Why Biotech Sleeper NBIO Could be Nearing its Wake-Up Call

    Date:

    Nascent Biotech Inc. (OTCMKTS:NBIO) presents an interesting object of study for speculators and long-term investors with an interest in unearthing potentially powerful growth stocks that have yet to be discovered by the crowd.

    NBIO is an emerging player in the $4 billion oncology drug development space. And it’s at the perfect point in terms of development stage for growth investors in biotech – its flagship drug is just heading toward Phase 2 clinical research, which is in the sweet spot for dealmaking as a potential acquisition target as deals pick up pace this cycle. In other words, it’s the definition of long-duration growth. It hasn’t yet bloomed with confirmed phase 2 success, bringing in a huge crowd of speculators.

    But it could be on the doorstep for that transition for two reasons.

    First, NBIO could be poised for its phase 2 research launch and the potential breakthroughs that may follow. And second, it was just selected to present at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago early next month.

    In other words, if NBIO’s primary asset, which is a unique one in the field, is poised for an important future impact as a cancer treatment, then we are probably now in the very late innings of the game for establishing an investment position for anyone who wants to get involved before the big moves.

    Deep Dive

    Nascent’s main asset is Pritumumab (PTB), a natural human antibody that binds to cell surface Vimentin (also referred to as ectodomain vimentin), which is a protein expressed on the surface of epithelial cancers. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are laboratory-produced molecules that can mimic the immune system’s ability to target and destroy cancer cells. These antibodies are designed to bind to specific antigens (proteins) that are present on the surface of cancer cells, triggering an immune response that can lead to the destruction of the cancer cells. In recent years, monoclonal antibodies have emerged as a promising new approach to cancer research and treatment.

    PTB, which is used as a targeted immunotherapy that “seeks out” cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed, began its R&D journey in 1982 in Japan. There wasn’t much follow-up to initial research. But Nascent Biotech moved in and reengineered the compound, particularly by mapping production through the Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell line platform for monoclonal antibodies to streamline the cost side of the equation.

    This was followed up by the company’s move to file an IND request with the FDA in late 2018. That was granted, but the pandemic delayed the start of active clinical research. By March 2021, the project was fully underway and NBIO was subsequently given permission by the FDA to enter human clinical trials for Primary and Metastatic Brain cancer.

    Over the past two years, that research has been underway.

    The company completed phase I research last year and has submitted all materials to launch phase 2 ahead. That leaves it in the sweet spot for maximum growth potential—promise has been demonstrated, the asset is an established idea, and the target market is large and robust. But the big positive news about phase 2 efficacy potential hasn’t yet emerged to reprice the stock higher in anticipation of commercial viability.

    Out of the Shadows

    As alluded to above, NBIO just announced this week that it has been selected for a poster presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2023 Annual Meeting held in Chicago on June 2-6, 2023.

    According to the company’s release, which hit the wires on Tuesday premarket, the poster presentation, entitled “Phase I Study of Pritumumab in Brain Cancer”, will take place from 1:15-4:15 PM CDT on June 3rd, during the “Central Nervous Systems Tumors” session in Hall A of McCormick Place Convention Center.

    As many readers may already know, ASCO is the largest clinical oncology conference that brings together cancer leaders from across the globe to discuss the latest cutting-edge research.

    NBIO notes in its release that it will have a clinical trials medical team member presenting the pivotal results from the NAS-101 trial, and interested parties are welcome to stop by the poster (board #410).

    We would also note that the poster will also be available for download after the conference by contacting clinicaltrials@nascentbiotech.com in case you can’t make it to Chicago in three weeks.

    The most important takeaway is that NBIO has been a “sleeper” stock as PTB progresses through its early-stage human trial research. The technology appears interesting and would represent a different path to cancer treatment. If it is destined for an important future, it’s going to wake up soon given that phase 2 could be starting up before long and the project is about to step onto the biggest stage in the world for cancer research assets in less than a month.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Chart

    Sign up for Breaking Alerts

    Share post:

    Popular

    More like this
    Related

    Imagine If We Could Annualize This Quarter…

    Many years ago, a very intelligent and experienced colleague...

    Waller Hawkishness Resists Accommodative Powell: Mar. 28, 2024

    Bond traders are reassessing their monetary policy expectations while...

    Hopping Into Q2 with Key Interim Data Events

    It has been a solid start to 2024 with...

    12,000 Calls Trade in Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (Symbol: PAA)

    This morning over 11,800 January 17 ’25 calls traded...