Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

[falconer66a]

Private Anavex Research Can Surely Happen

[Anavex is] ....also a company that privately funds cutting-edge scientific research on the biological effects of its therapeutic candidates on the sigma-1 receptor and the processes downstream from it.

Of course, Anavex naysayers could point out that the company has but a few employees, and has no in-house research facilities or competencies.

All of that is true, but it in no way prevents the company from arranging and underwriting the research I referred to; the research that describes exactly how the company's sigma-1 receptor agonists (activators) are able to repair neuron pathologies.

Such research necessarily involves three things: a) a research team with relevant competencies, b) adequate funding to conduct the research, and c) mutual non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) among all parties.

Do you suppose there might be any number of young PhDs, post-Docs, newly trained in cellular physiology who would be excited to conduct research for Anavex? You bet.

Then, would Anavex have the funds to support these researchers' projects? Yep. Unlike the conduct of large-n human clinical trials, messing around with the neurons of mice, rats, and roundworms is not overly expensive. Instead of millions of dollars, just hundreds of thousands.

Lastly, everyone has to sign on with comprehensive NDAs. Researchers aren't allowed to tell anyone any details of the work they are doing. "Sorry, I can't describe any of the new work I'm doing right now. It's extremely exciting, but legally all proprietary, trade-secret stuff. People will learn about it sometime in the future." Those of us doing research know exactly what that means. When colleagues make this statement, we merely smile, give a nod, and talk about something else.