(Image courtesy: Aethlon Medical)
The medical device
company is projected to report meager revenues of $50,000, representing a 33%
dip compared to last year. The company’s Hemopurifier is a clinical-stage immunotherapeutic
device designed to combat cancer and life-threatening viral infections. Hemopurifier
has a “Breakthrough Device” designation from The United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
The biggest risk
facing the company at the moment is shortage of funds. Its primary source of
revenue is its contract with the National Institute of Health. Another such
contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ended recently and
a lot would depend on the company’s success in finding another funder.
Increasing costs related to research and development, as well as clinical trials, are creating a financial burden, and the company estimates that it can go on for another year with the revenue sources it currently has.
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Those who had stayed invested in the stock had a rough last
year. The stock has declined 72% in the trailing 12 months, and 77% in the
year-to-date period. And with little revenues and almost no profits, it’s hard
to remain committed to the stock.
The stock also faces the risk of getting delisted if it
continues to lose investor interest.
Meanwhile, the market still has a ray of hope for the stock. For the current fiscal year, analysts’ expect the company to narrow its losses to 33 cents per share, compared to 44 cents per share last year. The year after that, it is projected to slash its losses by another 10 cents per share.