SAN FRANCISCO - Napo Pharmaceuticals, part of the Jaguar Health, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAGX) family, has secured a new patent from the European Patent Office for methods of treating diarrhea associated with congenital diarrheal disorders (CDDs) using crofelemer.
This development strengthens the company's intellectual property portfolio, particularly for the rare disease indication of microvillus inclusion disease (MVID), a severe infantile disorder with no approved drug treatments.
Lisa Conte, Jaguar's founder, president, and CEO, expressed confidence that the patent enhances protection for crofelemer for targeting MVID. She also noted that Jaguar supports third-party investigator-initiated proof-of-concept studies of crofelemer for short bowel syndrome (SBS) and MVID in various regions, including the US, EU, and Middle East/North Africa. Results from these studies are anticipated before the end of 2024 and throughout 2025.
SBS can lead to intestinal failure, often necessitating daily parenteral nutrition, and is associated with chronic diarrhea, dehydration, and other life-threatening complications. Crofelemer, the only oral plant-based prescription medicine approved under the FDA's Botanical Guidance, offers an exclusivity advantage due to the complexities involved in producing a generic equivalent.
Napo has established a sustainable harvesting program for crofelemer, ensuring quality, ecological integrity, and support for indigenous communities. It is derived from the sap of the Croton lechleri tree, known as "dragon's blood," in the Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Rainforest.
Jaguar Health is focused on developing plant-derived prescription medicines for gastrointestinal distress across various diseases. Its family companies include Napo Pharmaceuticals, which concentrates on human prescription pharmaceuticals, and Napo Therapeutics, based in Milan, Italy, aiming to expand crofelemer access in Europe for orphan and/or rare diseases.
The information in this article is based on a press release statement from Jaguar Health, Inc. and does not include any marketing claims or speculative information. The focus remains on the patent issuance and the ongoing studies for crofelemer's potential applications in rare gastrointestinal disorders.
InvestingPro Insights
In light of Jaguar Health's recent patent acquisition for crofelemer, a closer look at the company's financial health and stock performance through InvestingPro provides additional context for investors. With a market capitalization of $6.43M, Jaguar Health is a smaller player in the pharmaceutical industry.
The company's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q1 2024 stood at $10.14M, but it experienced a revenue decline of 10.29% over the same period. This suggests challenges in revenue growth, which may be a point of consideration for potential investors.
An InvestingPro Tip indicates that the stock is currently in oversold territory according to the RSI, which could mean that it might be undervalued or due for a rebound. However, it's also important to note that the stock has faced significant downward pressure, as evidenced by a one-month price total return of -67.6% and a one-year price total return of -97.02%. Such high volatility and negative returns could be seen as cautionary signals.
Analysts contributing to InvestingPro do not expect Jaguar Health to be profitable this year, which aligns with the company's reported operating income margin of -318.44% for the last twelve months as of Q1 2024. This could be a reflection of the investment required for ongoing clinical studies and the process of securing patents, which may not immediately translate into profitability.
For investors seeking more detailed analysis and additional InvestingPro Tips on Jaguar Health, visit https://www.investing.com/pro/JAGX. There are 12 more InvestingPro Tips available, which can provide further insights into the company's stock performance and valuation. To access these tips and detailed metrics, readers can use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get up to 10% off a yearly Pro and a yearly or biyearly Pro+ subscription.
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