Biotech Stocks: 5 Biggest Companies in 2023

Market capitalization: US$86.33 billion

Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a global biotech firm focused on developing and commercializing therapies for treating cystic fibrosis. It has a number of approved treatments for cystic fibrosis, and a pipeline of genetic and cell therapies for diseases such as sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and type 1 diabetes.

Vertex and its partner CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) have submitted biologics license applications to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for drug candidate CTX001 as a treatment for severe sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia.

Market capitalization: US$84.52 billion

Biotech leader Regeneron Pharmaceuticals develops and commercializes medicines targeting cancer, pain and a wide variety of diseases, including inflammatory, cardiovascular, metabolic, hematologic and rare diseases.

The FDA has approved nine of the treatments in the company’s portfolio, which also includes a number of product candidates in development. The company’s Regeneron Genetics Center is investigating approaches to speeding up the discovery and development of medicines for serious illnesses. In late May 2022, Regeneron acquired immuno-oncology company Checkmate Pharmaceuticals, whose lead investigational candidate, vidutolimod, has demonstrated clinical responses as a monotherapy in patients with PD-1 refractory melanoma.

The FDA is expected to make a decision in June 2023 on Regeneron’s biologics license application for Eylea (aflibercept) targeting wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy.

Market capitalization: US$50.1 billion

Best known today for the rapid deployment of effective COVID-19 vaccines, Moderna leads the world in the field of mRNA-based medicine. Alongside a diverse clinical and intellectual property portfolio targeting infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune diseases, the company’s assets include an integrated manufacturing plant that allows for both clinical and commercial production.

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical company recently partnered with technology giant IBM (NYSE:IBM) to explore the use of quantitive computing and generative artificial intelligence in developing mRNA medicines.

Market capitalization: US$37.67 billion

Seagen is developing and commercializing monoclonal antibody-based therapies for the treatment of cancer. The biotech company's product pipeline includes at least nine Phase 3 clinical studies covering four drug candidates, with a focus on several forms of cancer, including cervical, breast, colorectal, bladder and large B cell lymphoma.

In April 2023, the FDA granted accelerated approval for Seagen’s PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.

Market capitalization: US$26.72 billion

Biopharmaceutical firm BioNTech is advancing immunotherapies for serious diseases such as cancer. The company’s portfolio of oncology product candidates includes mRNA-based therapies, CAR-T cell therapies and targeted cancer antibodies. In partnership with Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), BioNTech brought to market one of the world’s most important COVID-19 vaccines.

Recently, BioNTech inked a potential US$1.67 billion collaboration deal with China-based biotech company Duality Biologics. Under the agreement, BioNTech will receive licensed rights for two of Duality Biologics' antibody-drug conjugate candidates targeting solid tumors.