J&J Partnership

In January 2017 Orthocell announced a research collaboration agreement with Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, for its Ortho-ATI stem cell approach for the regeneration of degenerate tendons. In May 2017 that was announced as a randomised, controlled study of Ortho-ATI vs corticosteroid injection for treatment of rotator cuff tendinopathy. In September 2017 they treated recruited their first patient.

That recruitment is finally about to be completed (1Q 2020) and as is OCC's and most bio-tech's practice, we will get a preliminary announcement on the results. If positive we are also likely to get an announcement of a partnership. OCC specifically flagged this with their recent capital raising. They literally all but announced the partnership - J&J, like other large medical corp's will usually only formally announce partnerships after research results are announced (by way of justification).

Coincidently, after three and a half years in July 2017, Johnson & Johnson dissolved a partnership with Californian stem-cell company Capricor Therapeutics focused on the use of stem-cells to treat cardiovascular disease that was announced late 2013. Unfortunately subsequent trials did not work out (we know that's unlikely with ATI) but as an insight for the potential of OCC's partnership with J&J, that partnership back in 2013 included a $12.5 million payment upfront and up to $325 million in milestone payments (and Capricor was a far smaller research entity)!

Back when that J&J partnership was announced Capricor stock jumped from around $30 to over $110!

Its very hard wearing the recent stock price falls since the capital raising, but I can't help but think selling OCC ahead of this forthcoming and flagged announcement is a big mistake.