INTRO Here's my semi-annual exercise to see if I remember why I own the stocks I own, and so I can check back and see if their stories have changed. I post in case it helps others too.
Geron
GERN (market cap is $1.63B was $0.922B)
Geron is a leading-edge (some say bleeding-edge, but that sounds too graphic) biotech firm that is applying their knowledge of telomere management for treatments like hematological disorders. My understanding is that they plan to apply (or did they already?) for FDA approval within the next 6-9 months, with commercialization happening shortly after that.
Geron started decades ago with much broader, yet even more ambitious goals. Geron takes its name from gerontology, a field that the company saw as a large unmet need, as in, everyone who wants to live a longer life. They were developing technologies that are attractive to the immortality set. Now, their scope and depth are smaller. They've sold off most of their intellectual property to remain in business (disclosure: I also hold stock in Lineage Cell Therapeutics - LCTX, to invest in one of those technologies), which has also resulted in significant stock dilution.
I believe many have been ignoring GERN because it involves learning about telomeres (something manages cell death or cell life) and terms like hematological (blood-related). The company has not delivered the product despite decades of work, and there's that significant dilution.
If Geron receives FDA approval, they should get a lot of attention in the medical community, among patients, and GERN should get more positive interest from the investment community.
If, may, probably are the kinds of terms that have always been more speculative in Geron's work, but they may be on the cusp of less speculation and more real application.
IF Geron succeeds with this treatment, and IF the treatment can be extended to other ailments, then Geron, the patients, GERN, and the stockholders may benefit.
(Mostly a copy&paste for my biotech investments with the names changed)
One hurdle with biotechs is making sure the treatment is reliable, effective, safe, and commercially viable. Another hurdle with innovative treatments is gaining FDA approval is a reasonable time. Treatments for unmet needs have pressure for early approval. Innovative treatments have pressures encouraging the FDA to be cautious. We may soon see how the technical, political, medical, and societal pressures affect Geron's treatment and Geron's viability and GERN's performance.
DISCLOSURE LTBH since 1999 and continuing to hold. I bought more when they mentioned specific years for clinical trials and approval goals.
(I've also collected links to the other discussion boards and my other stocks over on my blog. trimbathcreative.net
& from my One Company One Story series on YouTube
youtu.be ) |
