Research seems to be gaining ground in Wilson disease, a rare inherited condition that causes copper levels to accumulate in the liver, brain and eyes. Most people are diagnosed as children or around middle age, but the age spectrum can be wide. Monopar Therapeutics Inc. has drawn Wall Street’s attention in the space.
A potential new treatment for the rare condition Wilson disease moved a step closer to reality after Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc., now part of Astrazeneca plc, announced positive top-line results from a phase III trial of ALXN-1840 (tiomolibdate choline). Astrazeneca’s shares (NASDAQ:AZN) ticked up following the announcement, closing Aug. 26 at $58.76, up 18 cents. From the point of view of the big U.K. pharma, it’s a good piece of news as it hopes to build a rare disease franchise from its $39 billion acquisition of Alexion, which was completed last month.