• Why Airtasker, Netwealth, Piedmont Lithium, & Resolute Mining are tumbling lower

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    In afternoon trade on Thursday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is fighting hard to stay in positive territory. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.2% to 6,794.6 points.

    Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are tumbling lower:

    Airtasker Ltd (ASX: ART)

    The Airtasker share price has run out of steam and is sinking 17% lower to $1.45. This appears to have been driven by concerns over the valuation of the recently listed online jobs marketplace provider after an incredible rise following its IPO. In fact, even after today’s sizeable decline, the Airtasker share price is still up 123% from its listing price of 65 cents.

    Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

    The Netwealth share price has crashed 14% to $13.77 after announcing the termination of its deposit arrangement with Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ). The agreement with ANZ currently provides a margin of 95 basis points above the overnight cash rate. However, this will now end in 12 months. The company is trying to negotiate a new arrangement, but it is unlikely to be on as favourable terms.

    Piedmont Lithium Ltd (ASX: PLL)

    The Piedmont Lithium share price has sunk over 14% to 94.5 cents. This appears to be a delayed response to its capital raising earlier this week. The lithium developer raised US$122.5 million at a discount of the equivalent of 90.9 Australian cents per share. The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to continue the development of the Piedmont Lithium Project, investments, and for working capital purposes.

    Resolute Mining Limited (ASX: RSG)

    The Resolute Mining share price has plunged 25% lower to 47.2 cents. Investors have been selling the gold miner’s shares after it announced that its Bibiani Gold Mine licence in Ghana has been terminated. As a result, Resolute has been advised to cease all activities and operations at the site. The company is currently in the process of selling the asset to Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining. But this news has the potential to scupper the deal.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Netwealth. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Soul Pattinson (ASX:SOL) share price is climbing higher today

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    The Washington H Soul Pattinson & Co Ltd (ASX: SOL) is gaining today, up 3.5% at the time of writing.

    This comes after the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) listed investment house (also known as WHSP) released its half-year results for the financial year ending 31 January 2021 (H1 FY21).

    What did Soul Patts report for the first half?

    The Soul Pattinson share price is moving higher today after the company reported a 35% increase in its net profit after tax (NPAT). NPAT for the half-year came in at $68.9 million, up from $51.0 million in H1 FY20.

    Regular NPAT, however, fell 27.7% from the previous corresponding period to $90.2 million. In its release, the company noted that “regular profit after tax is a non-statutory profit measure and represents profit from continuing operations before non-regular items”.

    Soul Pattinson pointed to a drop in revenue from New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC) for part of that decline due to lower coal prices and production in the first quarter. New Hope’s contribution to regular profit fell $43 million year-on-year.

    The company also stated that TPG did not contribute to regular profit following its merger with Vodafone due to its “derecognition as an equity accounted associate” of Soul Patts.

    The group’s pre-tax net asset value increased 1.3% during the half-year, up to $5.2 billion. Net cash flows from its investments fell 8.0% from H1 FY20 to $85.3 million.

    Soul Pattinson also reported a 13% increase in its number of shareholders compared to the prior corresponding period.

    Management commentary

    Commenting on the results, Soul Pattinson chair Robert Millner said:

    WHSP has delivered annual total shareholder return (TSR) that is 5.6% per annum higher than the All Ordinaries Accumulation Index over the past 20 years. Over this period, an investment in WHSP has grown by a factor of almost 12 times, which is triple the value of an investment in the index.

    Our diversified portfolio of assets continues to perform well during the COVID-19 pandemic. WHSP has traditionally outperformed the market when the market returns are negative. Our focus on quality businesses with solid cashflows enables us to preserve capital in more difficult markets and continue paying dividends.

    Soul Patts will pay an interim dividend of 26 cents per share, fully franked. That’s up 4.0% from the corresponding half year. The record date is 22 April, with payment on 14 May.

    Soul Patts highlighted that it was the only company in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) to have increased its dividends every year for the past 20 years.

    Looking ahead

    With a look into the year ahead, Soul Patts’ managing director Todd Barlow said the operating environment for most of the company’s investments continued to improve from the disruptions of COVID-19.

    In particular, we are seeing a strong recovery in certain commodities such as thermal coal and copper (up 42% and 73% respectively in the last 12 months in USD terms)…

    We continue to have liquidity available for new investments and have a strong pipeline of opportunities which we believe will deliver superior risk adjusted returns.

