Neuren – Buy Signal

Neuren Pharmaceuticals is under Algo Engine buy conditions.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals reported the successful completion of its Share Purchase Plan (SPP) at $2.05 per share, which closed on Friday 1 October 2021. The SPP was offered to give all shareholders in Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to subscribe for additional shares at the same price as was offered to institutional and sophisticated investors in the recent placement.

Total gross proceeds of $23.3 million from the placement and SPP will accelerate the development and increase the value of NNZ-2591 for four neurodevelopmental disorders, by enabling a Phase 2 clinical trial in Prader-Willi syndrome and the foundational work for Phase 3 development across Prader-Willi, Phelan-McDermid, Angelman and Pitt Hopkins syndromes. NNZ-2591 has Orphan Drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration for all four disorders and from the European Medicines Agency for three.

Neuren CEO Jon Pilcher commented: “We are pleased with and grateful for the support of shareholders in both the placement and the SPP. Neuren is now in a strong financial position as we approach the Rett syndrome Phase 3 results for trofinetide and advance the development of NNZ-2591 for multiple neurodevelopmental disorders in parallel.”

Wesfarmers – Buy

Wesfarmers is under Algo Engine buy conditions and is a current holding in our model portfolio.

Wesfarmers now holds 19.3% of Australian Pharmaceutical Industries. The acquisition has less than two weeks left in confirmatory due diligence. The battle between Sigma and Wesfarmers for the API business and final offers will be worth watching.

Accumulate.

U.S. Home Building Stumbles

U.S. home building unexpectedly fell in September and permits dropped to a one-year low amid acute shortages of raw materials and labor, supporting expectations that economic growth slowed sharply in the third quarter.

A separate report from the Mortgage Bankers Association on Tuesday showed mortgage applications for new home purchases decreased 16.2% in September from a year ago.

Permits for future home building plunged 7.7% to a rate of 1.589 million units last month.

Despite the recent weak data the SPDR home builder ETF remains well supported.