5 Top Biotech Stocks For Your November 2021 Watchlist
While investors digest the latest round of earnings and data concerning retail spending, the biotech industry remains hard at work. Accordingly, biotech stocks could also be in focus in the stock market because of this. Ever since the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic, the industry as a whole has been put under the microscope. As such, positive updates and notable developments in the research processes of companies could draw more attention from investors now. This continues to ring true, especially for biotech stocks developing treatments for the coronavirus.
For example, GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) and Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ: VIR) are among such names today. Notably, the duo reportedly signed a $1 billion contract with the U.S. government for their coronavirus treatment, sotrovimab. According to GSK CEO Hal Barron, the growing number of breakthrough cases would warrant the need for the company’s treatment. Given its purpose as an early antibody-based treatment for the virus, this would serve to bolster the country’s anti-pandemic efforts.
At the same time, biotechs such as Progenity (NASDAQ: PROG), a genetic testing firm, continue to cater to consumer markets as well. For the most part, there seems to be no shortage of exciting news to consider in the biotech space today. On that note, could one of these biotech stocks be top picks in the stock market today?
Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now
- Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE)
- Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX)
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INO)
- AbbVie Inc. (NYSE: ABBV)
- Sanofi SA (NASDAQ: SNY)
Pfizer Inc.
First up, we have Pfizer, a biopharmaceutical company that has developed many life-changing drugs and therapies for millions all over the world. Notably, its coronavirus vaccine is well on track to have over 2 billion doses delivered by the end of the year. PFE stock currently trades at $51.14 as of 2:44 p.m. ET and is up by over 38% year-to-date. On November 16, 2021, the company announced that it will be seeking emergency use authorization (EUA) for its novel coronavirus oral antiviral candidate.
If approved, PAXLOVID will be the first oral antiviral of its kind, a 3CL protease inhibitor specifically designed to combat the virus. The EUA submission includes clinical data from an interim analysis of its Phase 2/3 EPIC-HR study, which demonstrated an impressive 89% reduction in risk of coronavirus-related hospitalization or death when compared to placebo in adults with the virus.
It also has rolling submissions in several countries like the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea and also has planned submissions to other regulatory agencies around the world. Today, the company also announced that it has completed the acquisition of Trillium Therapeutics. For these reasons, is PFE stock worth adding to your portfolio right now?
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Novavax Inc.
Novavax is a biotech company that develops and commercializes innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. Through its proprietary recombinant technology platform, it combines the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles designed to address urgent global health needs. NVAX stock currently trades at $190.89 as of 2:44 p.m. ET and is up by over 68% year-to-date.
Today, the company announced together with Serum Institute India, that the Philippine Food and Drug Administration has granted EUA for Novavax’s coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine will be manufactured and marketed in the Philippines by Serum Institute under the brand name COVOVAX.
“With less than a third of the Philippine population fully immunized, we expect the option for a protein vaccine, built on a well-understood technology platform, to contribute substantially to increased vaccination rates,” said Stanley C. Erck, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax. Following this development, will you be adding NVAX stock to your watchlist?
Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Inovio Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company that focuses on bringing precisely designed DNA medicines to treat and protect people from infectious diseases, cancer, and diseases associated with HPV. In fact, it is the first company to have clinically demonstrated that a DNA vaccine candidate can be delivered directly into cells in the body. It does this through a proprietary smart device to produce a robust and tolerable immune response. INO stock currently trades at $7.19 as of 2:46 p.m. ET.
On Tuesday, the company announced a collaboration with GuardRX and Geneva University Hospitals for a heterologous booster clinical trial for its Ebola DNA vaccine candidate. The trial will assess whether INO-4201 can be used as a booster in healthy volunteers previously vaccinated with rVSV-ZEBOV, an FDA- and EMA-approved viral-based vector Ebola vaccine.
It follows the company’s pre-clinical and Phase 1 trials which suggested to investigators that INO-4201 was well-tolerated and resulted in 100% seroconversion after two doses. With that in mind, should you consider adding INO stock to your watchlist?
AbbVie Inc.
Following that, we will be taking a look at AbbVie. As a prominent name in the global biopharmaceutical industry, ABBV stock could be a go-to for biotech investors now. For one thing, the company’s developmental pipeline spans a vast array of therapeutic areas. This includes but is not limited to the fields of immunology, oncology, virology, and eye care. As it stands, ABBV stock currently trades at $117.00 a share as of 2:47 p.m. ET.
Even after gaining by over 8% in the past month, AbbVie does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. This week, the company revealed its latest regulatory win in the E.U.
Namely, the European Commission approved SKYRIZI, AbbVie’s treatment for adults with Active Psoriatic Arthritis. According to AbbVie, this provides Marketing Authorization for the drug in the E.U., Iceland, and Norway. Considering all this, will ABBV stock make your list of top biotech stocks to buy?
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Sanofi SA
Last but not least is Sanofi, a French multinational pharmaceutical firm. By the company’s estimates, it is among the largest players in the global pharmaceuticals industry in terms of prescription sales. From its general vaccine offerings to its innovative treatments for pain-related illnesses, Sanofi brings plenty to the table. For a sense of scale, Sanofi currently boasts a global workforce of over 100,000 people with operations across 100 countries.
Now, while SNY stock trades at $50.30 as of 2:48 p.m. ET, could it be worth investing in? If anything, the company does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon on the operational front.
Last week, Sanofi finalized its acquisition of Kadmon Holdings, a fully integrated biopharma firm. Through the $1.9 billion deal, Sanofi hopes to facilitate the growth and expansion of its General Medicines portfolio. Based on all this information, will SNY stock be on your biotech stock watchlist moving forward?
