5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Zosano Pharma Up 160 Percent

Top gainers for January 30 to February 3, 2017: 
The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) was nudged upwards by US President Trump last week when he met with Big Pharma executives. In this listening session, he told CEOs in attendance that, “We have to get prices down, for a lot of reasons,” and focused on the issues of drug pricing, regulations, and keeping business within the USA. The index was up by 3.24 percent and ended the trading week at 2,963.02 points on Friday.
Here is a closer look at the top five NASDAQ gainers in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals space:

• Calithera Biosciences (NASDAQ:CALA)
• Cerulean Pharma (NASDAQ:CERU)
• Benitec Biopharma (NASDAQ:BNTC)
• Concordia International (NASDAQ:CXRX)
• The Medicines Company (NASDAQ:MDCO)

Calithera Biosciences

Topping our list of weekly gainers is Calithera Biosciences. The company is focused on developing cancer treatments via novel small molecule drugs directed against tumor metabolism and tumor immunology targets. Last week, Calithera announced a global collaboration and license agreement with Incyte (NASDAQ:INCY). Under the agreement, Calithera will receive a $45 million up-front payment and an $8 million equity investment.
Calithera gained 100 percent over the five day trading week, and ended at $9.20 per share.

Cerulean Pharma

Cerulean Pharma is developing nanoparticle-drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer. Last week, the company announced that its board of directors is reviewing, “potential alternatives such as the sale of the company, a merger, a business combination, a strategic investment into the company, or a sale, license or disposition of assets of the company.”
Cerulean Pharma gained 62.5 percent over the five day trading week, and ended at $1.30 per share.

Benitec Biopharma

Australian biotech company Benitec Biopharma is developing a therapeutic technology platform that combines gene silencing and gene therapy, for a wide range of diseases. Last week, shares soared when the company announced “significant” progress on its ddRNAi technology for the treatment of ocular diseases.
Benitec Biopharma gained 49.16 percent over the five day trading week, and ended at $2.67 per share.

Concordia International

Canadian pharmaceutical company Concordia International is focused on developing generic and legacy pharmaceutical products as well as orphan drugs. Last week, the company announced the payment of its second and final installment of its earn-out to Cinven.
Concordia gained 31.77 percent over the five day trading week, and ended at $2.53 per share.

The Medicines Company

Last on our weekly top gainers list is The Medicines Company, a biopharmaceutical company that markets four products in the United States that cover areas such as acute cardiovascular care, surgery and perioperative care, and infectious disease care. The company also markets various products globally. There has been no recent news from the company to explain last week’s rise in share price.
The Medicines Company gained 31.62 percent over the five day trading week, and ended at $45.96 per share.

Don’t forget to follow @INN_LifeScience for real-time updates!
Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday after market close using The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $10 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.
Securities Disclosure: I, Pia Rivera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Top gainers for January 16-20, 2017: 

The NASDAQ Biotechnology index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) fell even further last week, likely as the whole world waited for Inauguration Day. Trump has been waging a war on pharmaceutical companies, and promises that change is coming to bidding, pricing and manufacturing. The index ended the trading week at 2,859.87 points on Friday.
Here is a closer look at the top five NASDAQ gainers in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals space:

• Apricus Biosciences (NASDAQ:APRI)
• Pulmatrix (NASDAQ:PULM)
• CoLucid Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:CLCD)
• Infinity Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:INFI)
• Tenax Therapeutics (NASDAQ:TENX)

Apricus Biosciences

Topping the list is Apricus Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical focused on rheumatology and urology. Last week, Apricus shares soared when the company announced that their drug that targets erectile dysfunction has been approved for use in Mexico.
Apricus Biosciences gained 80.79 percent over the four day trading week, and ended at $2.72 per share.

Pulmatrix

Second on the list is, Pulmatrix, a clinical stage biopharma company focused on its inhaled therapies using the company’s patented iSPERSE technology. Earlier in the week, Pulmatrix announced that its drug candidate PUR1900 received “QUalified Infectious Disease Product” designation from the US FDA. PUR1900 treats fungal infections in cystic fibrosis patients.
Pulmatrix gained 69.14 percent over the four day trading week, and ended at $1.15 per share.