    Soul Pattinson share price snapshot

    The Soul Pattinson share price has outperformed the wider market over the past 12 months, up 66% compared to a 36% gain on the ASX 200.

    So far in 2021, the Soul Patts share price is up 6%.

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Adore Beauty (ASX:ABY) calls for a more inclusive beauty industry

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    There’s more to Adore Beauty Group Limited (ASX: ABY) than its share price. The company has called out the entire Australian beauty industry for its lack of inclusion. In particular, when it comes to products such as foundations and concealers. In an open letter from Australia’s leading online beauty retailer, Adore has called for equal access regardless of skin tone.

    Despite the Adore share price falling 27% since listing in October, the company has continued to empower its consumers and challenge the status quo. Adore Beauty’s ‘Global Shades’ project is an example of that.

    Beauty is indiscriminate, products should be too

    The open letter and an accompanying petition from Adore targets the ongoing hardship for people of colour in Australia. This includes the ability to find foundations and concealers that match their skin tone at an affordable price.

    This move is part of the bigger Global Shades campaign. In fact, the campaign began with a letter from employee Shanthi Murugan in 2017. At the time, Shanthi, a South Asian woman of colour, couldn’t find the right foundation and concealer for her skin tone. This letter reached founder, Kate Morris, and ignited a push towards stocking a broader range of shades.

    Ms. Murugan has been leading that charge, as head of campaign and strategy, for the past four years. Commenting on the project to Business Insider, Ms. Murugan stated:

    We know we’re not perfect and we’re trying to be better and deliver an inclusive experience. The support from the Australian public and beauty industry to rebuild an accurate picture of ‘Australian beauty’ will result in real change and a positive shift for customers.

    In a bid to be more inclusive, Adore Beauty is working towards ranging 2,600 various shares from 350 complexion products. This extended range to accommodate all skin tones resides in a dedicated category on the company’s website called Global Shades.  

    A voice for change

    The company originally founded by Kate Morris in 1999 from a garage in Melbourne. Since its humble beginnings, Adore Beauty has grown to become Australia’s leading online beauty retailer. Since the start, Kate Morris desired to empower the consumer in what could be an “intimidating and unpleasant” experience.

    That mission has travelled from the garage all the way to the ASX while resonating with millions of customers in the process. The company currently offers more than 260 brands and over 10,800 products through online channels.

    Although the Adore Beauty share price might not reflect progress, the financials do. In the most recent half-year report, the company recorded a revenue increase of 85% to $96.2 million. This was driven by strong customer growth, adding a further 350,000 active customers in 12 months.

    Adore Beauty share price glamour shot

    Adore Beauty is helping its customers feel beautiful in their own skin. However, the company’s share price isn’t looking so pretty. Since listing, the share has fallen nearly 27% from $6.92 to $5.06. This is despite the online retailer producing strong results in the last half and management being optimistic about executing its strategy ahead. 

    Based on the current Adore Beauty share price, the company’s market capitalisation is now $470.6 million.

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    Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Adore Beauty Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Humm (ASX:HUM) share price pushes higher on BNPL update

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    The Humm Group Ltd (ASX: HUM) share price is pushing higher on Thursday following the release of an update.

    At the time of writing, the buy now pay later (BNPL) provider’s shares are up 1% to 97 cents.

    What did Humm announce?

    This morning the Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) rival announced a range of new partnerships that it believes cements its position as the leading BNPL provider in the health and wellbeing sector across Australia and New Zealand.

    According to the release, Humm’s new partnerships include Maven Dental Group, CPAP Clinic, Aidacare, Removery, and Cosmetique. This means there are now over 3,500 unique health and wellbeing locations across Australia on its platform.

    In addition to this, the company provided an update on the performance of this side of the business.

    It advised that the health and wellbeing vertical continues to grow as a percentage of its overall volume in Australia. Financial year to date, it has increased 38% and recently hit an annualised run rate of $120 million. Management believes this demonstrates the strong appetite and need for instalment payments in the health industry.

    The company also notes that with an average transaction size of over $4,000, Humm is attracting customers that other BNPL providers like Afterpay are not able to service.

    A quarter of all dental chairs covered by Humm

    Humm’s Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca James, appears very pleased with the company’s progress in the sector.

