Over the last seven years, Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (CUV: $14.95) has generated around $330 million in sales from its pharmaceutical product Scenesse for the treatment of EPP. The compound annual growth rate in sales over the last six years has been 42% and the company has been profitable for the last seven years.

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (CUV: $15.51) is continuing to expand the applications for its core therapeutic, afamelanotide (Scenesse for the treatment of EPP). In preclinical models it has been shown that afamelanotide can have a positive impact on neurological conditions, including Parkinson's disease.

Over the last two months, there have been some strong price movements in several major and minor biotech stocks. Following a downturn that has lasted almost two years, has the Australian sector finally bottomed?

We reviewed Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals, Dimerix, Imugene, and Neuren.

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (CUV: $16.62) has built a profitable business from the successful commercialization of Scenesse, a drug indicated for the treatment of EPP (erythropoietic protoporphyria). In the last financial year, revenue was up 19% and net profit was up 46% to $30.6 million. The company finished June with a cash balance of $157 million.

Two highly successful life science companies that have emerged in the last decade in Australia are Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (CUV: $15.64) and Nanosonics (NAN: $4.37). Whilst one is a pharmaceutical company and the other sells medical products (the Trophon disinfection instrument for ultrasound probes), there are several commonalities between the two businesses which make a comparison worthwhile.

For FY2023, Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (CUV: $18.15) achieved total revenues of $83 million, which was up 24% on the previous year. The net profit for the year increased by 47% to $30.6 million. The company finished the year with $157 million in cash.