Entest Biomedical Inc (OTCMKTS:ENTB) is a penny stock that focuses on the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic therapies for the veterinary market in the United States. Between 15 million and 20 million dogs are currently kept as pets in the United States. That’s a huge potential market. And dogs are living longer and longer, which makes us all happy. But living longer means greater likelihood of developing cancer. About 50% of dogs over ten years old develop a cancer-related condition at some point. In the United States, about 6 million dogs are diagnosed with cancer each year.
In a recent press release, the company revealed that its wholly owned subsidiary, Zander Therapeutics, has announced the filing of a patent application covering composition of matter and methods of use related to molecules identified in their small molecule program that activate and inhibit NR2F6 (‘Small Molecule Modulators of NR2F6 Activity for Animals’). That will push them further toward the marketplace. NR2F6 is a molecular switch known as an ‘orphan nuclear receptor’, which controls genes associated with the immune response as well as genes associated with the ability of cancer stem cells to propagate.
Entest Biomedical Inc (OTCMKTS:ENTB) focuses on the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutic therapies for the veterinary market in the United States. It offers ImenVax family of canine cancer vaccines, such as ImenVax I, a therapeutic for canine cancer, which is involved in isolating tumor cells from the patient and placing the cells into a cell implant device; ImenVax II that utilizes cell lines for sustained release of immunologically relevant cytokines for anti-tumor immune responses; and ImenVax III, a canine cancer vaccine to treat existing tumors through stimulation of immune responses.
The company also provides ENT-576 therapy for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and acquires and operates veterinary hospitals. Entest Biomedical, Inc. was founded in 2008 and is based in La Mesa, California.
Squeeze Potential
The stock currently trades with a market capitalization of $1.1M, with very little cash on the books, which stands against an appreciable load ($455.6k) of total accumulated debt. That may suggest short interest is relatively high.
The stock has witnessed a pop in interest, as transaction volume levels have recently pushed 48% beyond what we have been seeing over the larger time frame. It pays to take note of this fact due to the tight float size in the stock (less than 17M shares). As savvy traders are well aware, a restricted trading float and a jump in trading volume can crimp supply and push share prices higher.
Zander Therapeutics, Inc. has been granted an exclusive worldwide license by Regen BioPharma, Inc. to develop and commercialize veterinary applications of NR2F6.
Pre-clinical research conducted by Regen BioPharma Inc. (RGBP) and (RGBPP) indicates that by inhibiting NR2F6, cancer stem cells can be converted into normal cells, thus potentially curing the patient of cancer.
Additionally, activators of NR2F6 have the potential to provide relief from autoimmune diseases such as arthritis.
“This is Zander’s first big step towards creating small molecule therapies that can target the NR2F6 molecule, either inhibiting it to treat cancer or activating it to treat arthritis. Both cancer and arthritis have a huge impact on our pets. There are many milestones to achieve before these therapies are able to treat our pets but, this is a critical first step,” said David Koos, Ph.D., CEO of Zander Therapeutics, Inc.
This may add up to increased “buzz” for the company, further putting shorts on alert.
Experts have compared the company favorably to competitors Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX) and PDL BioPharma Inc (NASDAQ:PDLI), which have both continued to suffer in recent trade. NVAX, in particular, has had to make major cutbacks in its workforce, presenting an open door for new players to take control of up-for-grabs market share in the space.
