The existing drugs in the market that are approved have many...

The existing drugs in the market that are approved have many flaws as we are aware, as noted in Charles Pillers recent book “Doctored – Fraud, Arrogance and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s”. Whilst they cost a huge amount each year when compared to Actinogen's Xanamem, which is a relatively inexpensive drug (i.e., tablet) to produce. In the US, Leqembi (lecanemab) costs around $26,500 per year, while donanemab (Kisunla) has a list price of about $32,000 a year.

So whats the catch, if Xanamem is cheaper to buy than existing drugs with less side effects, why isn’t it and indeed Actinogen worth the billions that the market would command? Why even if it was forecast to capture 10% of the Alzheimer's pie it would be worth over 100 times what the share price is today. Well perhaps there is no catch.



Multiple studies support the association between elevated cortisol and AD development and progression1-5


Xanamem is designed to reduce the level of cortisol in the brain. Recent independent analysis highlights Xanamem's proven effectiveness in slowing the progress of Alzeihmer's in patients with elevated pTau1 81 (see above). In fact over an extended 18 months the drug would clearly be much much more effective than donenemab. And thats why Actinogen are currently enrolling up to 100 mild to moderate Alzheimers patients with elevated pTau 181 in their late stage 2b/3 clinical trial both in Australia and the US. The interim results of the trial shall be madeavailable to the market following a 24 week dosing period, with November to December 2025 (i.e., later this year), being the current guestimate forecast by Actinogen managers.

But that’s not the only game in town when it comes to Xanamem. High levels of cortisol in the brain and the foggy thinking that results in decreased levels of cognition and working memory in patients can be attributed to multiple neurological disorders, as noted in Actinogen's May 2024 presentation (see slide herein).

If successful in treating Alzeihmers patients, as it has been in a string of previous clinical trials, Actinogen executives and a host of other medical professionals are of the belief Xanamem could prove beneficial for not just Aleziehmers and depression, but Parkinsons and many other conditions with a huge unmet need. But the Alzeihmers code is a difficult one to crack, and one that has been plagued by a littany of failures in recent years, hence the reason Actinogen personnel are spending close to 100 percent of their resources, not to mention their undivided attention, toward the current and ongoing Xanamia Phase 2b/3 trial for Alezeihmers patients.

By the way its not simply Actinogen staff and independent medical professionals who have recognised Xanamems ability to effect the level of cortisol in the brain. In February 2024, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) accepted Actinogen’s application for an Innovation Passport as part of the UK’s Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) for Xanamem in the treatment of AD. The ILAP pathway could accelerate the UK regulatory approval process once pivotal trials are completed and allows for expanded UK regulatory and stakeholder input. The ILAP attainment provides external validation of Xanamem’s mechanism of action and the AD data to date. As noted earlier in this post excessive cortisol production in the brain is linked to chronic neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease. By inhibiting 11β-HSD1, Xanamem aims to reduce this excess cortisol production. Recently the World Health Organisation recognised Xanamem by providing the drug with a new and unique suffix, Emestedastat.

At the time Actinogen CEO Steven Gourlay noted "It is pleasing to have emestedastat (Xanamem or UE2343) recognized as first-in-class with the award of an INN name with a new and unique suffix. The suffix used in the name highlights Actinogen's leading position in the field of 11β-HSD1 enzyme inhibition which is designed to control brain cortisol and result in clinically meaningful benefits for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and major depressive disorder (MDD).”

And even market analysts are recognising the value Xanamem’s progress is bringing to the table for Actinogen. Edison capital research recently forecast a price target of 22 cents per share for ACW. Indeed the figure would be multiples of that if interim results are successful in slowing the progression of Alzeihmer's patients. I'll leave you to do the numbers on that. But given the limited drugs available, and Xanamem's ability to be taken in conjunction with other medicines, not to mention its potential to treat multiple neurological disorders, the figure is likely to be in the $$. So in answer to your question, I for one don't envisage ACW staying in the single digits for too much longer, and for those who support the cortisol hypothesis, prices in the teens may to be a thing of the past in mid to late 2025, if all things Actinogen go as planned.

Opinions only, not financial advice DYOR