A poor diet and bad gut bacteria can increase the risk of dementia. Picture Getty
Check Up: Alzheimer’s is ‘preventable’, so here’s what you must do; and recent ASX biotech winners
Health & Biotech
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- Research shows Alzheimer’s is entirely preventable
- A poor diet and bad gut bacteria can increase the risk of dementia
- We look at the best performing ASX stocks over the past month
The phrase ‘you are what you eat’ was coined almost a century before Alois Alzheimer made his breakthrough in identifying the brain disease, but the evidence is now clear that diet as well as age can affect the brain.
Scientists have dug into how gut bacteria might be causing Alzheimer’s Disease, with recent results linking Alzheimer’s with an unhealthy gut.
Aussie scientists are diving into the study too, trying to figure out how those harmful gut bacteria can actually sneak into the head and mess with our brains, leading to dementia.
Dr Ibrahim Javed from the University of South Australia says these tiny gut bacteria bits can indeed make their way to the brain, causing all kinds of inflammation that sets off Alzheimer’s.
In younger people this is less likely because the blood-brain barrier is much stronger, but as people age, the brain-barrier weakens, allowing harmful substances to damage neurons.
In addition, as the microbiome in the gut ages, it also loses the ability to fight disease.
However, Dr Javed believes we could slow down or stop Alzheimer’s by figuring out how bad bacteria damage neurons with their metabolites, and then creating drugs to block them.
Alzheimer’s is “preventable”
Researchers are also looking into how probiotics and dietary supplements – which contain good bacteria – can fight off bad bacteria and stop harmful substances from leaking out of the gut.
“Our research indicates that harmful gut bacteria can trigger early onset dementia, as well as accelerate dementia in patients already battling the neurodegenerative disease,” Dr Javed says.
“A poor diet is one of several factors that harms gut bacteria, increasing your chances of developing dementia.
“Ageing, lack of exercise, exposure to pesticides and genetics also play a role, although the latter is responsible for a very small number of cases.
“In most cases, dementia is preventable,” said Dr Javed.
Dr Javed adds that while many bacteria are harmless and some are actually good for us, bad bacteria can form biofilms that lead to gut infections, chronic diseases, colon cancer, and even brain disorders.
Alzheimer’s disease affects up to 55 million people worldwide and with an ageing population, this number is expected to double every 20 years, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International.
Early onset dementia, the one that starts before age 65, is becoming more common around the world.
But the good news now is that it’s mostly caused by things we can totally avoid – like eating junk food, living a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol, and being exposed to nasty stuff like pesticides and air pollution.
