LIVE MARKETS-Brainy efforts underway, but still some way to go for neuro drug developers

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BRAINY EFFORTS UNDERWAY, BUT STILL SOME WAY TO GO FOR NEURO DRUG DEVELOPERS

An unmet need in neurological conditions has stirred up anticipation for trial data for drugs being developed for neurological conditions like depression, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia that affect millions of patients worldwide, Canaccord Genuity analysts said on Friday.

The brokerage said some recent wins with Eisai 4523.T and Biogen's BIIB.O Leqembi and Eli Lilly's LLY.N Kisunla for Alzheimer's, along with Bristol Myers Squibb's BMY.N Cobenfy for schizophrenia, represent significant advances in their fields.

It estimates that about 57 products are in development for major depressive disorder, including 14 for treatment-resistant depression, 11 for bipolar depression, and 5 for postpartum depression that affects new mothers.

Canaccord said it is looking forward to late-stage trial data from Johnson & Johnson's JNJ.N aticaprant and Neumora Therapeutics' NMRA.O navacaprant, both in development for major depressive disorder.

"Overall, we believe biopharma's depression-focused pipeline remains healthy" said Canaccord, but added that there was still a long way to go due to some diseases being poorly understood.

Canaccord added that successes in Alzheimer's with Leqembi and Kisunla have come despite the challenges in understanding such neurodegenerative conditions.

Among newer drugs in development, the brokerage highlighted Roche's ROG.S trontinemab, designed to ferry the drug across the blood brain barrier—protective blood vessels that prevent chemicals in the bloodstream from entering the brain - in hopes of getting more of the treatment into the brain.

Canaccord said Cervomed's CRVO.O neflamapimod could be a "major advance for patients."

Cervomed is developing the drug to treat dementia with Lewy bodies, the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's and an indication that sees fewer investments, said Canaccord.

(Christy Santhosh)

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