Small Biotech Makers with Big Blockbuster Drugs

1. Parkinson
A chronic neurological condition due to the degeneration of neurons in the brain that controls movement. American Parkinson's Disease Association indicated that there are approximately 1.5 million people in the United States suffer from this disease. Studies have suggested that up to 40 percent of patients with Parkinson's disease will develop psychotic symptoms, commonly consisting of visual hallucinations and delusions. Currently there is no therapy in the United States approved to treat Parkinson's disease
psychosis. Researchers estimated that the annual economic burden associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the United States to far exceed $25 billion.

Small Biotech Makers
Acadia Pharmaceuticals (biotech ticker: acad)
Drug: Pimavanserin is a small molecule product candidate that we discovered and have advanced to Phase III development as a treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis. In collaboration with Biobail, Acadia completed enrollment in the first pivotal Phase III trial of pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP) in May 2009.

UPDATED: ACADIA expects to report top-line results from this trial in the third quarter of 2009(Sept30th). (November 5,2009 report date)

2. Obesity/Diabetes
Obesity- The prevalence of obesity continues to be a health concern and affects a large and growing proportion of the population, including over 30% (more than 60 million) of Americans. Worldwide more than 300 million people are obese. Obesity directly contributes to numerous life-threatening conditions: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke. Presently there are a number of anti-obesity agents in clinical development.
The worldwide obesity therapeutic market is currently estimated to be approximately $1 billion. Analysts speculate that the potential market for obesity in the United States could approach $5 billion.
Diabetes- There are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.7 million people (or nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease. It is estimated that there are nearly 250 million diabetics worldwide. New cases of diabetes doubled over the last ten years due to obesity and lifestyle and it is now calculated that the lifetime risk of diabetes in this century is approximately 35%.
Analysts speculate that the market for an effective diabetes treatment could have multi-billion-dollar annual sales potential.

Small Biotech Makers:
VIVUS, Inc. (biotech ticker:VVUS)
Drug: Qnexa in treatment of obesity (phase III) and diabetes (Phase II). Qnexa is a combination of two existing drugs, phentermine and topiramate (marketed for epilepsy and migraine as Topamax) obesity candidate under development today. EQUIP and CONQUER data on track for mid-2009 year end.

Update: Vivus expects to announce Phase III Qnexa result in 3Q 2009 (Nov 4th 2009 report date)

3. Breathing
Asthma and COPD are the two most common respiratory diseases. According to data 7 percent of adults and 9 percent of children have asthma. . In 2004, approximately 4.2 percent of people in the U.S. had at least one asthma attack. Data from a national health survey shows around 24 million Americans are affected by the disease. About $20.2 billion will be spent on asthma medications in the U.S. per year. At the American Thoracic Society International Conference, it is estimated, over the next 20 years, medical costs related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will total approximately $832.9 billion in the United States. There are currently no drug in the market that are being used treatment of COPD and Asthma in combination and of single dose application.
The most commonly prescribed asthma drug is Advair from GlaxoSmithKline's with projected sales of $7.4 billion. Another drug is Merck & Co's Singular. The common
COPD drug is Combivent/Atrovent/Spiriva by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. However there is a lack of a single dose drug that can target the two diseases condition effectively.
Small Biotech Makers:
Theravance Inc (biotech ticker:THRX)
Drug: Fluticasone furoate, developed by GlaxoSmithKline, in partnership with Theravance Inc. The two companies are working on a potential follow-up to Advair. Glaxo and Theravance announced results of three separate Phase IIb studies of the candidate across a range of eight doses in more than 1,800 patients. Fluticasone furoate was effective in all but the lowest dose tested. Only the highest dose showed a statistically significant boost in a side effect typical of its type of inhaled steroid.
UPDATE: GSK currently expects to initiate the Phase 3 program in COPD in October of 2009.