How ASX biotechs performed over the past month
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| CODE | COMPANY | PRICE | 1 WEEK RETURN % | 1 MONTH RETURN % | 6 MONTH RETURN % | 1 YEAR RETURN % | MARKET CAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTP | LTR Pharma | 0.490 | 63% | 75% | 0% | 0% | $27,458,140 |
| MSB | Mesoblast | 1.145 | 8% | 50% | 198% | 7% | $1,284,507,128 |
| CU6 | Clarity Pharma | 4.020 | 2% | 47% | 204% | 480% | $1,272,046,442 |
| BMT | Beamtree | 0.250 | 4% | 47% | 14% | -11% | $71,889,014 |
| MDR | Medadvisor | 0.375 | 14% | 44% | 92% | 70% | $176,105,052 |
| IMM | Immutep | 0.475 | 6% | 34% | 64% | 38% | $558,752,243 |
| ALC | Alcidion | 0.059 | 0% | 31% | -14% | -44% | $77,863,447 |
| IRX | Inhalerx | 0.040 | 0% | 29% | 33% | -11% | $7,590,678 |
| CYP | Cynata Therapeutics | 0.270 | 10% | 29% | 116% | 80% | $49,398,741 |
| AGN | Argenica | 0.730 | 12% | 28% | 74% | 80% | $93,955,576 |
| NC6 | Nanollose | 0.028 | 33% | 27% | 12% | -42% | $4,988,185 |
| SNT | Syntara | 0.019 | 6% | 27% | -41% | -65% | $22,686,604 |
| BOT | Botanix Pharma | 0.285 | 6% | 27% | 78% | 239% | $441,038,442 |
| CTE | Cryosite | 0.980 | 15% | 23% | 65% | 44% | $46,857,180 |
| ILA | Island Pharma | 0.067 | 10% | 22% | -5% | -37% | $7,965,765 |
| EBR | EBR Systems | 1.105 | 9% | 21% | 77% | 22% | $351,222,894 |
| NOX | Noxopharm | 0.074 | 9% | 21% | -38% | 51% | $20,748,894 |
| OIL | Optiscan Imaging | 0.105 | -13% | 19% | 5% | 19% | $87,710,784 |
| TLX | Telix | 16.130 | 7% | 19% | 72% | 41% | $5,142,212,960 |
| MAP | Microbalifesciences | 0.200 | 11% | 18% | -7% | -35% | $89,570,395 |
| DXB | Dimerix | 0.340 | 0% | 17% | 143% | 366% | $189,637,748 |
| EZZ | EZZ Life Science | 0.990 | -7% | 17% | 59% | 102% | $43,080,804 |
| RMD | ResMed Inc. | 32.670 | 0% | 17% | 41% | -3% | $20,928,997,104 |
| PSQ | Pacific Smiles Grp | 1.910 | 1% | 16% | 75% | 47% | $303,205,682 |
| SOM | SomnoMed | 0.255 | 2% | 16% | -25% | -62% | $55,107,605 |
| PYC | PYC Therapeutics | 0.105 | 5% | 15% | 38% | 85% | $489,938,758 |
| PEB | Pacific Edge | 0.090 | 13% | 15% | -10% | -76% | $73,014,421 |
| TRI | Trivarx | 0.027 | 4% | 13% | -25% | 35% | $11,060,535 |
| PGC | Paragon Care | 0.365 | 3% | 12% | 109% | 46% | $247,111,226 |
| EYE | Nova EYE Medical | 0.280 | 10% | 12% | 105% | 31% | $65,214,633 |
| RCE | Recce | 0.590 | -5% | 11% | 30% | -2% | $122,392,346 |
| PME | Pro Medicus | 114.030 | 1% | 11% | 28% | 88% | $11,764,507,206 |
| ACR | Acrux | 0.066 | 8% | 10% | 57% | 32% | $19,478,029 |
| BDX | Bcaldiagnostics | 0.110 | -8% | 10% | 0% | 24% | $29,013,892 |
| RAC | Race Oncology | 1.505 | -9% | 10% | 58% | -14% | $254,209,922 |
| NEU | Neuren Pharmaceut. | 20.700 | 2% | 9% | 37% | 45% | $2,647,131,363 |
| ICR | Intelicare | 0.012 | 20% | 9% | -29% | -29% | $2,817,894 |
| 1AI | Algorae Pharma | 0.012 | 4% | 9% | -8% | 14% | $18,561,342 |
