4 Biotech Stocks To Add To Your October 2021 Watchlist
In good times and bad, people and investors alike often turn to the health care industry. In particular, biotech stocks remain viable plays in the stock market today, nonetheless. For starters, investors appear to be breathing a sigh of relief thanks to the latest update on the U.S government’s debt issue. According to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Congress has “reached an agreement to extend the debt ceiling through early December.” While this deals with one of the nation’s issues, there is still the ongoing pandemic to consider. This would be where biotech stocks among other health care industries come into play.
Namely, companies like Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) continue to play crucial roles in combating the pandemic. In fact, Pfizer is now asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to greenlight its vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. This would mark yet another extension of use-cases for the company’s COVID-19 vaccine. Backing up this request is Pfizer’s recent data showing a smaller dose of its shot generating “robust immune responses” in young children. Overall, with the current focus on handling the pandemic in the long term, there could be more room for the sector to grow moving forward. On that note, here are four biotech firms to know in the stock market now.
Best Biotech Stocks To Buy [Or Sell] Today
- Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE: MRK)
- Merus (NASDAQ: MRUS)
- Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX)
- NeuroMetrix Inc. (NASDAQ: NURO)
Merck & Co. Inc.
Merck is a health care company that develops medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. In fact, it continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals. Furthermore, it aspires to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world and has the fundamentals to back itself.
On October 1, 2021, the company announced that Molnupiravir, its investigational oral antiviral medicine, reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 50% compared to placebo for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 in its Phase 3 study. The company will soon seek emergency use authorization in the U.S. as soon as possible while also submitting applications to regulatory agencies worldwide.
If authorized, Molnupiravir could be the first oral antiviral medicine for COVID-19. This is timely as more tools and treatments are urgently needed to fight the pandemic, which is becoming the leading cause of death and continues to affect people all over the world. All things considered, is MRK stock worth adding to your portfolio right now?
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Merus NV
Merus is a clinical-stage oncology company that is developing an innovative full-length human bispecific and tri-specific antibody therapeutics referred to as Multiclonics. Multiclonics are manufactured using industry-standard processes and have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional human monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. MRUS stock is up by over 30% on today’s opening bell. Investors seem to be responding to a piece of news that the company released today.
In detail, it presented early clinical data on MCLA-158 and preclinical data on Zenocutuzumab. In brief, it saw tumor shrinkage and partial responses in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that was treated with MCLA-158. Furthermore, in preclinical studies, Zenocutuzumab was observed to block cell growth 100 fold more potently than anti-HER3 antibody alone.
Dr. Andrew Joe, Chief Medical Officer at Merus, said, “We are encouraged by the early evidence of clinical activity of MCLA-158 in patients with advanced, previously treated HNSCC, further validating the potential of our Biclonics® platform. With Zeno, our preclinical research continues to reinforce the mechanisms by which Zeno is capable of potently inhibiting the growth of NRG1 fusion cancers.” Should investors be on the lookout for MRUS stock given this piece of news?
Novavax Inc.
Following that, we have Novavax, a clinical-stage vaccine company that develops novel products to prevent a broad range of infectious diseases. The company uses recombinant nanoparticles and adjuvant technology to develop safe and effective vaccines. The company is currently conducting late-stage clinical trials for its vaccine candidate against COVID-19. It also has NanoFlu, a quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine that has met all primary objectives in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial.
On October 4, 2021, the company announced 3 leadership appointments and provided a business update. Notably, it appointed Denny Kim, M.D. to the newly created role of Senior Vice President, Chief Safety Officer, and Head of Global Vaccine Safety. Dr. Kim brings nearly two decades of infectious disease, clinical trial, and safety experience to Novavax. The company also says that it is an exciting time for Novavax as it finalizes its regulatory filings and begins to transition into a commercial-stage organization. Given this exciting piece of news, will you consider buying NVAX stock?
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Neurometrix Inc.
Another name to note among biotech stocks now would be NeuroMetrix. In brief, the Massachusetts-based company primarily focuses on the development and global commercialization of medical devices. The likes of which are non-invasive tools used for the diagnosis and treatment of pain and neurological disorders. In essence, NeuroMetrix’s wares are easy to administer and cover a wide range of fields in the health care industry today. This includes checking for conditions associated with diabetes, chemotherapy, and autoimmune disorders among other chronic diseases.
More importantly, NURO stock currently trades at $9.70 as of 3:02 p.m. ET after surging by over 12% since today’s opening bell. For the most part, this would be on account of its latest FDA submission. As of yesterday, NeuroMetrix is making a De Novo request to the FDA for its fibromyalgia treatment, Quell. Should things go as planned, this could see Quell become a prescription treatment for the condition in adults. Simply put, fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that affects millions of Americans today. Could all this make NURO stock worth investing in for you?
