Neuren Media and Analyst Coverage, page-1275

Daily Telegraph article out today - copy and paste of relevant sections below.

BusinessStockheadMoneyTalks: Horizon 3 Healthcare is bullish on these two ASX firmsHorizon 3 Healthcare, which focuses on later stage companies that are attractive acquisition targets, is bullish on these two ASX companies.Nadine McGrath4 min readJuly 31, 2024 - 5:42AMStockheadEBR and Neuren are in the Horizon 3 Healthcare portfolio. Pic: Getty ImagesMoneyTalks is *’s regular drill down into what stocks investors are looking at right now. We’ll tap our extensive list of experts to hear what’s hot, their top picks, and what they’re looking out for.Today we hear from Matt McNamara, CIO and director of fund manager Horizon 3 Healthcare.Matt McNamara is a molecular biologist with more than 30 years’ experience in the healthcare and medical sciences space. He’s been involved in venture capital for more than 25 years.He says venture capital funds he has been involved with in the past have had a 10 or 15 year timeframe for an exit strategy, but the focus of Horizon 3 Healthcare at the moment is five years.“Our focus is on later stage companies that are only one or two milestones away from being an attractive acquisition target,” he says.“That is key to us because it reduces the risk involved by investing at a later stage and reduces the timeline of investment as well.“So to invest in something preclinical it would be unrealistic to get an exit within five years.”McNamara says the ASX healthcare sector has been under pressure for several years now, but the outlook is more positive.“It’s been very tough since 2021 so you might argue that there is value because of a lot of corrections in prices,” he says.“But because there have been several successes I think investors are starting to have another look at the healthcare market and, like always, the cream rises.”While Horizon 3 Healthcare invests in publicly listed companies it also invests in those privately held.“We only invest in companies with novel technologies,” according to McNamara.These two ASX health names are in the Horizon 3 Healthcare portfolio.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals (ASX:NEU)Focused on rare paediatric neurological disorders, NEU is McNamara’s other pick of ASX healthcare companies.NEU last week announced it had received Rare Paediatric Disease (RPD) designation from the FDA for NNZ-2591 – developed to treat Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, a rare and severe genetic condition affecting children.An RPD designation is granted by the FDA for serious or life-threatening diseases affecting fewer than 200,000 patients in the US.NEU is now preparing for an end of Phase 2 meeting with the FDA in Q3 2024 to discuss the development program for NNZ-2591 in Phelan-Mcdermid Syndrome, for which there is currently no FDA-approved drug.The company has previously reported results from a Phase 2 trial in which significant improvement was assessed by both clinicians and caregivers across multiple efficacy measures.In May NEU announced Phase 2 trial showing significant improvements of NNZ-2591 in Pitt Hopkins syndrome.NEU is also forecast to release Phase 2 clinical trial results of NNZ-2591 into another rare disease called Angelman Syndrome within a month.“Neuren just keeps hitting the clinical trial endpoints and getting the orphan drug designation for Phelan-McDermid Syndrome was brilliant,” McNamara says.“If the drug is approved Neuren may be eligible for a priority review voucher which they can sell and are worth around US$100m.”In 2023, Neuren became the market darling of the ASX healthcare sector after receiving US FDA approval via its US marketing partner for Trofinetide, selling under the name Daybue, to treat Rett’s Syndrome.McNamara says while NEU has been around for some years, it has maintained focus on rare neurological paediatric diseases, which is starting to yield results.“The fact they partnered so early and got full value out of NNZ-2566 Trofinetide and have given themselves enough cash to run the other trials of NNZ-2591 is good,” he says.“It is unheard of to have positive data from three rare paediatric disorders for one compound.”At *, we tell it like it is. While EBR Systems is a * advertiser, the company did not sponsor this article.Matt McNamara is a molecular biologist with more than 30 years’ experience in the healthcare and medical sciences space. He’s been involved in venture capital for more than 25 years.He says venture capital funds he has been involved with in the past have had a 10 or 15 year timeframe for an exit strategy, but the focus of Horizon 3 Healthcare at the moment is five years.“Our focus is on later stage companies that are only one or two milestones away from being an attractive acquisition target,” he says.“That is key to us because it reduces the risk involved by investing at a later stage and reduces the timeline of investment as well.“So to invest in something preclinical it would be unrealistic to get an exit within five years.”McNamara says the ASX healthcare sector has been under pressure for several years now, but the outlook is more positive.“It’s been very tough since 2021 so you might argue that there is value because of a lot of corrections in prices,” he says.“But because there have been several successes I think investors are starting to have another look at the healthcare market and, like always, the cream rises.”While Horizon 3 Healthcare invests in publicly listed companies it also invests in those privately held.“We only invest in companies with novel technologies,” according to McNamara.These two ASX health names are in the Horizon 3 Healthcare portfolio.