| GSS | Genetic Signatures | 0.750 | 0% | 9% | 60% | 15% | $139,891,982 |
| DVL | Dorsavi | 0.014 | 0% | 8% | 17% | 17% | $8,353,263 |
| CTQ | Careteq | 0.015 | 7% | 7% | -40% | -67% | $3,533,209 |
| FPH | Fisher & Paykel H. | 26.050 | -1% | 7% | 27% | 3% | $15,148,433,314 |
| CAJ | Capitol Health | 0.245 | 0% | 7% | 17% | -18% | $266,511,875 |
| NAN | Nanosonics | 2.870 | -4% | 6% | -32% | -45% | $878,639,051 |
| REG | Regis Healthcare | 4.135 | 1% | 6% | 48% | 87% | $1,213,170,724 |
| CUV | Clinuvel Pharmaceut. | 15.220 | -3% | 6% | -8% | -17% | $774,103,169 |
| PNV | Polynovo | 2.055 | -8% | 6% | 43% | 46% | $1,414,977,140 |
| HLS | Healius | 1.270 | -5% | 5% | -25% | -56% | $947,560,426 |
| CBL | Control Bionics | 0.046 | -8% | 5% | 12% | -45% | $8,022,032 |
| CSL | CSL | 277.670 | -1% | 3% | 8% | -9% | $134,165,455,152 |
| M7T | Mach7 Tech | 0.680 | -3% | 3% | 4% | 28% | $160,425,296 |
| PER | Percheron | 0.075 | -4% | 3% | 23% | 14% | $67,615,873 |
| PBP | Probiotec | 2.910 | -2% | 2% | 21% | 13% | $234,211,409 |
| IDT | IDT Australia | 0.097 | -5% | 2% | 14% | 21% | $35,147,947 |
| ATX | Amplia Therapeutics | 0.062 | 9% | 2% | -15% | -25% | $15,753,336 |
| IBX | Imagion Biosys | 0.074 | 1% | 1% | -76% | -88% | $2,415,845 |
| ANN | Ansell | 25.040 | 1% | 1% | 9% | -7% | $3,701,139,434 |
| IXC | Invex Ther | 0.084 | 11% | 1% | 40% | -17% | $5,711,692 |
| COH | Cochlear | 317.035 | -3% | 0% | 22% | 28% | $20,855,305,687 |
| VHT | Volpara Health Tech | 1.145 | 0% | 0% | 60% | 53% | $291,258,583 |
| AMT | Allegra Medical | 0.029 | 0% | 0% | -42% | -59% | $3,468,720 |
| CAN | Cann | 0.062 | 0% | 0% | -44% | -65% | $27,123,891 |
| HGV | Hygrovest | 0.046 | -2% | 0% | -13% | -21% | $9,674,288 |
| AC8 | Auscann Grp Hlgs | 0.040 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | $17,621,884 |
| MEM | Memphasys | 0.009 | 13% | 0% | -14% | -55% | $12,309,680 |
| MDC | Medlab Clinical | 6.600 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | $15,071,113 |
| EPN | Epsilon Healthcare | 0.024 | 0% | 0% | 20% | 14% | $7,208,496 |
| ALA | Arovella Therapeutic | 0.105 | -13% | 0% | 21% | 75% | $120,767,967 |
| SHG | Singular Health | 0.105 | -9% | 0% | 156% | 98% | $21,488,836 |
| PCK | Painchek | 0.030 | 0% | 0% | -32% | 11% | $49,074,875 |
| FCG | Freedomcarehold | 0.165 | -8% | 0% | 0% | 0% | $4,179,684 |
| AHI | Advanced Health | 0.092 | 0% | 0% | -12% | 5% | $22,600,111 |
| SIG | Sigma Health | 1.255 | 1% | 0% | 83% | 86% | $2,031,673,338 |
| EBO | Ebos | 31.970 | 1% | 0% | -9% | -21% | $6,231,893,444 |
| IDX | Integral Diagnostics | 2.460 | 2% | 0% | 43% | -27% | $582,565,373 |
| OPT | Opthea | 0.635 | -2% | -1% | 72% | -1% | $424,197,526 |
| ARX | Aroa Biosurgery | 0.495 | -1% | -1% | -26% | -48% | $170,382,878 |
| MVF | Monash IVF | 1.435 | -4% | -1% | 10% | 23% | $566,918,692 |
| DOC | Doctor Care Anywhere | 0.063 | -3% | -2% | 29% | 26% | $23,098,461 |
| ONE | Oneview Healthcare | 0.310 | -2% | -2% | 55% | 35% | $215,996,048 |
| MX1 | Micro-X | 0.091 | 1% | -2% | -30% | 5% | $49,828,697 |
