Immupharma Plc (LON:IMM) is the topic of conversation when Head of Research at Northland Capital Partners Vadim Alexandre caught up with DirectorsTalk. Vadim provides his thoughts on the key points highlighted in the report, explains the rational behind the rise in target price, the importance of investor events and tells us why he thinks investors should buy Immuphrama shares.
ImmuPharma Plc is a pharmaceutical development company listed since 2006 on AIM of the London Stock Exchange (LSE:IMM), focusing on developing novel medicines with high sales potential in specialist markets with serious unmet need. ImmuPharma is led by a commercially focused Board and management team with extensive experience.
ImmuPharma announced on 1 March 2016 the successful completion of a £8.4 million fund raise, comprising a Placing and Subscription together with confirmation of EIS and VCT qualifying status. Monies raised will principally be used to complete the pivotal Phase III trial of Lupuzor™. Following the issue of the New Ordinary Shares ImmuPharma has 121,781,219 ordinary shares of 10 pence each (the “Ordinary Shares”) in issue.
Lupuzor™
Lupuzor™ (also referred to as Forigerimod, or P140) is ImmuPharma’s lead compound and a potential treatment for lupus (or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), a chronic, potentially life-threatening auto-immune disease. Lupuzor™ has a novel mechanism of action aimed at modulating the body’s immune system so that it does not attack healthy cells, and avoids causing adverse side effects. It has the potential to halt the progression of the disease in a substantial proportion of patients.
Lupuzor™ has been granted Fast Track status by the US FDA and approval to start Phase III under Special Protocol Assessment (SPA). This SPA was subsequently amended due to its strong safety and efficacy profile to allow for a reduced number of patients in the pivotal Phase III trial thereby reducing the projected cost and time of development considerably.
The pivotal Phase III clinical study is entitled “A 52-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of a 200-mcg Dose of IPP-201101 Plus Standard of Care in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus”. It is a pivotal study designed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of IPP-201101 and as a last step prior to the filing of the drug for approval with the US Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) and the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”). For more information please visit: www.ClinicalTrials.gov/lupuzor
Commercial Opportunity
There are an estimated five million people globally suffering from Lupus, with approximately 1.5 million patients in the US, Europe and Japan (Source: Lupus Foundation of America). Current ‘standard of care’ treatments, including steroids and immunosuppressants, can potentially have either serious side effects for patients or limited effectiveness, with over 60% of patients not adequately treated. GSK’s Benlysta is the first Lupus drug approved in over 50 years and paves the path to market for Lupuzor™. Based on conservative estimates, and taking into account that Benlysta is priced currently at approximately $35,000 per patient per year, Lupuzor™ would be entering a market with the potential for multi-billion dollar sales.