    She said: “We entered the health market two years ago and have rapidly grown to be the largest BNPL provider in this space, delivering over $120m on an annualised basis. One in four dental chairs in Australia is now covered by humm.”

    “This is being driven by our exclusive partnership with Centaur’s Dental4Windows software, which has integrated National Dental Plan into its leading quoting software and presents humm as the exclusive finance solution in over ten thousand treatment plans being offered every year.”

    “Meanwhile, over 50% of enterprise audiology practices now offer humm’s fast, easy, and flexible solution offering financing for purchases that aren’t just nice-to-have, but a need-to-have. These practices have also chosen humm because of our significant understanding of credit risk in this sector,” she added.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Humm Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • The MedAdvisor (ASX:MDR) share price is lifting today. Here’s why

    Three pills with faces showing sad to happy, indicating a rising share price for an ASX pharmaceutical company

    The MedAdvisor Ltd (ASX: MDR) share price is soaring today after the company announced an extension of a health program deal.

    In early afternoon trade, the medication management platform provider’s shares are swapping hands for 33.5 cents, up 3.8% after reaching an intraday high of 35 cents.

    Let’s take a closer look at what’s driving the MedAdvisor share price higher today.

    Health program extension

    In its release, MedAdvisor advised that a global pharmaceutical company has extended its United States health program deal for an estimated additional 3 months. The contract extension is expected to generate US$4.7 million in revenue for MedAdvisor.

    This follows a previously signed agreement that saw MedAdvisor provide its platform to the pharmaceutical company over a 5-month period. That deal alone was worth US$3.7 million.

    Although MedAdvisor did not specify which company was behind the contract extension, it is believed to be from a top 10 global pharmaceutical company.

    Words from management

    MedAdvisor CEO and managing director Robert Read hailed the company’s success, saying:

    We’re delighted to have another health program extended in the US market. These health programs deliver tailored content specifically to the right patients based on advanced algorithms and are designed to ensure they are aware of the benefits of certain medications or vaccines.

    MedAdvisor continues to expand its global deal pipeline as it establishes scalable revenue streams both domestically and abroad. Our US pipeline of 2021 deals is ahead of this time last year.

    MedAdvisor share price snapshot

    The MedAdvisor share price hasn’t moved much over the last 12 months, rising a modest 6%. Its year-to-date performance, however, is marginally down around 2%.

    MedAdvisor shares reached a multi-year high of 66.5 cents in late May 2020 before treading lower.

    Based on valuation grounds, the company commands a market capitalisation of more than $124 million, with 359.4 million shares outstanding.

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    Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of MedAdvisor. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MedAdvisor. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Strike Energy (ASX:STX) share price opened 3% higher today

    A young man pointing up looking amazed, indicating a surging share price movement for an ASX company

    The Strike Energy Ltd (ASX: STX) share price flew at the market open today, trading 3% higher. At the time of writing, the share price has retreated to  32 cents, up 1.59%.

    The positive movement comes after the company gave another update on its joint-venture gas field with Warrego Energy (ASX: WGO). Currently, shares in the company are trading for 32 cents each. By comparison, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.18%.

    Let’s take a closer look at some of Strike’s latest ventures.

    The West Erregulla gas field

    The Strike Energy share price is up today. In a statement to the ASX, Strike provided another update on its West Erregulla gas field. Indeed, this is the fourth update on the site provided to the ASX this month. However, this announcement relates to the appraisal process of the gas field.

    On current operations, Strike Energy states:

    Since the last update, Strike has continued drilling operations…[in] the high-quality section of the primary target in the early Permian Kingia Sandstone. Strike believes it encountered the top of the Kingia Sandstone at approximately 4,870m. Strike has successfully passed through the Carynginia Shale and Irwin River Coal Measures, where gas shows were observed throughout.

    According to the statement, in the immediate term, Strike Energy intends to begin drilling and extraction at the well. Investors are obviously taking the news well, and it reflects in the Strike Energy share price.

    Notably, the West Erregulla gas field contains approximately 1.6 trillion cubic feet of gas

    Strike Energy awarded Perth Basin block

    In other recent developments, Strike also announced it was the successful bidder for the “highly prospective” Perth Basin block. The block is located at the southern end of the gas basin. Two natural gas pipelines already run adjacent to the block, on either side of it.

