4 picks for the biotech boom in 2011, page-28

BLT - Benitec

Involved in DNA directed RNA interferance (ddRNAi), which is a gene silencing platform technology which could potentially cure just about anything. The CSIRO hold the patents for plants which is already a commercial reality, whereas Benitec holds the patents for all human applications, which is not a commercial reality, yet. They have had good outcomes from stage 1 human trials with HIV/Lymphoma studies for safety and feasability, and the City of Hope is about to conduct a second trial. They have recently announced a fully-underwritten renouncable rights issue for $8 million, so are well capitalised for the new few years and they have three programs progressing to the clinic, one of which is projected to commence human clinical trials within 2 years. They have had years of battling the US patents office but their major patent has now been reissued. They hold the dominate IP positions in shRNA and ddRNAi worldwide and quite possibly the whole RNAi space altogether if the CSIRO are successful in challenging the nobel prize recipients Fire/Mello. They derive some income from licening out their technology and milestone payments. The market cap is @ $12 million. Huge upside if any of their plans pays off. Many studies are using their technology including ones conducted by Pfizer and J&J.