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Wilkie’s powerplay – Antisense, which attracts CSL staff
Wilkie said he caught up with management of biotech Antisense Therapeutics (ASX:ANP) and the company now had a strong line-up of former staff from CSL.

“It’s essentially a new company and loaded with ex-CSL staff now including the board and many of the clinical team,” he said.

“It’s always good to see these movements after having a look under the hood – gives you a little extra confidence.”

He said he is also impressed that former Kazia Therapeutics (ASX:KZA) CEO Dr James Garner has come on as CEO and MD of ANP.

The biotech recently announced recruitment had commenced in its multicentre double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase IIb trial of lead asset ATL1102 in non-ambulant boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

ANP said the first participant had been randomised and dosed with ATL1102 or Placebo in Turkey.

“We’ve always liked the asset for DMD and they recently dosed the first of 45 boys in the Phase IIb trial so we’ll have newsflow on enrolment coming through as well as some combination study results,” Wilkie said.

The Phase IIb readout is due in mid 2024.

“Yes this one is potentially binary but the upside is multiples from here on success – which we will know in the next 12 to 18 months.

“I like to think of this one as the next Neuren (ASX:NEU).”

Morgans currently have a 12-month price target of 26 cents on ANP with a speculative buy rating. The share price has dropped 40% YTD.

“It’s gone backwards in terms of share price but I don’t think the market has met the team in full yet,” Wilkie said.

“It’s hard to convince CSL scientists to jump ship to a $50m micro-cap,” he said.