4,000 companies
Our investible universe:
150 companies
Our portfolio:
25 - 35 companies
That many of us today can expect to live longer and healthier lives is largely thanks to medical advances. Some of these innovations have been the product of revolutionary science, while others have been small, gradual improvements.
All of these advances, however, are the product of investment. It often costs companies millions of pounds to develop laboratory research and to manufacture new solutions.
Where companies can successfully combat the world’s major health challenges, we believe long-term investors can be rewarded for their patience, with lasting benefits for society. Here's an example of one of the companies we have invested in.
Allergic disease is one of the world’s most common chronic conditions, affecting millions of people globally. Hay fever alone affects an estimated 400-500 million people worldwide, approximately 10% of whom experience a debilitating form of the condition. Left untreated, allergic rhinitis is considered to be a major risk for the development of asthma.
Allergy also imposes a significant cost on society, through lower productivity, increased sick leave and significant healthcare costs.
ALK-Abelló is a pharmaceutical company that specialises in developing products for the more than 500 million people worldwide who suffer from allergies. Its roots go back nearly 100 years to 1923 and ever since then the company has been working to improve the treatment of allergy patients, whose disease can severely affect their quality of life.
Among its innovations have been immunotherapy tablets against some of the most common respiratory allergies – including grass pollen and house dust mites – that allow allergy patients to self-administer from the comfort of their own home, rather than suffering painful injections in a clinical setting. Innovations like this can positively transform lives, helping realise Goal 3 of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.
To read more about how ALK is making a positive impact on the world’s health visit their website.
The value and income from a fund’s assets will go down as well as up. This will cause the value of your investment to fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you originally invested.