Biotech Stocks Hitting New Highs

The Nasdaq iShares Biotechnology Index (IBB) has recently been on an uptrend, touching its 52-week high off the open this morning.  The ETF rose more than 1.86% during Tuesday morning’s trading, setting the stage for several other biotech stocks to follow its lead.

Furthermore, several other ETF’s tracking the sector were on the move during this morning’s session. The Health Care SPDR (XLV) recorded new highs while the S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) and NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NBI) opened green. Many companies are also following the recent uptrend in the sector.

Biotech Stocks that hit fresh 52-week highs on Aug. 27, 2018

• Abbott Laboratories (ABT)
• Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND)
• AtriCure Inc. (ATRC)
• Avanos Medical Inc (AVNS)
• Becton Dickinson and Co (BDX)
• Codexis, Inc. (CDXS)
• Eli Lilly And Co (LLY)
• Emergent Biosolutions Inc (EBS)
• Endocyte, Inc. (ECYT)
• Illumina, Inc. (ILMN)
• Inogen Inc (INGN)
• Inspire Medical Systems Inc (INSP)
• Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG)
• Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LGND)
• Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX)
• ResMed Inc. (RMD)
• Tandem Diabetes Care Inc (TNDM)
• Verastem Inc (VSTM)

Biotech stocks can make jaw dropping moves contingent on data from clinical trials, if a position is taken at the right time.  As biotech sector continues to trend higher, here are a few clinical stage biotechs to watch that have linked up with Big Pharma.

GT Biopharma, Inc. (GTBP)

GT Biopharma, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing immune-oncology products based on its two proprietary platforms TriKE, TetraKE and bi-specific Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC).  GT Biopharma announced today the start of a combination trial of OXS-1550 and multi-billion-dollar oncology drug, owned by an unnamed Major Pharmaceutical Company.

GTBP’s lead researcher Dr. Daniel Vallera stated “Based on our exciting preliminary in vitro experiments, the initial preclinical work suggests a much greater effect when OXS-1550 is given with this drug. We are very excited about our progress with GT’s OXS-1550 (DT2219) combined with ibrutinib,”

Although GTBP has not disclosed this major pharma company just yet, the drug ibrutinib is owned by Abbvie (ABBV) which had reported Full-Year Global IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) net revenues of $2.573 billion last year.

Affimed N.V (AFMD)

Affimed, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing targeted cancer immunotherapies announced today entering a collaboration agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (RHHBY).  The agreement is to develop and commercialize a novel NK cell engager-based immunotherapeutics targeting multiple cancers.

Affimed’s proprietary Redirected Optimized Cell Killing (ROCK®) platform will be used to advance innate immune cell engager-based immunotherapeutics of interest to Genentech.  Affimed and Genentech will join forces on the discovery, early research and late-stage research phases. Affimed will receive $96 million upfront and committed funding and is eligible for up to an additional $5.0 billion including milestone payments, and royalties on sales.

Geron Corporation (GERN)

Geron, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company which focuses on the development of its telomerase inhibitor, imetelstat, which is presently in two clinical trials for blood disorders conducted by Janssen Biotech, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), under the terms of an exclusive license agreement.

Geron is expected to announce J&J’s (JNJ) decision regarding if the collaboration will continue any day now.  However, J&J’s description of a recent job posting for a Strategic Pricing Manager included the responsibility for leading the pricing strategy for imetelstat.

MIDAM VENTURES LLC., a Florida Corporation has been compensated $200,000.00 by GT Biopharma Inc. for a period beginning July 16, 2018 and ending August 16, 2018 to publicly disseminate information about (GTBP). Midam owns zero shares. Midam may buy or sell additional shares of (GTBP) in the open market at any time, including before, during or after the Website and Information, provide public dissemination of favorable Information.