Why should you care about neurotech?

Over 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from a brain-related illness. Beyond the untold human suffering, brain-related illness generate well over $1 Trillion a year in direct and indirect economic costs. Neurotech companies develop treatments for brain-related illness.

Why should you care about a rising neurotech index? [View graph]

You should care because it is a broad based gauge of investor sentiment about the current state and future potential development of better treatments for neurological diseases and psychiatric illness. As the incidence of brain-related illnesses continues to climb with aging populations, investors will fund companies developing next generation drugs, devices and diagnostics for Alzheimer’s, addiction, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, hearing loss, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, obesity, pain, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, stroke and other brain-related illnesses. Companies focused on treating these diseases are the focus of the neurotech index. A rising index generally indicates increased penetration of more effective treatments to a wider patient population. (For more on the neurotech index please click here.

From this month's Neurotech Insights focused on Sleep Disorders:


NeuroInsights' Neurotech Index soared 21% in January boosted by big gains from Amarin (AMRN), Somaxon (SOMX), Boston Life Sciences (BLSI), Cortex (COR), Renovis (RNVS), Pain Therapeutics (PTIE), and Acadia (ACAD). Amarin Corporation (AMRN) jumped over 150% this month to $3.43 per share after announcing licensing of its drug LAX-202 for fatigue associated with multiple sclerosis to Multicell Technologies Inc. (MCET) (see story, page 4). Somaxon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SOMX), the featured company this month in Neurotech Insights, was up over 90% as investors began to take note of its successful IPO last month (see story, page 7).

Boston Life Sciences (BLSI), which joined NeuroInsights recommended portfolio in October, also showed large gains this month as investors noticed the bargain valuation, still fairly low for a company with a late stage Parkinson’s diagnostic, a potential ADHD diagnostic, and several preclinical therapeutic leads. Cephalon (CEPH), which was featured in the December issue of Neurotech Insights, continued to dominate the news signing yet another settlement with a generic challenger to their fatigue treatment Provigil and announcing a delay in final FDA action on their ADHD treatment Sparlon. Acadia (ACAD), recommended in the September issue of Neurotech Insights was highlighted by Jim Cramer’s Mad Money who said the stock could go as high as $50 per share...

For more on waking up to insomnia market visit Neurotech Insights.