Noting the recent surge of biotechnology stocks, a recently article by Tom Meyer highlights two companies that show tremendous promise for offering new advanced treatments for Parkinson’s disease. These two companies, Acadia Pharmaceuticals and International Stem Cell Corp., are quickly emerging as attractive investment opportunities for investors on account of their innovation and growth potential. In 2012 existing treatments for Parkinson’s generated around $2.5 billion, one indicator of the market share potential for new, effective treatments for Parkinson’s.
International Stem Cell Corp. is developing a leading-edge technology in the stem cell industry, parthenogenesis. This technology creates human pluripotent stem cells from unfertilized eggs. There are widespread hopes that this technology will meet and address the challenge of immune rejection. Those hopes are definitely with merit: the cells that parthenogenesis creates are ‘histocompatible’ (or cause less rejection) and pluripotent (meaning one cell line can be used to treatment millions with a medical condition). For investors with ethical concerns regarding stem cell technology, this technology does not create any resulting viable embryo. 7-10 million people in the world are estimated to have Parkinson’s, showing the company’s potential for growth if parthenogenesis reaches FDA approval.
Currently International Stem Cell Corp. is looking to develop treatments for three areas: Parkinson’s, liver damage, and cornea tissue implants. It also seeks to expand its store of parthenogenetic stem cell lines. Of the three, International Stem Cell Corp.’s Parkinson’s disease treatment is the furthest along, though if any of the three reach FDA approval the company can experience success as there are major medical demands in each area. The company is also doing well with its biomedical product businesses, as it generated $4.6 million in revenue in 2012, an increase from $4.5 million in 2011 and $1.6 million in 2010. That means it has room for self-funding trials and operations rather than turning to secondary offerings.
The second company, Acadia Pharmaceutical is a biopharmaceutical company that develops small molecule drugs that address unmet medical demands in neurological and related central nervous system disorders. The company is in Phase III development of pimavanserin, a treatment that is widely hailed as being a first-in-class treatment for Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP). This drug selectively blocks the activity specifically of the 5-HT2A receptor, a drug target that occupies an important role in psychosis. Meyer notes that PDP can manifest itself in up to 60 percent of patients with Parkinson’s disease, having a significant toll on their life quality.
Since there are no currently approved treatments in the U.S. to deal with the symptoms of this psychosis, Acadia has the potential to make billions once its pimavanserin treatment acquires FDA approval. Investors have seen the potential for company growth with this treatment as Acadia has grown by 900 percent over the last 12 months. With strong progress made in its pimavanserin’s Phase III, Acadia declared its intent to file a New Drug Application for this treatment in April 2013. A majority of investors are expecting FDA approval of the treatment by early 2015.
For the full story, visit: http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/2-companies-offering-hope-in-the-fight-against-parkinsons-disease.html/?ref=YF
More information about International Stem Cell Corp. is available at: http://www.internationalstemcell.com
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