Eventful Year Expected for Access Pharma (OTC: ACCP.OB)
Access Pharma (OTC: ACCP.OB) is an emerging bio-pharmaceutical company which is focusing on the development of a late-stage, diversified oncology pipeline in addition to a treatment called MuGard that is cleared for marketing in the U.S., Europe, and other key global markets for a common side effect of some cancer treatments known as mucositis (painful sores in the mouth and GI mucosal lining).
In addition, the Company is developing earlier stage compounds in its pipeline and has an oral cobalamin nanopolymer drug delivery technology which has demonstrated positive results for the delivery of insulin by mouth in preclinical animal models.
Access expects to maintain a low cash burn rate of approximately $5 million during 2010, as compared to an operating budget of approximately $35 million – reflecting the significant benefit provided by partner funding such as the clinical development of ProLindac in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the current cash and expected milestone payments this year provides adequate funding for all development and commercialization plans through at least mid-2011, which does not take into account MuGard royalties from SpePharm in Europe and pending sales of the product in North America.
I had the opportunity last week to discuss the updated strategy and expected milestones for ImmunoCellular Therapeutics (OTC: IMUC.OB) in 2010 and beyond with CEO, Manish Singh, following the conclusion of the OneMed, JP Morgan, and other healthcare conferences in San Francisco. IMUC is an emerging cancer immunotherapy company that is developing therapeutic and diagnostic product candidates taking aim at the root cause of the disease, cancer stem cells, based on two technology platforms that include active (therapeutic cancer vaccines) and passive (monoclonal antibodies) approaches.
Below are some updates and developments from the past week, which I spent in San Francisco for the OneMed, JP Morgan, and other healthcare conferences.
During the second week of January, Unilife Medical Solutions (ASX: UNI.AX) (OTC: UNIFF.PK) shareholders overwhelmingly voted in favor of the Company’s U.S. relocation. Unilife is now in the final stages of preparation for a NASDAQ: UNIS stock market trading debut, which is expected to occur by the end of February in conjunction with the Company’s re-domiciliation to Central Pennsylvania. Unilife is emerging as a leading innovator in the medical device manufacturing space with a focus on safety syringes and business segments that include pre-filled syringes for pharmaceutical companies to deliver injected medications, sharps safety devices for healthcare facilities, and contract manufacturing services.
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: KERX) is an emerging, small-cap biopharma company that has a pair of lead compounds in late-stage, Phase 3 development for the treatment of cancer (perifosine) and renal disease (Zerenex) under Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreements with the FDA.
Delcath Systems (NASDAQ: DCTH) is an emerging, small-cap medical device innovator that is developing a regional treatment system for cancer in the liver. Delcath’s Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion (PHP) technology allows physicians to deliver significantly higher doses of existing chemotherapy drugs to the liver without exposing each patient’s entire body to the anti-cancer drugs, representing an elegant solution that promises to increase the effectiveness of approved anti-cancer drugs while reducing systemic side effects.