    It is surrounded on all sides by other gas fields, including West Erregulla. The Iluka Resources Limited (ASX: ILU) Eneabba mineral sands and rare earth mine is also located nearby to the site. Strike believes the miner could be a potential energy customer if there is a successful discovery.

    Speaking on the news, Strike Energy managing director and CEO, Stuart Nicholls, said:

    The award of this exciting acreage is an acknowledgement of Strike’s developing position in Western Australia as a future domestic energy and fertiliser supplier.

    The addition of this block almost completes the connection of Strike’s acreage, making a contiguous land holding from North to South. This position in the Basin is adjacent to the North/South extensional faults which provide the primary route for hydrocarbon migration across the basins various plays.

    Strike Energy share price snapshot

    Over the last 12 months, the Strike Energy share price has appreciated 204.76%. Its current share price is only slightly lower than its 52-week high of 35.5 cents. That record was achieved in January this year.

    The gas producer has a market capitalisation of $551.2 million.

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    Motley Fool contributor Marc Sidarous has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • What is pushing up the Atlas Arteria (ASX:ALX) share price today?

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    The Atlas Arteria Group (ASX: ALX) share price is performing well today. Atlas Arteria shares are up a solid 1.25% to $6 a share at the time of writing. Consequently, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which is up 0.34%.

    It’s a welcome development for Atlas Arteria shareholders. Just one month ago, they were watching the Atlas share price hit a low of $5.49 a share. Even after today’s move though, Atlas shares are still down roughly 7% year to date. As well as close to 14% down from the most recent 52-week high. They are also down close to 30% from the pre-COVID high watermark of ~$8.40.

    Why are Atlas Arteria shares rising today?

    Today’s moves in the Atlas Arteria share price are almost certainly the result of an ASX announcement the company made this morning. In this announcement, Atlas announced a final dividend distribution for shareholders covering the six months to 31 December 2020. This final dividend distribution will come in at 13 cents per share (stapled security) and will be paid out on 9 April, with an ex-dividend date of 30 March. This payout will not come with franking credits.

    Shareholders have reason to be pleased with this distribution. Atlas Arteria did not pay a dividend in March last year due to the unfolding pandemic. The company’s previous interim payout came in at 11 cents per share, which was paid back in September 2020. Although saying that, the final distribution for 2019 was 15 cents per share.

    On the current share price, Atlas Arteria has a trailing dividend yield of 4.27%.

    Who is Atlas?

    Atlas Arteria is a toll roads operator. It was formed in 2010 after the old Macquarie Infrastructure Group split into Intoll and Macquarie Atlas, which was later renamed to Atlas Arteria in 2018. Although Atlas is an ASX company, its assets lie predominantly outside Australia. It’s crown jewels are the Warnow Tunnel in Germany, and the Dulles Greenway road in the US state of Virginia. Atlas also owns stakes in two toll roads in France.

    At the current Atlas Ateria share price, the company has a market capitalisation of $5.79 billion.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why Brickworks, McPherson’s, MedAdvisor, & Premier Investments are storming higher

    hand on touch screen lit up by a share price chart moving higher

    In early afternoon trade the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on form and pushing higher again. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.3% to 6,799.7 points.

    Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are storming higher:

    Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)

    The Brickworks share price has climbed 4% to $19.67. Investors have been buying the building products company’s shares following the release of its half year results. Although its underlying earnings were down 10% on the prior corresponding period to $90 million, management spoke positively about its outlook. This appears to be an indication that the worst is now behind Brickworks.

    McPherson’s Ltd (ASX: MCP)

    The McPherson’s share price has jumped 13% to $1.38. This follows news that McPherson’s has received a takeover approach from Gallin Pty Ltd at $1.34 cash per share. Gallin has been incorporated specifically for the purpose of acquiring an interest in McPherson’s. It is owned by Kin Group, which is controlled by the Geminder family. Kin Group attacked McPherson’s management for destroying shareholder wealth. The McPherson’s board responded by saying that the offer is “utterly opportunistic and profoundly undervalues” the company.

    Medadvisor Ltd (ASX: MDR)

    The MedAdvisor share price is up 3% to 33.5 cents. Investors have been buying the medication management company’s shares following the release of a positive announcement. MedAdvisor has revealed that a global pharmaceutical company has extended its health program deal for an estimated 3 months. This is expected to be worth US$4.7 million.

    Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

    The Premier Investments share price has stormed over 4% higher to $24.88. The catalyst for this was the release of a broker note out of Macquarie this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its outperform rating and lifted its price target to $31.00. Macquarie was impressed with the retail conglomerate’s first half result.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of MedAdvisor. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks and Premier Investments Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MedAdvisor. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the Ava Risk (ASX:AVA) share price is edging higher today

    A row of padlocks on a chain, indicating a share price for an ASX security company

    The Ava Risk Group Ltd (ASX: AVA) share price is edging higher today after the company announced that it has won a multi-site rail contract award.

    At the time of writing, shares in the risk management services and technologies company are up 2.9% to 52.5 cents.

    Ava Risk’s latest contract

    Investors are pushing the Ava Risk share price higher following the company’s latest contract win.

    In this morning’s release, Ava Risk announced it has secured a $1.84 million deal to deploy its Aura Ai sensing solution to a number of major rail facilities in South America.

    Aura Ai-2, developed by Future Fibre Technologies (FFT), is an advanced and versatile perimeter intrusion detection system. The product platform applies artificial intelligence to detect and locate intruders who climb, cut or lift perimeter fences.

    The company’s Aura Ai sensing product will be installed across a multi-site program to upgrade security systems. This will be completed by fully-integrating the package with the customer’s existing video management software and CCTV system.

    Ava Risk noted that its first purchase order has already been received, valued at $0.61 million. The initial rollout is scheduled for early Q4 FY21, with the remaining sites completed before the end of the quarter.

    Word from the manager

    Ava group CEO Rob Broomfield welcomed the deal, saying:

    FFT Aura Ai-2 was the solution selected to protect the rail sites, due to our exceptional event classification capability, extended sensing distance, and cut resilience capability.

    A further key factor in the contract win was FFT’s previous success in protecting railway infrastructure and the company’s strong reputation across the broader transportation sector.

    Ava Risk share price summary

    The Ava Risk share price has jumped to more than 400% over the past 12 months. However, its shares are down around 10% year-to-date.

    Based on the current share price, Ava Risk has a market capitalisation of $123.2 million, with 241.6 million shares outstanding.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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  • Up 1,460% in a year, why the Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) share price is sliding today

    falling healthcare asx share price Mesoblast capital raising

    Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC) shares are slipping in late morning trade despite the company providing a positive update. At the time of writing, the Race share price has slumped 1.27% lower to $3.90.

    Below we take a look at the ASX healthcare share’s collaborative preclinical study announcement.

    What did the company announce?

    The Race share price is moving lower after the company reported it has entered into a collaborative preclinical research program with The University of Newcastle.

    Well-known cancer researcher, Associate Professor Nikki Verrills, will lead the study. Verrills has previously collaborated with Race in the ASX pharmaceutical company’s preclinical breast and ovarian cancer programs.

    According to today’s release, the collaborative program will use “cellular models to investigate Bisantrene as a novel treatment for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)”. ccRCC is a type of kidney cancer, with a 5-year survival rate of only around 12%.

    Race’s Bisantrene is a targeted inhibitor of the Fat Mass and Obesity associated protein (FTO). According to Race, earlier studies have indicated “FTO enzyme activity is essential for ccRCC survival and the inhibition of FTO can directly kill more than 90% of ccRCCs”.

    Commenting on the preclinical study, Race Oncology chief scientific officer Daniel Tillett said:

    This is a very important project for Race and we are looking forward to collaborating further with Associate Professor Verrills. Recent scientific developments have identified Bisantrene as a potent targeted agent of FTO which offers the possibility of novel treatment options for patients with kidney cancer that can rapidly be translated into the clinic.

    We are excited about this research which will further our knowledge of Bisantrene and it adds to the FTO-directed preclinical work we have just initiated in melanoma.

    Race said the project will commence immediately and it expects to report results to the market over the next 12 months.

    Race Oncology share price snapshot

    There’s no doubt Race Oncology shareholders who bought shares 12 months ago are pleased. Race shares are up a jaw-dropping 1,460% over the past full year, compared to a gain of 40% on the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    So far in 2021, the Race share price is up by 100%.

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Up 1,460% in a year, why the Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) share price is sliding today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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