CoLucid Pharmaceutical

CoLucid’s focus is on migraine via its lead candidate, lasmiditan. Stocks rose last week when a $960 million deal with Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) was announced.
CoLucid gained 44.76 percent over the four day trading week, and ended at $46.25 per share.

Infinity Pharmaceutical

Infinity Pharmaceutical is advancing novel medicines for people with cancer. Last week, shares rose when the company presented preclinical data for its oral immuno-oncology development candidate  the Keystone Symposia Conference.
Infinity gained 20.48 percent over the four day trading week, and ended at $2.00 per share.

Tenax Therapeutics

Finally, Tenax Therapeutics is a specialty pharmaceutical company that has been granted Fast Track status for levosimendan, for the reduction of morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgery patients. Last week, the company announced that patient enrollment for its Phase 3 LEVO-CTS trial in cardiac surgery has been completed. The company plans to report top-line results in January 2017.
Tenax gained 20.77 percent over the four day trading week, and ended at $2.50 per share.

Don’t forget to follow @INN_LifeScience for real-time updates!
Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday after market close using The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $10 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.
Securities Disclosure: I, Pia Rivera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Top gainers for January 9-13, 2017: 

The NASDAQ Biotechnology index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) got Trumped this week.

The index reached a high of 3,001.783 points on Tuesday, then tumbled mere minutes after US-President elect Donald Trump said that the drug industry is “getting away with murder” during his first press conference after the elections. The index ended the trading week at 2,931.56 points on Friday.
Despite that, these pharmaceutical and medical device companies registered gains as high as 250 percent last week. Let’s take a closer look at the top five.

• Transgenomic (NASDAQ:TBIO)
• Dextera Surgical (NASDAQ:DXTR)
• Ariad Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ARIA)
• GenVec (NASDAQ:GNVC)
• DexCom (NASDAQ:DXCM)

Transgenomic

Transgenomic is focused on advancing personalized medicine in oncology and inherited diseases through its advanced diagnostic technologies. Last week, shares soared when the company announced a three year renewable licensing agreement with Canadian laboratory service provider LifeLabs. LifeLabs will be able to offer advanced clinical genomic analyses through Transgenomic’s ICP technology.
Transgenomic gained 250 percent over the five day trading period and finished at $0.98 per share on Friday.

Dextera Surgical

Dextera Surgical is a manufacturer and designer of stapling devices for minimally invasive surgical procedures. On January 5th, the company provided a corporate update stating the milestones they expect to hit in 2017. However, there has been no further recent news from the company to explain last week’s rise in share price.
Dextera Surgical gained 80.85 percent last week and finished at $1.70 per share on Friday.

Ariad Pharmaceuticals

Ariad Pharmaceuticals has a focus on discovering and developing drugs for rare cancer therapies. Shares rose on Monday when Ariad announced a $5.2 Billion definitive agreement to be acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical (TSE:4502). The transaction is expected to close by the end of February 2017.
Ariad Pharmaceuticals gained 72.42 percent over the five day trading period and finished at $23.69 per share on Friday.

GenVec

Clinical-stage gene delivery company GenVec is developing a pipeline of therapeutics and vaccines. The company’s leading product candidate CGF166 is currently licensed to Novartis (NYSE:NVS), and is on Phase 1/2 clinical study for hearing loss and balance disorders treatment. The previous week, GenVec announced an exclusive option agreement with the Washington University in St. Louis for the licensing of intellectual property and technology related to gene editing and and cell targeting.
GenVec gained 67.76 percent last week and finished at $6.14 per share on Friday.

DexCom

DexCom’s G5® Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System provides diabetes patients with real-time glucose readings every five minutes. Shares soared on Friday when the company announced on Friday that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services categorized the G5 Mobile as “Durable Medical Equipment” under Medicare Part B. CNBC wrote that, “This new classification means the device is eligible for Medicaid and Medicare coverage.”
DexCom gained 34.64 percent last week and finished at $85.13 per share on Friday.
Don’t forget to follow @INN_LifeScience for real-time updates!
Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday after market close using The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $10 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.
Securities Disclosure: I, Pia Rivera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.