| IMU | Imugene | 0.069 | -3% | -3% | -27% | -43% | $505,067,103 |
| CGS | Cogstate | 1.260 | 1% | -3% | -14% | -22% | $231,416,093 |
| RSH | Respiri | 0.031 | 7% | -3% | 0% | -18% | $33,915,806 |
| AT1 | Atomo Diagnostics | 0.030 | 15% | -3% | 36% | -3% | $18,536,867 |
| RHC | Ramsay Health Care | 48.370 | -6% | -3% | -3% | -20% | $11,248,779,047 |
| AHC | Austco Healthcare | 0.188 | 1% | -4% | 2% | 63% | $63,922,722 |
| 4DX | 4Dmedical | 0.585 | -5% | -4% | -13% | -33% | $227,006,006 |
| ACL | Au Clinical Labs | 2.270 | -11% | -4% | -11% | -36% | $470,273,255 |
| EOF | Ecofibre | 0.058 | 9% | -5% | -55% | -70% | $26,521,173 |
| TRU | Truscreen | 0.019 | 12% | -5% | -19% | -28% | $10,499,231 |
| VLS | Vita Life Sciences.. | 2.220 | 7% | -6% | 34% | 43% | $119,291,749 |
| CVB | Curvebeam Ai | 0.170 | -11% | -6% | -53% | 0% | $37,158,496 |
| AHX | Apiam Animal Health | 0.340 | -9% | -6% | 17% | -32% | $60,782,103 |
| ACW | Actinogen Medical | 0.027 | -7% | -6% | 10% | -52% | $68,226,874 |
| OCC | Orthocell | 0.373 | -7% | -6% | -9% | 5% | $78,497,557 |
| IMC | Immuron | 0.094 | 1% | -6% | 18% | 18% | $20,519,851 |
| SHL | Sonic Healthcare | 24.690 | -11% | -6% | -16% | -31% | $12,014,903,365 |
| CDX | Cardiex | 0.066 | 35% | -7% | -45% | -69% | $19,415,521 |
| LGP | Little Green Pharma | 0.125 | -7% | -7% | 0% | -31% | $37,720,076 |
| IPD | Impedimed | 0.086 | 8% | -8% | -34% | -36% | $171,962,983 |
| ANR | Anatara Ls | 0.036 | -8% | -8% | 29% | 28% | $7,645,749 |
| COV | Cleo Diagnostics | 0.170 | 0% | -8% | -6% | 0% | $12,597,000 |
| OCA | Oceania Healthc | 0.505 | 1% | -8% | -23% | -20% | $363,659,668 |
| PIQ | Proteomics Int Lab | 1.000 | -6% | -8% | 10% | 1% | $129,583,690 |
| TRP | Tissue Repair | 0.220 | 0% | -8% | -12% | -19% | $13,302,265 |
| TRJ | Trajan | 1.000 | 10% | -10% | -19% | -28% | $152,216,085 |
| LBT | LBT Innovations | 0.018 | 6% | -10% | 260% | -30% | $22,791,125 |
| AVH | Avita Medical | 2.520 | -9% | -10% | -28% | -26% | $153,592,800 |
| IIQ | Inoviq | 0.475 | -13% | -10% | -17% | -5% | $46,009,351 |
| EMD | Emyria | 0.051 | -2% | -11% | -31% | -57% | $20,858,459 |
| CYC | Cyclopharm | 1.590 | -5% | -11% | -22% | -26% | $146,936,040 |
| 1AD | Adalta | 0.025 | 4% | -11% | 25% | 4% | $14,395,556 |
| PAB | Patrys | 0.008 | 14% | -11% | -11% | -33% | $16,459,579 |
| SDI | SDI | 0.755 | -12% | -11% | -9% | -4% | $93,309,441 |
| FRE | Firebrickpharma | 0.070 | 6% | -11% | 1% | -56% | $11,296,324 |
| CSX | Cleanspace | 0.310 | 3% | -11% | -7% | 17% | $23,974,610 |
| SPL | Starpharma | 0.115 | -4% | -12% | -15% | -76% | $45,324,468 |
| SNZ | Summerset Grp Hldgs | 9.270 | 1% | -12% | 2% | 9% | $2,193,566,126 |
| CMB | Cambium Bio | 0.007 | 17% | -13% | 40% | -36% | $5,362,646 |
| RGT | Argent Biopharma | 0.375 | -1% | -13% | -48% | -95% | $16,980,076 |
| EMV | Emvision Medical | 1.935 | 0% | -13% | 13% | 20% | $164,442,902 |
| CMP | Compumedics | 0.235 | -6% | -13% | 24% | 57% | $42,519,108 |
