5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Bellerophon Leads the Pack

Over the past trading week, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) saw a small increase of 0.67 percent, rising from 3,669.43 to 3,691.8 as of 12:15 p.m. EST on Friday (August 24).

Last week was filled with noteworthy news for investors, with highlights including Novan (NASDAQ:NOVN) releasing positive clinical results for skin disease treatments.

The results received for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis resulted in a decision to move forward with the development of a drug candidate for atopic dermatitis. The company will also explore the use of lower doses in psoriasis and acne rosacea.

Another highlight was bluebird bio (NASDAQ:BLUE) announcing a collaboration with Gritstone oncology to research, develop and commercialize oncology cell therapy treatments. To enhance bluebird’s pipeline, Gritstone will use its Edge artificial intelligence platform, while bluebird will take care of development, manufacturing and commercial activities.

Against that backdrop, a number of other NASDAQ biotech companies saw significant share price increases last week. The five top gainers are as follows:

• Bellerophon Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BLPH)
• Chiasma (NASDAQ:CHMA)
• BioLife Solutions (NASDAQ:BLFS)
• Cerecor (NASDAQ:CERC)
• MiMedx Group (NASDAQ:MDXG)

Here’s a closer look at those companies and what moved their share prices last week. Share prices are quoted in US dollars and were taken from Google Finance at 1:00 p.m. EST on Friday.

Bellerophon Therapeutics

Ahead of the other companies last week with a 33.8-percent share price increase, Bellerophon lands at the top of our list with a $0.85 share price.

The company specializes in biotherapeutics, and is developing products to treat cardiopulmonary and cardiac diseases. In its pipeline are three product candidates featuring the company’s INOpulse technology. One is a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, and the other two are for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease.

Bellerophon’s latest news came on August 7, after the Data Monitoring Committee reviewed an interim analysis of its Phase 3 INOvation-1 study. It concluded that the trial should be stopped due to insufficient support for the trial to reach its primary endpoint.

Chiasma

Chiasma also did not release any news last week, with its most recent announcement coming on August 9. The company put out its Q2 financial results, highlighting the completion of enrolment in its MPowered Phase 3 trial, and 50-percent randomization in its Chiasma Optimal Phase 3 trial.

Focused on treating rare and serious chronic diseases, Chiasma is developing oral medications that are only currently available as injections. The Chiasma Optimal trial is for octreotide capsules, a product candidate for maintenance therapy for adult patients with acromegaly.

Over the past trading week, the company’s share price increased 31.43 percent to $2.30.

BioLife Solutions 

In the biotech space, BioLife Solutions is working on designing preservation solutions for maintaining the viability and health of cellular matter and tissues during freezing, transportation and storage. This is done with the company’s proprietary bio-packaging technology and patented understanding of cellular damage and death. Overall the developed products help other biotech companies with existing problems in the specified indications.

Coming in at the middle of the list, BioLife’s share price rose 29.24 percent last week to $25.73. BioLife didn’t have any big news during the week; however, it did announce on Wednesday (August 22) that it will ring the NASDAQ closing bell on August 29.

Cerecor

Integrated pharmaceutical company Cerecor has a portfolio of clinical and preclinical compounds that target patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. The company’s clinical and preclinical candidates include CERC-301, CERC-501 and CERC-406.

Cerecor’s share price jumped 25.06 percent last week to end the period at $4.82, but it did not release any news during the time that would explain the increase. Its latest announcement came on August 9, when it put out its Q2 financial results.

MiMedx Group

Last on the list is MiMedx Group, whose share price rose 18.98 percent last week to end at $4.26. The company, which bills itself as a leading biopharmaceutical company, develops and markets regenerative and therapeutic biologics that use human placental tissue allografts with patent-protected processes for multiple sectors of healthcare.

Last Friday, MiMedx announced the publication of a new study on the use of EpiFix in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. The study was published in International Wound Journal, a peer-reviewed journal, and according to the company it shows that patients treated with EpiFix were more than twice as likely to heal completely within 12 weeks compared to those not receiving EpiFx.

