Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:MRNS) Is Trying To Clean Up In Epilepsy

Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:MRNS) is up close to 20% at the start of this week, and looks set to pick up further strength between now and the end of the week, based on some positive preliminary data released by the company.Here's a breakdown of what the data tells us, and a look at what we expect to come next from both an operational and a value perspective.First up, a quick introduction to Marinus.The company is a development stage biotechnology company with a focus on developing and commercializing therapeutics to treat epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders. Its lead asset is called Ganaxolone and this is essentially the company's primary focus right now, accounting for the majority of its clinical pipeline. Marinus is investigating the drug's impact across a host of different epilepsy conditions, and it is one of the conditions that underpins the latest release. By way of a bit of background to the indication, epilepsy, especially in children, takes many forms, and is caused by a host of different factors. However, a number of treatments are currently under investigation that can span two or more of these different pediatric epilepsy indications, and some have shown considerable promise. Basically, their mechanisms of action work to counter some of the problems that the various epilepsy types have in common, and this has been shown to help with some of the disease's more common symptoms – seizures, mobility issues, etc.Looking specifically at the latest release, it relates to a type of epilepsy called CDKL5. CDKL5 is a serious and rare genetic disorder that is caused by a mutation of the cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) gene, located on the X chromosome. It predominantly affects girls and is characterized by early-onset, difficult-to-control seizures. Most children affected by CDKL5 cannot walk, talk, or care for themselves. Put simply, it is a terrible condition to suffer from, and there is no currently available cure or even any really effective treatments to allay symptoms.So what did the latest data tell us about the drug's impact in this indication? Well, it is a small trial, only looking at five patients, but the data seems positive so far. Out of the five patients, three patients demonstrated a marked reduction in seizure frequency – one of the gold standard endpoints in any epilepsy investigation – and tolerability seems on par with current standard of care treatments. The response came on the back of an 1800 mg/kg dose, with an average treatment period of five months.Now, it's worth noting that this is just interim data, and isn't indicative of the final outcome of the trial – at least, that is, not totally indicative. It does offer some insight into the potential for the drug in this indication, however, and this might serve to relieve some of the pressure that the company (and the asset) is under on the back of a failed phase 3 last year.So what is next? Well, this trial is ongoing, and is expected to complete at some point during mid-2017. On completion, the company will put out top line, and it is this that we are looking for as the next major catalyst related to this particular study. Looking at the pipeline, there aren't any really significant data releases scheduled for between now and then, but this doesn't mean that Marinus won't surprise us with an interim report, so that is something we are watching for closely so as to be ready if and when it hits.All said, this may only be an interim release, but it has wide ranging implications for the company based on the disproportionately large amount of value attributed to the asset when it comes to Marinus' market capitalization. That is why the company is gaining strength as it is, and why we expect further upside momentum near-term, and potentially longer-term if the positive data keeps on coming.We will be updating our subscribers as soon as we know more. For the latest updates on MRNS, sign up below!Disclosure: We have no position in MRNS and have not been compensated for this article.