| GLH | Global Health | 0.100 | -13% | -13% | -23% | -44% | $5,804,954 |
| AFP | Aft s | 2.460 | -2% | -13% | -25% | -23% | $257,971,000 |
| ECS | ECS Botanics | 0.019 | 12% | -14% | -17% | 0% | $24,482,442 |
| PAR | Paradigm Bio. | 0.245 | -13% | -14% | -38% | -73% | $87,449,004 |
| AVR | Anteris Technologies | 19.750 | -4% | -14% | -2% | -14% | $380,794,080 |
| VFX | Visionflex | 0.006 | 0% | -14% | -33% | 50% | $8,501,947 |
| HMD | Heramed | 0.015 | 0% | -14% | -67% | -82% | $4,945,497 |
| IMR | Imricor Med Sys | 0.440 | -3% | -15% | -23% | 71% | $90,135,697 |
| HXL | Hexima | 0.011 | 0% | -15% | -52% | 0% | $1,837,436 |
| AGH | Althea | 0.026 | -4% | -16% | -35% | -46% | $10,943,976 |
| AYA | Artrya | 0.260 | -15% | -16% | 27% | 16% | $20,069,518 |
| IVX | Invion | 0.005 | 0% | -17% | -29% | -29% | $35,334,927 |
| ATH | Alterity Therap | 0.005 | 0% | -17% | -29% | -29% | $31,470,692 |
| IME | Imexhs | 0.450 | -10% | -17% | -29% | -18% | $20,491,605 |
| NSB | Neuroscientific | 0.044 | -4% | -17% | -23% | -56% | $6,362,614 |
| GTG | Genetic Technologies | 0.115 | -8% | -18% | -43% | -62% | $15,866,070 |
| UBI | Universal Biosensors | 0.135 | 0% | -18% | -18% | -38% | $38,748,767 |
| MYX | Mayne Pharma | 5.415 | -19% | -19% | 13% | 47% | $463,654,870 |
| VTI | Vision Tech Inc | 0.130 | 24% | -19% | -40% | -37% | $7,118,265 |
| RHT | Resonance Health | 0.065 | -16% | -20% | 8% | 55% | $29,048,040 |
| NTI | Neurotech Intl | 0.077 | 0% | -20% | 38% | 54% | $79,356,310 |
| HIQ | Hitiq | 0.020 | 0% | -20% | 0% | -33% | $7,036,899 |
| RAD | Radiopharm | 0.035 | -13% | -22% | -53% | -78% | $16,112,847 |
| PTX | Prescient | 0.045 | 13% | -24% | -38% | -51% | $36,239,391 |
| CHM | Chimeric Therapeutic | 0.024 | -2% | -24% | -22% | -40% | $19,697,352 |
| OSX | Osteopore | 0.072 | -17% | -24% | -40% | -65% | $8,389,522 |
| AVE | Avecho Biotech | 0.003 | 0% | -25% | -25% | -40% | $9,507,891 |
| TD1 | Tali Digital | 0.002 | 0% | -25% | 50% | -25% | $4,942,733 |
| OSL | Oncosil Medical | 0.005 | 0% | -25% | -40% | -66% | $16,660,548 |
| BIT | Biotron | 0.052 | -7% | -26% | -43% | 86% | $46,918,326 |
| UCM | Uscom | 0.023 | -4% | -26% | -53% | -51% | $5,625,515 |
| RHY | Rhythm Biosciences | 0.067 | -14% | -28% | -64% | -87% | $16,904,579 |
| MVP | Medical Developments | 0.395 | -7% | -30% | -48% | -49% | $33,659,035 |
| LDX | Lumos Diagnostics | 0.039 | -20% | -30% | -43% | 160% | $20,696,197 |
| ADR | Adherium | 0.019 | 0% | -31% | -56% | -56% | $7,020,720 |
| ZLD | Zelira Therapeutics | 0.480 | -8% | -32% | -54% | -47% | $5,446,634 |
| ZLD | Zelira Therapeutics | 0.480 | -8% | -32% | -54% | -47% | $5,446,634 |
| BP8 | Bph Global | 0.001 | 0% | -33% | -33% | -75% | $1,954,116 |
| ME1 | Melodiol Glb Health | 0.003 | 20% | -33% | -95% | -99% | $1,426,974 |
| NYR | Nyrada Inc. | 0.065 | 0% | -34% | 195% | -22% | $12,558,609 |
| PAA | Pharmaust | 0.180 | -5% | -37% | 114% | 117% | $69,284,466 |
| VIT | Vitura Health | 0.098 | -7% | -39% | -68% | -71% | $51,828,641 |
