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ReNeuron primed for further progress

Published: 09:42 17 Apr 2019 EDT

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The next data dump will be on April 26
  • Developer of stem cell technologies

  • Has two clinical stage technologies

  • Stroke treatment in Phase IIb trials

  • Recently inked a Chinese licensing deal

 

What ReNeuron Does

It has unique stem cell technologies that can be administered “off-the-shelf”. Its lead candidate has been developed to treat people disabled by a stroke.

The company has announced positive Phase II data from patients treated with its neural stem cells, with a Phase IIb trial imminent.

Its human retinal progenitor cells (hRPC), meanwhile, have scored some early success. A Phase I/II assessment of a very small group of sufferers of a blindness-causing disease called retinitis pigmentosa saw a significant improvement in vision after treatment.

"We remain extremely encouraged by the positive efficacy data we have seen thus far,” said chief executive Olav Hellebø recently. “These results have already attracted considerable interest, particularly from those in the ophthalmology field.”

Inflexion Points

PISCES III trial: This is the Phase IIb study in the US for people suffering from a stroke. This particular trial is placebo-controlled, which means half the patients will receive a substance with no therapeutic value to provide a control group. A total of 110 people are being recruited at 40 site across the States.

Additional data from the ongoing Phase I/II trial of the retinal stem cell treatment are being presented at gene and cell therapy conference on April 26.

A big long-term value kicker was announced earlier this month (April) when the company struck a licensing deal with Chinese pharma Fosun worth up to £80mln over the next few years.

Deals for its two clinical-stage treatments would provide third-party validation for the technology, but could conceivably be worth much more than the Fosun tie-up.

Blue Sky

The share price has rocketed from 50p to 250p on the back of the recent news flow. But even so, analysts believe there is more ‘upside’. However, Edison Research believes the company is worth 630p. The broker Stifel has a price target of 690p. “The business remains significantly undervalued, and we look forward to further clinical data on the retinal programme at the end of April, and potential further licensing activity, as near-term catalysts to build on recent momentum,” it said in a note earlier this month.