5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Avid Bioservices on Top

Over the past trading week, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) had a 1.51 percent decrease from Monday’s (June 25) high of 3,511.43 points to settle in at 3,463.35 points as of 1:30 p.m. EST on Friday (June 29).

This week has had a decent amount of very positive and negative news for companies in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The week started off with Aerpio (OTCQB:ARPO) and Gossamer Bio announcing a new licensing agreement which could bring the first up to US$400 million, including US$20 million as an upfront payment, potential development, regulatory, sales milestones, and royalties on worldwide sales paid by Gossamer. A less than positive announcement from Achaogen (NASDAQ:AKAO) sent its share price down following and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval due to one less indication approved, as expected.

For the big pharmas, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) shared positive Phase 3 results on Monday, while Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) received a positive CHMP opinion on its drug on Friday, while Celgene (NASDAQ:CELG) and Acceleron (NASDAQ:XLRN) announced positive Phase 3 clinical study results also on Friday.

On that note, a number of other biotech and pharma stocks also had big weeks in terms of rising share prices, including:

• Avid Bioservices (NASDAQ:CDMO)
• Arbutus Biopharma (NASDAQ:ABUS)
• Catalyst (NASDAQ:CBIO)
• ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL)
• CTI BioPharma (NASDAQ:CTIC)

Here’s a closer look at those companies. All figures are quoted in US dollars and figures are taken from Google Finance as of 1:30 p.m. EST on Friday.

Avid Bioservices

With a 18.65 percent share price increase to $3.92, has landed Avid first on our top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list.

This company works in the development and cGMP manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products derived from mammalian cell cultures. It also offers process development activities including cell line development, optimizations and more. This allows the company to generate revenue through multiple methods.

Over the past trading week Avid was added to Russell 3000 Index and Russell 2000 Index as part of FTSE Russell’s annual reconstitution of its family of US indexes. As this was the only news for the company over the week, it may have been what spiked investors’ interest.

Arbutus Biopharma

Next on the list is Arbutus. This company is developing and commercializing a cure for chronic Hepatitis B infection (HBV). Multiple drug candidates are in development to improve on the current standard of care and create a curated combination regime for patients with HBV, or even a cure.

Over the past trading week Arbutus Biopharma’s share price increased to $7.18, representing a 15.29 percent shift.

The company didn’t have much news over the past trading week but the share price may reflect investors’ interest in the company presenting at the first annual Roivant Pipeline Day, which was announced June 18.

Catalyst

Similar to Avid, Catalyst also announced it joined the Russel 2000 index over the past trading week which came into effect Monday. The annual reconstitution of the Russell Indices captures the 4,000 largest US stocks as of May 11, 2018, ranking them by total market capitalization.

Catalyst develops novel medicines for hematology indications with a focus on the field of hemostasis, including the subcutaneous prophylaxis of hemophilia and facilitating surgery in individuals with hemophilia.

The company’s share price landed middle of our top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list with a 14.49 percent increase to $11.77.

ArQule

ArQule is focused on next-generation, small-molecules for cancer therapeutics. The company’s targeted broad-spectrum products and research programs are focused on key biological processes, central to cancer.

During last week’s trading period ArQule’s stock price increased to $5.36, moving 7.46 percent.

In addition to making it on the Russell 2000 index announced on Monday, ArQule also presented results from an ongoing Phase 1 dose escalation study of its reversible BTK inhibitor, ARQ 531. The presentation took place in Sweden at the 23rd Congress of European Hematological Association (EHA) and highlights were shared in the press release.

CTI BioPharma

Last on the top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is CTI with a 6.94 percent increase to $5.13.

This company is focusing on acquiring, developing and commercializing therapies covering a spectrum of blood-related cancers. Some of its current goals is seeking European approval for Pixuvri and continuing development of its late-stage development pipeline including pacritinib.

The company didn’t have any news over the past week, however it did present at the JMP Securities 2018 Life Science Conference on June 21 in New York. This may have been what initiated the investor focus on CTI for the share price increase.

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

Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday at 10:00 a.m. PST using 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 Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Caladrius Soars 77 Percent

Published June 24, 2018 by Jocelyn Aspa.

