RE: Synairgen: investors anxiously waiting for Phase III trial results11 May 2021 12:31
Investors are biding their time, awaiting phase III outcome
A key feature of SNG001 is that it can be self-administered at home, bringing a number of benefits. Patients are more likely to self-administer at an earlier point in the course of the illness, potentially preventing a more serious progression of the virus into the lower respiratory tract. And as a face-to-face meeting with a health care professional is not required, SNG001 can minimise the risk of onward infection, lower the burden on healthcare systems and reduce the need for economically costly lockdowns.
Though the trial results were encouraging, it seems investors are biding their time, perhaps waiting for the outcome of the phase III clinical trial later this year. A further consideration is that commercialisation is some way off, as the findings must first be submitted for peer review.
Positive results from the phase III trial (SG018) could be a game changer. With a positive result, broker finnCap is expecting “significant revenues to accrue from government orders in 2021/22”, as the clinical need for a targeted broad-spectrum anti-viral treatment for hospitalised Covid-19 patients remains significant, both domestically and globally. FinnCap is holding its share price target of 505p, while waiting for the read-out from the phase III trial.
Synairgen is currently unprofitable, and reliant on revenues raised from issuing shares to cover operational costs, which dilutes shareholdings. More reassuring is that the company has been debt free for five years, and its assets more than cover its short- and long-term liabilities, indicating a stable and experienced management team.
Demand for coronavirus treatments will remain strong, as the continuing waves of infections around the world indicate. Over the past week, Synairgen’s shares have continued to slide and are now looking quite cheap at 109.47p as trading opened this morning (10 May). Watch out for those trial III results later this year, as the shares could yet reach finnCap’s 505p price target.