQ Careteq 0.0240 -4.00 -7.69 -4.00 -57.71 $5,888,682 LDX Lumos Diagnostics 0.0710 -6.58 -7.79 -32.38 36.54 $36,578,803 AGH Althea Group 0.0350 -5.41 -7.89 -16.67 -30.00 $13,465,494 IMC Immuron 0.0700 -4.11 -7.89 -12.50 -2.78 $15,945,884 RHY Rhythm Biosciences 0.0980 -9.00 -9.00 -73.31 -89.35 $22,114,259 BDX Bcaldiagnostics 0.0900 0.00 -9.09 -21.74 45.16 $22,647,524 NAN Nanosonics 2.7400 -8.67 -9.87 -34.76 -38.57 $829,752,466 CUV Clinuvel Pharmaceut. 14.0900 -13.72 -9.97 -33.85 -29.51 $672,707,963 MEM Memphasys 0.0090 0.00 -10.00 -40.67 -36.72 $12,309,680 ILA Island Pharma 0.0711 -3.61 -10.11 -5.88 -1.23 $5,779,163 MVP Medical Developments 0.8350 -15.23 -10.22 -23.04 -42.41 $75,085,541 CBL Control Bionics 0.0420 -2.33 -10.64 -39.52 -72.61 $7,168,624 CHM Chimeric Therapeutic 0.0250 0.00 -10.71 -32.43 -63.24 $21,033,416 BMT Beamtree Holdings 0.2050 -8.89 -10.87 -6.82 -35.94 $57,313,804 HGV Hygrovest 0.0400 -14.89 -11.11 -20.00 -42.86 $9,674,288 EMD Emyria 0.0460 -8.00 -11.54 -44.83 -77.93 $17,231,582 TRJ Trajan Group Holding 1.0150 -9.38 -11.74 -40.29 -46.30 $155,260,407 FCG Freedomcaregrouphold 0.1500 -3.23 -11.76 $3,582,586 ANR Anatara Ls 0.0220 0.00 -12.00 -31.08 -21.89 $3,693,662 SPL Starpharma Holdings 0.1275 -1.92 -12.07 -8.93 -77.43 $53,565,281 AFP Aft Pharmaceuticals 3.1000 -3.43 -12.18 -8.01 -4.62 $326,134,069 HMD Heramed 0.0210 10.53 -12.50 -71.79 -83.91 $6,104,020 RCE Recce Pharmaceutical 0.4600 -4.17 -13.21 -32.67 -18.49 $92,684,348 EOF Ecofibre 0.0950 10.47 -13.64 -47.22 -61.22 $32,962,029 IMR Imricor Med Sys 0.5000 13.64 -14.66 -19.95 69.28 $87,774,472 HLS Healius 1.1975 -14.46 -14.77 -50.43 -53.96 $918,474,809 IDT IDT Australia 0.0890 -9.18 -15.24 34.85 34.85 $33,742,029 TRP Tissue Repair 0.2200 -2.22 -15.38 -16.98 -6.38 $12,277,763 CTE Cryosite 0.5800 0.00 -15.44 -3.08 -19.23 $28,308,473 PEB Pacific Edge 0.0800 -1.23 -15.79 -15.79 -80.95 $71,391,878 ACR Acrux 0.0570 0.00 -16.18 29.55 -5.00 $16,531,839 OCA Oceania Healthc 0.5400 -12.90 -16.28 -23.94 -22.86 $392,752,441 VTI Vision Tech Inc 0.2150 -12.24 -17.31 2.11 -35.82 $11,943,675 PTX Prescient 0.0470 0.00 -17.54 -38.16 -47.78 $37,044,710 LTP Ltr Pharma 0.2700 -10.00 -18.18 $20,417,592 EZZ EZZ Life Science 0.5100 2.00 -18.40 -20.31 29.11 $21,993,075 CMP Compumedics 0.3250 1.56 -18.75 80.56 85.71 $57,577,958 NEU Neuren Pharmaceut. 18.6000 -9.45 -20.72 48.80 156.20 $2,735,385,120 ICR Intelicare Holdings 0.0150 0.00 -21.05 0.00 -21.05 $3,522,367 CAN Cann Group 0.0630 -11.27 -21.25 -49.60 -63.71 $29,311,301 OSXDA Osteopore 0.4000 -19.19 -21.57 -61.90 -77.53 $4,131,164 EYE Nova EYE Medical 0.2100 2.44 -21.57 -10.14 -6.23 $44,711,630 ARX Aroa Biosurgery 0.5725 -2.97 -21.58 -34.20 -46.24 $196,696,464 ADR Adherium 0.0420 -2.33 -22.22 -30.00 -20.00 $14,004,479 HXL Hexima 0.0140 -6.67 -22.22 -39.13 -12.50 $2,338,555 ALC Alcidion Group 0.0430 -14.00 -23.21 -65.60 -69.29 $60,411,295 RAD Radiopharm 0.0560 -8.20 -23.29 -34.85 -56.08 $23,569,685 BIT Biotron 0.0720 -21.74 -25.00 132.26 176.92 $62,257,010 JTL Jayex Technology 0.0060 0.00 -25.00 -33.33 -40.00 $1,687,671 RGS Regeneus 0.0060 0.00 -25.00 -33.33 -50.00 $1,838,621 UCM Uscom 0.0300 -9.09 -26.83 -42.31 -30.23 $5,716,007 ACL Au Clinical Labs 2.2700 -20.35 -27.24 -20.63 -36.24 $526,786,779 UBI Universal Biosensors 0.1450 -9.38 -27.50 -42.00 -49.12 $30,793,568 CDX Cardiex 0.0830 -31.28 -31.28 -42.02 -63.62 $20,162,890 TD1 Tali Digital 0.0010 0.00 -33.33 0.00 -75.00 $3,295,156 AMT Allegra Medical 0.0290 0.00 -34.09 -51.67 -47.27 $3,468,720 VIT Vitura Health 0.1600 -36.00 -34.69 -59.49 -69.23 $89,260,437 IPD Impedimed 0.0840 1.20 -35.38 -53.33 40.00 $161,864,634 CVB Curvebeam Ai 0.2150 -2.27 -36.76 -48.19 $46,994,569 IBX Imagion Biosys 0.0820 -4.65 -54.44 -86.33 -91.46 $2,742,310 ME1 Melodiol Glb Health 0.0075 -46.43 -65.91 -94.64 -97.12 $1,973,088
