BioCryst Crushes It on Rare Immune Disorder Drug Trial

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By Paul Ausick Updated Published
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BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: BCRX) broke higher Tuesday morning, following the company’s announcement that its oral drug for hereditary angioedema (HAE) met the primary efficacy endpoint, several secondary endpoints and all other objectives established for its Phase 2a clinical trial. HAE is a rare, severely debilitating and potentially fatal genetic condition that occurs in about one in 10,000 to one in 50,000 people.

BioCryst’s treatment, BCX4161, is a novel, selective inhibitor of plasma kallikrein in development for prevention of attacks in patients with HAE. The drug suppresses the body’s production of bradykinin, which is a cause of acute swelling attacks in HAE sufferers.

BioCryst has been on something of a tear over the past 12 months. The share price is up more than 460%, and the stock reached its 52-week high shortly after the announcement in early March of a successful Phase 1 clinical trial of BCX4161.

Shares were up more than 11%, after rising as much as 20% earlier Tuesday morning. The stock was trading at $10.07 a half-hour after the open. The 52-week range is $1.42 to $13.33.

ALSO READ: Why You Buy Big Pharma If the Market Crashes

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About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for 247Wallst.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

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