Blog Coverage Novartis Joins Hands with Ionis Pharma For Cardiovascular Treatment Solutions

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2017 / Active Wall St. blog coverage looks at the headline from Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) and Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: IONS). Novartis announced on January 06, 2017, a collaboration and option agreement, with Ionis Pharma and its affiliate Akcea Therapeutics to license two flagship treatments which would significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in patients initiated by Lipoproteins, Lp(a) and APOCIII. Register with us now for your free membership and blog access at: http://www.activewallst.com/register/.

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About the Companies

Novartis, which is based in Switzerland, operates its businesses with global scale and strong customer ties. The firm boasts of a pan-nation presence with more than 118,700 employees. Sandoz, Ciba Vision, Alcon, and Chiron Corp., are the primary subsidiaries under the firm’s portfolio. Novartis focuses basically on three units, namely:

1. Patented Medicines
2. Generics
3. Eye care Devices

Ionis Pharmaceuticals operates primarily as a biotechnology company. The Company researches in RNA-targeted drug discovery and development and focuses on drugs for patients with unmet medical needs. The Firm’s primary area of operation is the United States through its two units, Ionis, and Akcea. Akcea Therapeutics deals in development and commercialization of drugs for cardiometabolic disorders.

The agreement

This agreement has been signed with a $75 million upfront and a potential $1 billion in biobucks. Novartis views an exclusive worldwide portfolio expansion option and collaboration pact to work on and sell AKCEA-APO(a)-LRX and AKCEA-APOCIII-LRX, reportedly the most effective clinical drugs for Lipoprotein initiated cardiovascular diseases. This investment in biomarker-based therapies is set to bolster Novartis’s cardiovascular specialty portfolio and address the unmet medical needs of atherosclerosis/dyslipidemia patients. Atherosclerosis, also known as ‘silent killer’, is one of the major causes of death globally and probably no option today is effective in the treatment of patients when the disease is driven by Lp(a) and APOCIII.

Breaking down the treatment

The treatments aim to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients’ sufferings from exceptionally high levels of lipoproteins known as Lp(a) and APOCIII. Ionis Pharma developed the two investigational antisense therapies through Akcea, and were called AKCEA-APO(a)-LRX and AKCEA-APOCIII-Lrx with the potential to lower both lipoproteins up to 90%. Eventually, it would reduce cardiovascular risks and bring in efficient solutions across high-risk patient populations.

The flagship antisense technology is the most effective way to inhibit synthesis of both lipoproteins in the liver, as of now, as per the data published in Lancet. In recent phase 1/2 study conducted in volunteers with elevated lipoprotein(a), AKCEA-APO(a)-Lrx produced significant and sustained reductions in Lp(a) up to 97% with mean reduction of 79% only after a single dose, according to Ionis. AKCEA-APOCIII-LRX, on the other hand, is currently being tested in an early-stage human trial, in healthy volunteers with elevated triglycerides.

The announcement

Akcea announced the publication of Lp(a) -Lowering Drugs designed to treat cardiovascular diseases on September 22, 2016. Through the randomized, controlled studies of IONIS-APO(a)Rx and IONIS-APO(a)-LRX, (Lp(a) lowering drugs) the Company aimed to treat cardiovascular disease and aortic valve stenosis.

Stock Performance

At the close of trading session on January 06, 2017, Novartis’ stock price marginally declined 0.78% to end the day at $73.49. A total volume of 3.64 million shares were exchanged during the session, which was above the 3-month average volume of 3.24 million shares. The Company’s share price has gained 6.57% in the past one month and 0.89% on YTD basis. The Company’s shares are trading at a PE ratio of 25.94 and have a dividend yield of 3.70%. The stock currently has a market cap of $191.92 billion.

Last Friday, Ionis Pharma’s stock closed the trading session at $47.83, climbing 1.57% from its previous closing price of $47.09. A total volume of 3.10 million shares have exchanged hands, which was higher than the 3-month average volume of 2.47 million shares. The Company’s stock price advanced 0.80% in the last month, 39.61% in the past three months, and 88.60% in the previous six months. At the close of the markets, the stock has a market capitalization of $5.89 billion.

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