5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: HTG in the Lead This Week

This past week the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) increased by 4.15 percent reaching 3,501.80 points in the last week—nearly equal to it’s year-to-date (YTD) increase. YTD the NBI increased 4.3 percent as of 1:00 p.m. EST Friday (February 16). 

The top 5 biotech stocks to make the most gains last week include:

• HTG Molecular Diagnostics (NASDAQ:HTGM)
• Moleculin Biotech (NASDAQ:MBRX)
• Cara Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CARA)
• Antares Pharma (NASDAQ:ATRS)
• CTI BioPharma (NASDAQ:CTIC)

Many of the companies on the list this week work in oncology, and most of them have no recent company news, meaning other information is triggering the gains. Here take a look at what pushed these companies share prices to move.

HTG Molecular Diagnostics

HTG is top on the list this past week because their stock prices increased 51.02 percent to a share price of $5.28 and a market cap of $72.57 million. An article by the Nasdaq Chronicle credits this rise to the stock being overbought, which could lead to a drop in the future.

The company works to create medical devices such as the HTF EdgeSeq system which enables fast and easy use of tools for molecular profiling. The products work as a baseline to help other companies use their technology in R&D.

Moleculin Biotech

This biotech company, Moleculin, is a preclinical and clinical-stage pharmaceutical company working to develop anti-cancer drug candidates. Their lead product is Annamycin, a treatment for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise Moleculin is on the Top 5 NASDAQ Biotech Stocks last week as Tuesday (February 13), the company announced a collaboration with Emory University to develop a novel treatment of pediatric brain cancer. With that announcement Moleculin was on our radar for companies investing in their R&D for cancer therapies. And, Friday (February 16), the company announced they entered an agreement for, “registered direct offering of securities with gross proceeds of approximately $9 million,” their press release said. All of this news is likely why the stock price has increased over the past week.

Moleculin’s share price increased 23.8 percent to $2.07 and market cap of $43.75 million.

Cara Therapeutics

Cara’s share price gained 19.11 percent increasing the stock price to $14.52 and market cap to $477.71 million.

This biotechnology company is in the clinical-stage and is developing new chemicals to relieve pain and pruritus—severely irritated and itchy skin—by targeting select receptors. The stock price may have increased because in the end of January the company initiated their latest Phase 3 clinical trial, for Korsuva, an injection targeted to relieve pruritus in certain patients with certain diseases.

The Phase 2 trial of the same injection has very positive results including, “with a 68 percent reduction in worst itching scores versus placebo after an eight-week treatment period (p < 0.0019), and its secondary endpoint, with a 100 percent improvement in quality of life domains versus placebo,” said the press release.

Antares Pharma

Antares had a stock price gain of 17.48 percent to $2.43 and a market cap to $376.94 million.

This company, focused on creating custom designed devices that fit patient and therapeutic needs, has had four products approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in the last five years. Approved products include drugs and devices such as the Otrexup single-dose auto-injector containing methotrexate to treat active rheumatoid arthritis.

Antares is likely on the list this past week as their partner AMAG Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMAG) product received an FDA approval on February 14, for a quickshot auto injector called Makena

CTI BioPharma

Again on our list, this cancer focused biopharmaceutical company, CTI, is looking to develop or acquire less toxic treatments and therapies. The company currently has one product approved in the European Union market, Pixuvri, it’s a monotherapy treatment for adult patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Another two trials for the candidate Pacritinib have finished Phase 3 trials and are awaiting approval. The stock price may still be on the rise from our previous list from the company announcement February 9 that the company released prices underwritten for public offering.

CTI is on the list this past week with a 16.20 percent increase since the last week. YTD, the company has increased 39.18 percent to $3.76.

Don’t forget to follow @INN_LifeScience for real-time updates!

Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Stocks articles is retrieved Friday at 1 p.m. EST through The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $50 million and lower than $500 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle Lakusta, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

**This article is updated weekly, scroll to the top for the most recent information**

5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: CTI Leads This Week in Biotech

CTI BioPharma, Biocryst Pharmaceuticals, Vivus, ChromaDex, and Achillion Pharmaceuticals topped last week’s NASDAQ biotech stock list.

