Marina Biotech, Inc. (OTCMKTS:MRNA) Impresses Investors Again with Japanese Patent Grant
Marina Biotech, Inc. (OTCMKTS:MRNA) is a stranger in a strange land right now- a biopharmaceutical company that sticks to its line of research, and has no chance of jumping over to become a medical marijuana company. MRNA is dealing with serious therapeutic opportunities based on RNA and its role in cellular function, and has recently risen in price, especially when it mentioned the new patent it received for its treatments. 
On Friday, MRNA rose by more than 28% to stand at $1.27. MRNA has always held a respectable position despite its pink sheet status, and in its doldrums rarely fell below 30 cents. This is typical of pharmaceutical companies, where share prices need a constant inflow of reassurance that the company is progressing with its research or with an intended drug release. Any lapses from the expected schedule may cause loss of investors’ confidence. What is even stranger is that MRNA is a pink sheet company offering limited information. 
Still, MRNA benefited from a presentation at the 2014 Biotech Showcase in San Francisco in the middle of January, and since then accelerated the climb. The culmination is the patent claim that was granted, by the Japanese patent office.
MRNA has only limited, dated financial information, and a couple of years back held:
- $1.9 million cash
- $2.5 million total current assets
- $4.6 million total current liabilities
- $29.4 million annual net loss
Given that MRNA has chosen an extremely innovative, difficult approach, it is no wonder there is a lack of marketable therapies, and most developments are in early experimental stages. Still, when it comes to attracting investors, MRNA is rather adept, supplying timely updates and information. What is more positive is that there are no email campaigns that could further inflate the price. Still, in the last three months MRNA grew by more than 600%, and there is a question of how far this trend could go.
Investors’ forums for this ticker are rarely too active, instead relying on longer-term investing and expectations that sooner or later MRNA would show its mettle.
If you are looking for a similar story, though in a lower price range, Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTCMKTS:ACTC), another biotech tackling the hard problem of stem cell applications, is having more active days in the past weeks. After being stuck for a long time between 6 and 7 cents, ACTC activated, reaching as high up as $0.0925, only to slide back a bit above $0.07.
Not even larger companies with already marketable drugs are immune from a twist in sentiment. Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCBB:TTNP) has been hovering around $0.65 in the past months, as there is a lack of encouraging news. TTNP suffered from an inability to reach a breakthrough with its latest anti-opioid therapy, which got rejected by the FDA on several rounds, while investors expected a much faster approval.
In the case of MRNA, it is currently the time of better moods, but it is unknown when the news would be consumed. It is best to decide well on a time frame, to avoid being caught in the inevitable setbacks.
