Neuroderm files for Nasdaq IPO

Transdermal drug delivery system developer Neuroderm Ltd. has filed a confidential draft prospectus for a Nasdaq IPO, according to shareholder Capital Point Ltd. (TASE:CPTP), which owns 13.6% of the company.Neuroderm has two products in clinical trials for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The leading product is a transdermal version Levodopa, which is currently administered orally. The version achieves better results in maintaining uniform levels of the drug in the bloodstream, enabling more effective treatment of the disease with fewer side effects. The product is undergoing a Phase IIb clinical trial.

Neurderm’s draft prospectus was filed six weeks ago, when the primary market was still hot, but IPOs by life sciences companies have since gone cold. Although many companies are filing prospectuses, no major IPO has been held in weeks. While it is uncertain whether Neuroderm will go ahead with an IPO anytime soon, by filing now, it can exploit an opportunity if the primary market reopens.

Under these conditions, it is hard to know what Neuroderm’s value will be at the offering, if it is held. Companies at its stage of development of products for similar markets in clinical trials can seek a valuation of $100-200 million.

Other investors are investors include Omrix Biopharmaceuticals founder Robert Taub and Dr. Shmuel Cabilly, who invented the “Cabilly patents” which underpin the development of many anti-inflammation and cancer drugs, and former GE executive Uwe Wascher.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com