By Gabrielle Lakusta, Published Feb 11, 2018

The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) saw a decrease this past week, and overall increase year-to-date (YTD). The index decreased by 8.92 percent to reach 3,203.95 points as of 1:00 p.m. EST Friday (February 9). YTD The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index is down 4.29 percent.

A number of biotech stocks saw gains last week, including:

• CTI BioPharma (NASDAQ:CTIC)
• Biocryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BCRX)
• Vivus (NASDAQ:VVUS)
• ChromaDex (NASDAQ:CDXC)
• Achillion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACHN)

Many of the companies on the list this week work in oncology, and most of them have no recent company news, meaning other information is triggering the gains. Here take a look at what pushed these companies share prices to move.

CTI BioPharma

This cancer focused biopharmaceutical company, CTI, is looking to develop or acquire less toxic treatments and therapies. The company currently has one product approved in the European Union market, Pixuvri, it’s a monotherapy treatment for adult patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Another two trials for the candidate Pacritinib have finished Phase 3 trials and are awaiting approval. The CTI stock prices may be on the rise because the company released news Friday (February 9) they are releasing prices underwritten for public offering.

CTI is top on the list last week with a 16.43 percent increase since the last week. YTD, the company has increased 22.95 percent to $3.28.

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals

This small company has a market cap much higher than it’s amount of employees—about 80—between North Carolina and Alabama. The company is working on a pipeline for life-threatening, rare diseases and has one product approved, Rapivab, a flu antiviral infection. On January 22, the company announced a merger with Idera Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IDRA) to help more patients with rare diseases, which may account for the increase in the stock price.

Over the past week, the company’s stock price rose 10.23 percent to $4.79. And YTD BioCryst saw an decrease of 2.34 percent.

Vivus

With a variety of products to help with obesity, to erectile dysfunction, Vivus has been working for 21 years to help patients with serious medical conditions and life-limiting diseases. A review on the stock by Post Analyst wrote, “[Reuters] see VIVUS, Inc. price hitting a mean target of $1.5 a share, meaning the stock still has potential that could lift the price another 200%,” the writer doubts the stock will increase to that percent.

Vivus’s share price went up 8.91 percent over the past week to $0.43, with a steady decrease over 2018, 13.45 percent it’s hard to predict if it will be on our top 5 list again soon.

ChromaDex

ChromaDex focuses on a different range of products for longevity such as dietary supplements, food, beverages, skin care, and of course, the pharmaceutical market—with a focus on natural product fine chemicals. One of their products are Niagen, which is a supplement that aids cells to convert food into energy, a system which gets harder for the body as it ages, and with certain lifestyle choices.

Thursday (February 8) of last week, the company released news their product Niagen prevents neurological damage and shows improved cognitive and physical function in a mouse model with Alzheimer’s disease. The company CEO and founder Jack Jaksch said, “We are aware of two human trials on mild cognitive impairment that are in progress. Data from these studies should pave the way for additional human clinical trials.” This news could be what pushed the stock to increase last week.

Over last week’s trading period, shares increased by 8.47 percent to reach a stock price of $5.01.

Achillion Pharmaceuticals

Achillion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage therapy company looking to reach commercialization with their drug candidates for patients with serious diseases. One focus is developing a therapy for chronic hepatitis C by building a platform of factor D inhibitors. An article by Stock News Journal wrote, “Achillion Pharmaceuticals for the trailing twelve months paying dividend with the payout ratio of 0.00% to its shareholders. Over the last year Company’s shares have been trading in the range of $2.58 and $5.66.”

Last on our this for the week, Achillion stock price increased 5.78 percent to $2.91.

Don’t forget to follow @INN_LifeScience for real-time updates!

Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Stocks articles is retrieved Friday at 1 p.m. EST through The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $50 million and lower than $500 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle Lakusta, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.