DISEASE-CENTRIC INVESTING ARRIVES

  Unit investment trusts take aim at finding cures

Clients have long been able to dovetail their investment choices with their environmental, pacifist, SMOKE FREE, or political leanings.

Now a new offering allows them to fine-tune their investments to cures of specific diseases.

Five unit investment trusts, to distinguish then from open ended mutual funds, each have a portfolio of 12 to 20 stocks of life science, biotecnical, pharmaceutical and related companies trying to find cures and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, BREST, PROSTATE and OVARIAN CANCER, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. 

The majority of investors are people who are passionate about certain diseases because of personal experiences; either they or family members or friends have the disease. They may be contributing to the charity to fight the disease, but also want to invest in the companies as well.

Well Spring BioCapital Partners of Philadelphia, The sponsor, says we are not trying to decide which companies will have the next blockbuster therapy or drugs.  Rather, they are treating companies involved with these diseases as if they are an industry.  They weed out the companies that do not have enough science or clinical data.  They look for strong management teams and the financial strength to conduct clinical trials and research that is essential. 

Some of the companies are large cap household names, others are medium or small cap biotech companies such as Seattle base Corixa Corp and Boxborough, Mass. base Cytyc Corp.

The investment team acknowledges that the investment might not be appropriate for everyone and suggests that potential investors consult a financial adviser.

The minimum investment is only $1000.  But buyers beware.