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 1:00 p.m. EST using Globe and Mail’s Stock 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: Idera Rises to the Top

By Gabrielle Lakusta, August 19, 2018

The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) had a rollercoaster week, but ended the period down 0.78 percent at 3,642.59 points as of 1:00 p.m. EST on Friday (August 17).

This week started out with a big announcement from Germany-based big pharma company Bayer (OTCPINK:BAYRY), which was ordered to pay US$289 million for a Monsanto lawsuit. The lawsuit blames the company for not warning users of a link between its pesticide and cancer.

The verdict was the first of thousands of outstanding Monsanto court cases on similar issues. Bayer finished its takeover of Monsanto in June 2018.

In other news, Summit Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SMMT,LSE:SUMM) was awarded an additional US$12 million, bringing its total gross committed funding from a Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority contract to US$44 million.

The funding is to support Summit’s Phase 3 development program for ridinilazole, a precision mechanism antibiotic to treat C. difficile infection.

Against that backdrop, a number of other NASDAQ biotech companies saw significant share price increases last week. The five top gainers are as follows:

• Idera Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IDRA)
• Eiger Biopharma (NASDAQ:EIGR)
• Aevi Genomic Medicine (NASDAQ:GNMX)
• Evofem Biosciences (NASDAQ:EVFM)
• Biospecifics Tech (NASDAQ:BSTC)

Here’s a closer look at those companies and what moved their share prices last week. Share prices are quoted in US dollars and were taken from Google Finance at 2:30 p.m. EST on Friday.

Idera Pharmaceuticals

Idera Pharmaceuticals saw a 26.81-percent increase last week to close at $8.76, giving the company the top spot on this weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list.

The company didn’t have any news over the last trading week; however, it did do a presentation at the Wedbush PacGrow Healthcare Conference on Tuesday (August 14).

Working on immunotherapy research, Idera’s lead development program is focused on priming the immune system to fight cancer and increase the amount of people who can benefit from immunotherapy. Two out of the four drug candidates in Idera’s pipeline are partnered with the likes of GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) and private company Vivelix.

Eiger BioPharma

Second on our weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is clinical-stage company Eiger BioPharma. Working on developing and commercializing targeted therapies for rare diseases, the company’s lead program candidate is Hepatitis Delta Virus infection; it currently moving into Phase 3, and that phase is set to initiate by the end of 2018.

The company announced on Monday (August 13) that it has finished enrolment for a Phase 2 PREVENT study of avexitide in post-bariatric surgical patients who experience dangerously low hypoglycemia, known as post-bariatric hypoglycemia.

This news may have been what caused investor interest in the company, whose share price increased by 19.8 percent to $11.70.

Aevi Genomic Medicine

Aevi Genomic Medicine completed enrolment in Part A of its Ascend trial, which will assess AEVI-001, a mGluR mutation positive genetic subset to treat ADHD in pediatric and adolescent patients.

The company’s focus is on working with genomic medicine to translate genetic discoveries into novel therapies, such as with AEVI-001. Aside from this trial, the company is also working on treatments for Crohn’s disease and another undisclosed rare pediatric disease.

Over the five-day trading period, shares of the company increased 10.89 percent to $1.10.

Evofem Biosciences

Evofem Biosciences is a clinical-stage women’s sexual and reproductive health company using its multi-purpose prevention technology gel to develop product candidates for multiple indications. Some include contraception, prevention of urogenital transmission of some SDIs and recurrent bacterial vaginosis.

The company didn’t have any news during last week’s trading period that may have triggered a share price increase, but it did release its Q2 2018 financial results in the first week of August.

Over the past trading week, the company’s share price reached $2.16 with a 9.05-percent increase.

Biospecifics Tech

The last company to make it on our weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Biospecifics Tech, which is developing collagenase-based therapies. The company’s collagenase-based product Xiaflex is marketed in the US and in Europe under the name Xiapex.

What may be driving investor interest in the company is the release of its Q2 2018 financial results on August 9. They show an increase in sales revenue from $6.53 million to $7.09 million year-on-year.

Biospecifics’ share price increased 8.99 percent last week to reach $52.41.

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 1:00 p.m. EST using Globe and Mail’s Stock 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.