JNJ vs XCUR

Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson researches and develops, manufactures, and sells a range of products in the health care field worldwide. It operates through three segments: Consumer Health, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices. The Consumer Health segment offers baby care products under the JOHNSON'S and AVEENO Baby brands; oral care products under the LISTERINE brand; skin health/beauty products under the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, DR. CI:LABO, NEUTROGENA, and OGX brands; acetaminophen products under the TYLENOL brand; cold, flu, and allergy products under the SUDAFED brand; allergy products under the BENADRYL and ZYRTEC brands; ibuprofen products under the MOTRIN IB brand; smoking cessation products under the NICORETTE brand; and acid reflux products under the PEPCID brand. This segment also provides women's health products, such as sanitary pads and tampons under the STAYFREE, CAREFREE, and o.b. brands; wound care products comprising adhesive bandages under the BAND-AID brand; and first aid products under the NEOSPORIN brand. The Pharmaceutical segment offers products in various therapeutic areas, including immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, oncology, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The Medical Devices segment provides electrophysiology products to treat cardiovascular diseases and neurovascular care products to treat hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke; orthopaedics products in support of hips, knees, trauma, spine, sports, and other; advanced and general surgery solutions that focus on breast aesthetics, ear, nose, and throat procedures; and disposable contact lenses and ophthalmic products related to cataract and laser refractive surgery under the ACUVUE brand. The company markets its products to general public, and retail outlets and distributors, as well as distributes directly to wholesalers, hospitals, and health care professionals for prescription use. Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 and is based in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Exicure Inc.

Exicure, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, develops therapeutics for neurology, immuno-oncology, inflammatory diseases, and genetic disorders based on its proprietary spherical nucleic acid (SNA) technology. Its drug candidate includes cavrotolimod (AST-008) that is in a Phase 1b/2 clinical trials in patients with advanced solid tumors. The company is also developing XCUR-FXN, an SNA–based therapeutic candidate that is in preclinical trials for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia; XCUR17, an SNA that targets the messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding interleukin 17 receptor alpha; and AST-005, an SNA targeting TNF for the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis. It has a collaboration, option, and license agreement with Allergan Pharmaceuticals International Limited to develop SNA-based treatments for hair loss disorders; license and development agreement with DERMELIX, LLC to research, develop, and commercialize its technology for the treatment of netherton syndrome; and collaboration agreement with Ipsen S.A. to research, develop, and commercialize novel spherical nucleic acids for Huntington's disease and Angelman syndrome. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.