5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Aratana Soars on Acquisition

The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) closed April 26 at 3,374.25, experiencing a gentle climb from its April 22 opening of 3,287.38.

A number of companies in the space enjoyed upward momentum over the course of the week, with headliners including Aratana Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PETX), which announced plans to be acquired.

The companies that saw the biggest share price gains last week are as follows:

• X4 Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XFOR)
• Aratana Therapeutics
• Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ZYNE)
• Vaccinex (NASDAQ:VCNX)
• Marinus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:MRNS)

Here’s an overview of the factors that moved their share prices during the period.

X4 Pharmaceuticals

X4 Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage company focused on treating rare diseases using novel therapeutics that target the CXCR4 pathway. Its lead product candidate is called Mavorixafor, and it also has two other product candidates in its pipeline.

Last week, the company’s share price jumped 38.64 percent to close at US$19.83. On April 24, X4 Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of E. Lynne Kelley as its new chief medical officer.

Aratana Therapeutics

With the goal of better treating medical issues in cats and dogs, Aratana Therapeutics’ aim is to license, develop and commercialize therapeutics for these animals. The company focuses on studying advancements in human medicine and applying them to veterinary medicine.

Aratana’s share price leaped 34.57 percent last week to end at US$4.79 after it announced that it has agreed to be acquired by Elanco Animal Health (NYSE:ELAN). Elanco is Aratana’s partner on GALLIPRANT, which treats osteoarthritis in dogs. According to the company, the stock-for-stock deal has an aggregate value of about $245 million.

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals is working on treating rare and near-rare neuropsychiatric conditions using transdermally delivered cannabinoid therapeutics. The conditions it is focusing on include fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder.

The company did not release any news last week, but its share price nevertheless shot up 33.75 percent to finish at US$10.99. Its latest announcement came earlier in the month when it provided information on a conference presentation.

Vaccinex

Clinical-stage Vaccinex saw its share price rise 32.68 percent last week to end at US$6.75. The immunotherapy firm uses targeted biotherapeutics to treat serious diseases with unmet medical needs.

It did not put out any news during the period, with its most recent press release being on April 9, when it shared a summary of data on its anti-SEMA4D technology. The data was presented at an American Association for Cancer Research meeting.

Marinus Pharmaceuticals

Marinus Pharmaceuticals is developing Ganaxolone, which is used to treat epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders, in three different dose forms. The clinical stage company has orphan drug designation status from the US Food and Drug Administration.

The company’s share price increased 28.8 percent last week to finish at US4.88. It has not released news since March, when it published a business update along with its 2018 financial results.

Data for the 5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday at 1:00 p.m. EDT using TradingView‘s stock screener. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $10 million and lower than $500 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.

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

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

**This article is updated each week. Please scroll to the top for the most recent information**

5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Mustang Spikes on Bubble Boy Cure 

By Charlotte McLeod, April 21, 2019

The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) closed last Thursday (April 18) at 3,286.56, roughly flat from the previous day but down from its close of 3,470.95 on Monday (April 15). 

Despite a short trading week, several NASDAQ-listed biotech and pharmaceutical companies recorded impressive share price gains over the course of the four-day period, with Mustang Bio (NASDAQ:MBIO) taking the lead by far with a spike of over 75 percent.

The following five stocks saw the biggest share price gains last week:

• Mustang Bio
• Sesen Bio (NASDAQ:SESN)
• Bio-Path Holdings (NASDAQ:BPTH)
• LogicBio Therapeutics (NASDAQ:LOGC)
• Merus (NASDAQ:MRUS)

Mustang Bio

Mustang Bio is focused on treating hematologic cancers, solid tumors and rare genetic diseases using advancements in cell and gene therapies. The company’s strategy is to minimize development risk by in-licensing therapeutic candidates from leading institutions.

Last Wednesday (April 17), the biopharmaceutical firm announced the publication of data from a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of a lentiviral gene therapy used to treat infants with X-SCID, also known as “bubble boy disease.” Results were released for eight of the 10 infants participating in the trial, and according to the company those eight have been cured. All are under two years old.

Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital developed the cure and treated the infants; Mustang is developing the gene therapy for commercial use. The company’s share price leaped 75.16 percent to reach US$5.44 at the close of trading last week.

Sesen Bio

Sesen Bio is using fusion protein medicines to treat cancer. The clinical-stage company’s lead program is Vicinium, which is now now in a Phase 3 registration trial geared at treating high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Last week, the company’s share price jumped 21.62 percent to land at US$1.18. It did not release any news during the period, with its last publication coming on March 4, when it shared its Q4 and full-year operating results for 2018.

Bio-Path Holdings

Bio-Path Holdings’ goal is to use targeted therapies to treat difficult cancers like acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemia. A Phase 2 trial is currently in the works for its lead candidate, BP1001. The trial has 54 participants, all with previously untreated AML. The company’s other candidates are BP1002 and BP1003.

Bio-Path’s share price rose 16.76 percent last week to close at US$19.02, although it did not put out any news. It last shared news on April 4, when it presented pre-clinical data on BP1003.

LogicBio Therapeutics

Genome editing company LogicBio Therapeutics aims to treat pediatric patients with rare diseases, with its initial focus being rare liver disorders. Its proprietary GeneRide technology allows it to edit the human genome while sidestepping risks often associated with this process.

The company saw a share price increase of 16.71 percent to finish last week at US$12.15. It did not provide any updates during that time, with its last news coming on April 1, when it released its Q4 and full-year financial results for 2018.

Merus

Merus is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company that uses its bispecific antibody therapeutics, called Biclonics, to treat cancer. It has five drug candidates in its pipeline in various stages of development.

The company did not release any news last week, but its share price closed the period up 15.7 percent at US$15.70. Its most recent news came when it released its financial results for 2018 on April 3. Merus also provided a business update at that time.

Data for the 5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday at 1:00 p.m. EDT using TradingView‘s stock screener. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $10 million and lower than $500 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.

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

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