Core One Labs, XPhyto, BioNTech - The second biotech series moves forward

Infinite growth market

While the growth curve for vaccine manufacturers against COVID-19 may have already peaked last year, the global market for psychedelic drugs is still in the early stages of a steep growth curve. Between 2022 and 2029, market research firm Data Bridge Market Research projects a compound annual growth rate of 13%. That would equate to an increase in market volume from the current USD 2.39 billion to USD 6.40 billion by then.

There are approximately 350 million people living with depression in the world. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), only one in four sufferers receives adequate treatment. This makes depression the most important cause of illness of all. Apart from prescribing antidepressants, which usually have severe side effects, there are currently few alternative treatment methods. For some years now, however, the "mental health" sector has been revolutionized, primarily by innovative biotech companies.

In addition to the top dog Compass Pathways, which reigns supreme with a market capitalization of USD 415.87 million, more and more smaller development companies such as XPhyto or Core One Labs are conducting research in this segment. Vancouver-based Core One Labs, which currently has a market cap of CAD 34.18 million, is focused on bringing psychedelic medicines to market through the development and production of psychedelic compounds, advancing assisted treatments, and integrating new drug delivery technologies. In doing so, the Canadians are taking a multi-faceted business approach, integrating multiple complementary business units and entities to establish themselves as an industry leader in the rapidly growing and emerging psychedelics market.

Core One Labs seeks big brother

For example, Core One Labs, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Vocan Biotechnologies Inc. developed a patent-pending proprietary psilocybin production system using modified bacteria. In addition, the Company holds four provisional patents for the development of psychedelic-based pharmaceutical formulations targeting neurological and mental disorders under its wholly owned subsidiary Akome Biotech Ltd. and three provisional patents under its other wholly owned subsidiary, Awaken BioSciences Inc. for additional synthetic technologies for psilocybin and psilocin production methods.

It has now been announced that the current path will not be continued alone. Core One is actively seeking investment and potential acquisition opportunities by strategic psychedelics or pharmaceutical companies. Once a suitable offer is received and an agreement is reached, the Company will inform shareholders and the market and provide all necessary details of the transaction. According to management, an acquisition could represent a unique opportunity for Core One and its shareholders to enter new markets and product lines, and for Core One to benefit from the strengths and synergies of a buyer. This, in turn, could increase Core One's market share and strengthen its competitive advantage in the lucrative and fast-growing psychedelics industry. From a technical perspective, the chart formed a saucer formation in recent months. A breakout above the CAD 1.21 level would open up a price potential of around 88% to CAD 2.32.

XPhyto - Broad-based accelerator

Unlike Core One, German-Canadian company XPhyto is not actively seeking buyers for its highly scalable platform technology. However, assuming further research successes, interest from major players in the biotech or pharma industries could steadily increase. In all three business areas, significant successes have been recorded in recent weeks.

For example, the diversified bioscience accelerator, which focuses on next-generation drug formulations, diagnostics, and new active pharmaceutical ingredients, submitted a patent application for its substantial collection of novel psychedelic compounds. Here, the compound database can be targeted for the treatment of neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disorders, including depression, tobacco, opiate and cocaine addiction, or alcoholism, among others.

In addition, XPhyto reported positive in vivo results of a Rotigotine transdermal patch for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Rotigotine is an active ingredient already approved in Europe and the US for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome (RLS). Here, XPhyto compared an active ingredient patch currently on the market with the patch developed by its German subsidiary Vektor Pharma TF GmbH. The results for the criteria "penetration of the skin" as well as "dissolution behavior of the active ingredient" clearly exceeded the predictions. Thus, nothing should stand in the way of transferring the developed Rotigotine patch to an in vivo study. If the study progresses positively, it should then be another 6 to 12 months before market launch. A detailed background is available at researchanalyst.com.

In the third sector, the Diagnostics Division, a binding letter of intent was also signed with a US company to cooperate in the field of thin-film screening tests. The partnership is to revolve around manufacturing, distribution, research and development with the group, which has production capacities that meet the requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration.

From a chart perspective, XPhyto's stock has also been able to form a saucer formation in recent months, trading at CAD 0.49 on the Toronto Stock Exchange. A break of resistance at CAD 0.56 would also open up significant upside potential to the CAD 0.70 area.

The biotech sector corrected strongly in recent weeks, and the growth potential, especially in second-tier stocks, is enormous. While Core One Labs is actively looking for a buyer, XPhyto is rushing from success to success in its three business areas.