The Phase III trial data on the emerging Alzheimer's disease drug lecanemab has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and was presented at the recent Alzheimer's disease conference, CTAD, held in San Francisco, by Dr Sharen Cohen. Dr Cohen was an investigator on the Phase III Eisai/Biogen Alzheimer's disease study and co-authored the paper that was published.

The data is of interest to Cogstate (CGS: $1.80) and investors as Cogstate's core business is in conducting Alzheimer's disease studies, and its blue sky is the use of its cognitive diagnostic tool, licensed by Eisai, to help identify patients should an effective drug treatment for Alzheimer's disease become available.

Anteris Technologies (AVR: $23.20) is developing an aortic heart valve, called DurAVR THV. The device is implanted via a catheter rather than through open chest surgery and has delivered some impressive results compared to other valves implanted through the same process or through surgery.

Last month the company announced that it had reached agreement with the FDA on an early feasibility study to follow on from its first feasibility study in 13 patients. The early feasibility study will recruit 15 patients who will be implanted across seven implant centres in the US. It is only expected to take a few weeks to fully recruit.

Novel antibody company Patrys (PAB: $0.021) held its AGM this week. The presentation by its CEO James Campbell is worth reading closely.

Imricor Medical Systems (IMR: $0.275) achieved consumable revenue of just US$115,000 for the quarter, down 15% on the previous corresponding period. However, it has increased the number of active sites by three to nine sites.

Pharmaxis (PXS: $0.066) has two drug candidates in clinical development, both based on its lysyl oxidase inhibition platform that seeks to reduce or stop collagen crosslinking that is crucial to the fibrosis process. The drug candidates are PXS-5505, being trialled in a Phase II study in myelofibrosis, and a second investigator-led study in liver cancer due to commence this year; as well as PXS-6302, which is being investigated as a treatment for existing and new scars. The trial in existing scars has reached the 75% recruitment mark.

Aroa Biosurgery (ARX: $0.86) continues to outperform. Revenue for its first half (ending 30 September) was up 44% on the PCP to NZ$29 million. Surprisingly it has also delivered a positive EBITDA for the half year, ahead of expectations. Aroa is forecasting to be EBITDA neutral for the full year.

Cogstate (CGS: $1.77) has achieved another very strong quarter of sales contracts totalling US$17.9 million after US$1.1 million in contract cancellations. Its net cashflow was just US$0.2 million.

Dimerix (DXB: $0.165) has reached around 40% recruitment into the first part of its Phase III focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) study (as of mid September). The global study is seeking to recruit 286 patients for final analysis across 70 sites. The interim readout will be on 72 patients measuring proteinurea after 35 weeks of treatment.

With a deterioration in capital markets, Antisense Therapeutics (ANP: $0.86) has adjusted its clinical program in Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy with its lead drug candidate ATL1102. The company had previously intended to conduct a potentially pivotal Phase IIb/III study in 114 patients. That has now been changed to a Phase IIb program that will seek to enroll 45 subjects.

Pharmaxis (PXS: $0.081) has released some data on the first eight patients treated with its drug candidate, PXS-6302, to remove existing scars. The first eight patients were all treated with PXS-6302 whilst the next 42 being recruited are blinded between placebo or active arms.