NYR jumped by 400% on Wednesday after the company’s lead Brain Injury Program drug candidate, NYR-BI03, demonstrated strong efficacy in reducing injury in a preclinical animal study.
The study showed a significant neuroprotective signal, providing strong evidence of efficacy for the drug.
Conducted in collaboration with UNSW Sydney, the study involved 16 test animals, which were treated with either NYR-BI03 or vehicle, 30 minutes following induced brain injury, with treatment conducted for 72 hours via continuous intravenous infusion.
The MRI brain imaging results showed that a statistically significant neuroprotection was achieved when animals received NYR-BI03 treatment.
On average, NYR-BI03 therapy rescued 42% of the brain injury in the penumbra region seen in animals receiving vehicle.
Nyrada will now move on to Phase I clinical trial in humans, which is scheduled for the second half of the 2024 calendar year.
PharmAust has successfully completed a pre-IND meeting with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
A path has now been outlined to potentially receive an accelerated and full approval of its lead drug monepantel, for the treatment of motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND/ALS).
PharmAust will initiate requirements requested by FDA in preparation to open an IND application for its adaptive Phase 2/3 clinical study.
Separately, PharmAust has engaged globally renowned experts in MND/ALS and formed a scientific advisory board (SAB).
The SAB will provide expert advice for the development of monepantel to treat MND/ALS. The SAB will also support the planning stages for PharmAust’s adaptive Phase 2/3 clinical study.
BPH has recently entered into two new agreements with the China Tobacco group, for the sale and distribution of bird’s nest products via China Tobacco’s outlets in the City of Guangzhou in China for calendar year 2024.
The principal terms of the agreements include: Commencement date 1 January 2024 with a term 12 months.
Products to be supplied include: pure bird’s nest 50g box, and bird’s nest drink.
Guangzhou is at the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, the most populous built-up metropolitan area in the world.
InhalerX has been rising despite revenue falling by 95% for the full year. But investors have been happy after the company announced a new focus in its biotech program.
InhalerX said that following pre-IND meeting feedback from the US FDA in March last year, the company undertook a detailed and careful evaluation process, which has resulted in the decision to promote BTcP (Breakthrough Cancer Pain) as the primary indication of focus for the proposed Phase 2 trial of IRX211.
IRX explained that there are many aspects that make BTcP a more attractive acute pain candidate versus CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), its previous focus.
This includes BTcP’s well-established condition compared to the paroxysmal pain episodes in CRPS.
An Australian provisional patent application for the treatment of BTcP was filed at the Australian Patent Office on 21 December 2023.
HIQ announced it has executed an agreement with UK Sports Institute (UKSI), the United Kingdom’s high-performance sports institute, to supply its concussion management technology across the UK’s elite sports ecosystem, expanding the company’s global footprint.
Under the deal, the UKSI will implement HITIQ’s CSX concussion management platform across 25 National Governing Body Sports Programs, onboarding 1,050 athletes.
The current agreement is through to 31 March 2025, with UKSI holding an option to extend the agreement for a further year. The financial implication of the deal is not material, says HitIQ.
The post Check Up: Big week in world of biotech after these 2 Nasdaq stocks announce breakthroughs appeared first on Stockhead.
