Samil Pharm hits upper limit...Voronoi jumps 15%[K-bio Pulse]

[Seungkwon Kim, Edaily Reporter] Shares of Samik Pharmaceutical, JW Shinyak and Voronoi rose sharply on Nov. 10 as the KOSPI and KOSDAQ both rebounded more than 4%, drawing buying into small- and mid-cap pharma and biotech names.

Samik Pharmaceutical surged to its daily limit without any new disclosure or clear catalyst. Analysts note that the three companies are pursuing very different growth paths, and that short-term trading momentum should be distinguished from long-term technology value.

Samik Pharmaceutical stock trend

Samik Pharmaceutical, Upper limit without a catalyst

Samik Pharmaceutical closed up 29.95%, or 1,920 won, at 8,330 won, according to KG Zeroin MP Doctor. No disclosure or business news explained the jump. The market appears to have renewed its expectations for the company‘s long-acting injectable platform and hair loss-related pipeline.

The company is developing long-acting injectables using its in-house microsphere platform, UniSphero. In September, it registered a patent for a long-acting formulation of the immunomodulatory peptide thymosin alpha 1, which lowered first-day drug release to 23.7% from 49.9% in the comparison group and sustained release over 28 days.

Some, however, say it is a stretch to read this as a hair loss drug patent. Its alopecia areata candidate, SLIM2401, is based on baricitinib, while thymosin alpha 1 corresponds to SLIM2402, an oncology and immune-support candidate. SLIM2401 has yet to enter clinical trials. Critics point out that patent registration and clinical efficacy are separate milestones, calling for caution in interpreting the rally.

JW Shinyak

JW Shinyak, Up 16% on existing hair loss sales base

JW Shinyak closed up 16.35%, or 345 won, at 2,455 won. There was no new contract or clinical result, but its existing hair loss treatment sales and co-development prospects appear to have lifted sentiment.

The company sells finasteride-based hair loss treatments and hair and scalp care products, which is seen as setting it apart from companies bundled into the theme on expectations alone. It is also co-developing AD-303, a topical hair loss treatment from Mujin Medi, alongside Yuhan and Medica Korea. Because the agreement can be terminated if trials fail, analysts say actual clinical results need to be watched.

Third-quarter separate revenue rose 3.3% year over year to 21.26 billion won, while operating profit fell 3.1% to 2.61 billion won. Whether cost-cutting, including the closure of its unused quasi-drug manufacturing business, translates into improved profitability is expected to be the key.

Voronoi

Voronoi, Up 15% on VRN11 data, but funding burden remains

Voronoi closed up 14.67%, or 14,300 won, at 111,800 won, reflecting expectations for recent lung cancer drug data and follow-up results next year.

Its lead candidate, VRN11, targets EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Phase 1 data presented at ESMO in October showed a 95% intracranial disease control rate among 20 patients with brain metastases, with lesions disappearing completely in four.

Clinical costs, however, are expected to weigh on the stock. Voronoi is pursuing roughly 80 billion won in convertible bonds to fund global trials of VRN11. A company official said patient enrollment requests from global principal investigators exceeded expectations, increasing funding needs, and added that several global big pharma companies have shown interest and talks are ongoing.

Shinhan Securities analyst Eom Min-yong expects that competitive results in Tagrisso-naive patients in the first half of next year could open a path into the first-line treatment market.