| NXS | Next Science | 0.260 | -32% | -40% | -15% | -51% | $84,591,580 |
| ENL | Enlitic Inc. | 0.320 | -33% | -47% | 0% | 0% | $27,550,120 |
| VBS | Vectus Biosystems | 0.140 | -40% | -49% | -56% | -73% | $6,651,170 |
| JTL | Jayex Technology | 0.002 | 100% | -60% | -78% | -83% | $562,557 |
LTR Pharma rose by over 20% on May 22 on no specific news.
However the company’s shares have been rising after announcing in late March that all patients recruited for its pivotal bio-equivalence clinical study of SPONTAN nasal spray received their second and final dose, completing the recruitment and dosing stage of the clinical study.
SPONTAN is a unique nasal delivery technology that bypasses the digestive system and is designed to overcome the issues of oral tablets for ED (erectile dysfunction).
The spray works by having a significantly faster onset of action of just 10 minutes.
The study is a critical milestone in LTR’s path to commercialisation. Data collected from the study will used to support the pre-submission meetings with the FDA and prescriptions of SPONTAN via the early access scheme in Australia.
Mesoblast has reduced costs and payroll, allowing its Phase 3 programs for SR-aGVHD (steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease) and CLBP (chronic lower back pain) to continue this quarter.
Net operating cash spend was US$11.7 million for the quarter. This is a 28% reduction from the same quarter last year.
The goal is to reduce net operating spend by 23% ($15 million) in FY24 compared to FY23. Some of these savings will be reinvested in commercial and clinical activities for SR-aGVHD and CLBP.
In Q3 FY24, Beamtree performed as expected, showing a revenue growth of over 20% and a positive operating profit for FY24.
For the quarter, the ARR (annual recurring revenue) was over $25 million, up 20% year on year.
Group revenue grew by 21% for the first nine months of FY24, compared to 24% in the same period last year.
Customer renewal rates remained high at over 95%, indicating low churn.
Operating costs grew by 12%, mainly due to investments in products and international expansion.
Beamtree had an operating profit of $0.1 million in Q3 FY24, compared to a $0.5 million loss in Q3 FY23.
Cash at the end of March was $4.3 million.
MedAdvisor jumped +15% yesterday after providing guidance for the full year ending this June.
Based on the strong start to Q4 FY24 and anticipated activity levels over the remainder of this quarter, the company expects to deliver positive revenue, EBITDA and NPAT for the full year.
Revenue is set to come in between $120m-$123m, an all time record (versus $98m in the pcp).
EBITDA is set to come in between $6.8m -$7.6m (versus loss of -$3m in the pcp).
NPAT is set to come in between $0.5m -$0.8m, first ever profit for the firm, (versus loss of -$11.3m in the pcp).
At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While LTR Pharma is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this article.
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