5 Trending Biotech Stocks To Watch In The Stock Market Now
You can’t deny that biotech stocks have and continue to make headlines throughout the globe over the past year. After all, this section of the stock market contains the most active stocks today, for a good reason. Namely, biotech companies are often working towards developing life-preserving or even lifesaving drugs and treatments. Because of this, regulatory and clinical updates can have a huge bearing on how their stocks trade.
The most prominent example of this would be coronavirus vaccine companies whose vaccine candidates significantly protect against severe coronavirus symptoms. Take BioNTech (NASDAQ: BNTX) for example, the company’s shares are now up by over 360% in the past year. No doubt, this area of the biotech world remains a heated one as we push towards the goal of global herd immunity. While there are several frontrunners in the vaccine race, more emerging Variants of Concern (VoC) around the globe are another factor to concern. Not only would this provide more room for innovation, but it would also provide space for upcoming names as well.
Moreover, there are plenty of exciting developments amongst other biotech companies in the stock market today as well. Particularly, biotech giant Vertex Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: VRTX) would be in the spotlight now. This is likely due to its decision to halt the development of its latest liver disease drug. Sure, this did cause VRTX stock to tumble, but analysts from Barclays (NYSE: BCS) and Citigroup (NYSE: C) still reiterated a Buy rating. Both firms cite Vertex’s high-growth cystic fibrosis business as a good reason to buy on the dip. By and large, the biotech industry remains as vibrant as ever. Could one of these trending biotech stocks be your next big investment?
Top Biotech Stocks To Buy [Or Sell] This Week
- Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX)
- Vaxart Inc. (NASDAQ: VXRT)
- Enochian Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ: ENOB)
- Rapt Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: RAPT)
- Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA)
Novavax Inc.
Novavax is a biotech company that develops and commercializes innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. The company’s proprietary recombinant technology platform combines the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles. NVAX stock currently trades at $214.88 as of 9:59 a.m. ET and has been up by over 8% on today’s opening bell. Investors seem to be responding to news on the company’s vaccine efficacy today.
Diving in, Novavax reports that its coronavirus vaccine has demonstrated a 90% overall efficacy and 100% protection against moderate and severe disease. Specifically, it showed a 93% efficacy against the predominantly circulating VoC and Variants of Interest (VoI). The promising Phase 3 trial results could set the company for huge profits as it shows how effective its vaccine is against the current VoC and VoI.
The Phase 3 study enrolled over 29,000 participants across 119 sites in the U.S. and Mexico to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of its vaccine candidate. Given the excitement surrounding the company, will you consider adding NVAX stock to your portfolio?
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Vaxart Inc.
Vaxart is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops a range of oral recombinant vaccines based on its proprietary delivery platform. Its vaccines are designed to be administered using tablets that can be stored and shipped without refrigeration and eliminate the risk of needle-stick injury. VXRT stock currently trades at $8.85 as of 10:01 a.m. ET and is up by over 30% since the start of June. Last week, the company received some bullish coverage from Yasmeen Rahimi of Piper Sandler. Rahimi initiated coverage with a price target of $18 and a buy rating for Vaxart.
The analyst also says that the company’s relative upside relating to its drug candidates including its coronavirus vaccine drove this valuation. Also, Rahimi believes that the company has minimal downside risk due to its existing drug portfolio. Also, it seems that retail traders have also backed this company as seen by its momentum.
Last month, the company also announced that it has enrolled its first subject in a Phase 1b placebo-controlled trial for its oral norovirus vaccine candidate. With so many things happening at the company, will you consider buying VXRT stock?
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Enochian Biosciences Inc.
Enochian is a biopharmaceutical company that is dedicated to developing gene-modified cell therapy. The company’s platform can be applied to multiple indications, including HIV/AIDS and oncology.
ENOB stock currently trades at $10.12 as of 10:08 a.m. ET and has been up by a whopping 157%. Investors are likely responding to a press release made by the company today.
The company announced that the FDA has accepted its Pre-IND (Investigational New Drug) request for a potential functional cure or treatment of HIV. Enochian holds the exclusive license for this proprietary technology and this innovative cellular therapy could be an important approach to achieve a functional cure of HIV, potentially allowing persons with the virus to stop antiviral treatment for extended periods. All things considered, will you buy ENOB stock?
Rapt Therapeutics Inc.
Rapt is a clinical-stage immunology-based biotech company that develops oral small molecule therapies. Specifically, its therapies are for patients with significant unmet needs in the fields of oncology and inflammatory diseases.
Using its proprietary discovery and development engine, the company is developing highly selective small molecules designed to modulate the critical immune drivers underlying these diseases. RAPT stock currently trades at $33.20 as of 10:12 a.m. ET and has been up by over 50% on today’s opening bell.
Investors are responding to the company reporting positive topline results from its Phase 1b trial of RPT193 monotherapy in atopic dermatitis. Rapt Therapeutics said that it saw improvements in all key exploratory efficacy endpoints and patients with moderate-to-severe AD who received RPT193 showed a 36.3% improvement from baseline in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score. With that in mind, will you consider buying RAPT stock?
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Moderna Inc.
Last but definitely not least, we will be looking at Massachusetts-based biotech company, Moderna. Now, most would be familiar with the company given that its coronavirus vaccine candidate is one of the earliest on the scene. In detail, Moderna’s vaccine tech is based on messenger RNA, the core component of our cells.
Through its vaccine platform, Moderna can introduce synthetic messenger RNA into our bodies, resulting in targeted immune system responses. With Moderna’s current role in vaccinating the world, MRNA stock would be on investors’ watchlists now. As it stands, the company’s shares currently trade at $199.08 as of 10:13 a.m. ET.
Despite having more than tripled in value over the past year, MRNA could have more room to grow. This would be the case as Moderna continues to expand the viability of its coronavirus vaccine candidate. Earlier today, the company submitted its authorization application for use in adolescents in Switzerland. Not to mention, this follows similar applications with the U.S. FDA, Health Canada, and European Medicines Agency. Ideally, this would result in more people receiving Moderna’s vaccine. By extension, this could benefit the company and its investors. Would all this make MRNA stock worth investing in now?