Last week, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) dipped by 0.48 percent from Monday’s (June 18) high of 3,547.13 points to settle in at 3,530.09 points as of 1:37 p.m. EST on Friday (June 22).

Some of the big news during last week’s trading period included Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) receiving supplementary premarket approval for its BRACAnalysis CDx, which was announced on Monday. Neovasc (NASDAQ:NVCN) also had a big week with its Neovasc Reducer implanted in the first US patient, while Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:INO) dosed its first patient in its Phase 1/2 immuno-oncology trial for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) patients.

A number of other biotech and pharma stocks also had big weeks in terms of rising share prices, including:

• Caladrius Biosciences (NASDAQ:CLBS)
• Bellerophon Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BLPH)
• Celsion (NASDAQ:CLSN)
• Albireo Pharma (NASDAQ:ALBO)
• Trillium Therapeutics (NASDAQ:TRIL)

Here’s a closer look at those companies.

Caladrius Biosciences

First on last week’s top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Caladrius Biosciences. Caladrius is a clinical stage development company with a number of cell therapy products in its pipeline.

The company is currently investigating its lead product candidate, CLBS03, which is an ex vivo expanded polyclonal T regulatory cell therapy to treat recent-onset type 1 diabetes. The product is enrolling a Phase 2 trial.

Caladrius Biosciences announced on Tuesday (June 19) it had received FDA regenerative medicine advanced therapy designation for its late stage CD34+ cell therapy program to treat refractory angina. The news pushed the company’s share price up significantly over the five-day period by 76.54 percent to reach US$7.15 as of 2:17 p.m. EST on Friday.

Bellerophon Therapeutics

Next is Bellerphon Therapeutics is a clinical stage biotherapeutics company with a focus on developing products for treating cardiopulmonary diseases.

The company’s INOpulse programs are evaluating the treatment of pulmonary aterial hypertension, pulmonary hyperentension associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease.

That being said, Bellerophon Therapeutics didn’t have any news during last week’s trading period to describe its rising share price, although the increase is still worth nothing. Over the week shares of the company rose 19.67 percent to reach US$2.92 as of 2:25 p.m. EST on Friday.

Celsion

Middle of the pack on last week’s five top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Celsion, a biopharmaceutical company focused on cancer treatments including directed chemotherapies, DNA-mediated immunotherapy, and RNA-based therapies.

The company’s lead product candidate is ThermoDox, which is a proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin, which is in Phase 3 trial combined with RFA to treat hepatocellular carcinoma. Celsion also has in its pipeline GEN-1, a DNA-mediated immunotherapy for localized treatment of ovarian cancer.

However, Celsion didn’t have any news last week that could relate to its share price spike, which rose 16.29 percent to US$3.25 as of 2:34 p.m. EST on Friday.

Albireo Pharma

Next is Albireo Pharma, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with a focus on developing and commercialization of novel bile modulators to treat orphan pediatric liver diseases as well as other liver gastrointestinal diseases and disorders.

The company announced on Monday that it had appointed Jason G. Duncan as general counsel and secretary, although that may not have contributed to its rising share price. The week previous Albireo had received rare pediatric disease designation to its A4250 from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Over last week’s trading period shares of Albireo Pharma increased 11.31 percent to settle in at US$35.79 as of 2:40 p.m. EST on Friday.

Trillium Therapeutics

Rounding out last week’s five top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Trillium Therapeutics, an immuno-oncology company with a focus on developing novel cancer therapies.

Trillium’s lead product, TTI-621, is a SIRPaFc fusion that contains CD47-binding domain of a human SIRPa linked to the Fc region of a human immunoglobulin (IgG1). it is designed to act as a soluble decoy receptor to prevent CD47 from delivering its inhibitory signal.

The company announced on Tuesday that it had entered into a sales agreement with Cowan and Company LLC and that it had also filed a prospectus supplement, which may have contributed to its rising share price. Over the week shares of Trillium increased 9.84 percent to reach US$3.13 as of 2:45 p.m. EST on Friday.

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

Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday at 10:00 a.m. PST using 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, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.