5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: vTv Leads with 374 Percent

Last week, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) had a 5.59-percent decrease, representing a drop from 3,856.64 to 3,632.70 points as of 1:10 p.m. EST Friday (October 5).

The week had less news than others, but Avrobio’s (NASDAQ:AVRO) clinical trial update led to a 50 percent share price drop on Monday (October 1). The company released updates on two drugs in ongoing trials: the first drug AVR-RD-01 is a Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trial as a Fabry disease treatment.

The other drug, AVR-RD-02, is about to enter a clinical trial as a treatment for Gaucher’s disease. Both are gene therapy drugs the company is developing as one-time treatments.

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

• vTv Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VTVT)
• Trevena (NASDAQ:TRVN)
• Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CYCC)
• Paratek Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:PRTK)
• Avadel Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AVDL)

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 as of 2:15 p.m. EST on Friday.

vTv Therapeutics

First on our weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is vTv Therapeutics, with a dramatic 374.03 percent increase over the last week, bringing its share price to $3.22. This clinical-stage pharmaceutical company has a range of pre-clinical small molecule drug candidates for central nervous system disorders and cancer, among others.

The company hasn’t had any recent news, even in the past month, however it did present at the 20^th Annual Rodman & Renshaw Global Investment Conference on September 6.

Trevena 

A company created to translate Nobel Prize-winning research into groundbreaking medicine, Trevena has a pipeline of pain and migraine drugs. Its Oliceridine injection has been given breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA; it could be a morphine substitute without the same side effects.

On Monday, the company announced a new CEO and director, Carrie Bourdow, as the previous CEO, Maxine Gowen, retired. This may have been what caused a 36 percent share price increase to $3.06 over the past trading week.

Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals

Middle of our 5 weekly top NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Cyclacel. On Thursday (October 4), the company announced a strategic alliance to study medicine in blood disorders with the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Some indications studied for the therapies will be chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and other advanced leukemias.

Shares of the company increased 20 percent over the week to $6.50. Cyclacel is a clinical-stage company focusing on cell cycle, transcriptional regulation and DNA damage response in oncology needs.

Paratek Pharmaceuticals 

Next is Paratek, which shares increased 19.90 percent over the trading week to $11.41. The company is focused on the development and commercialization of tetracycline chemistry drugs such as Nuzyra — the company’s only commercial product for bacterial skin infections and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.

The company announced onThursday the European Medicines Agency accepted its application for Nuzyra in administered orally and intravenously. The next step investors can expect to hear in regards to this news will be approval in the European Union for the drug.

Avadel Pharmaceuticals 

Last on our 5 top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Avadel with a 13.17 percent share price increase to $4.41 over the trading week. While Avadel didn’t have any news in the past week, it did announce a scientific journal publication of Phase 3 data for its drug Noctiva on September 28. Published in the Journal of Urology, the data showed the company’s nasal spray drug significant improvement in patient’s quality of life and sleep disturbance.

Headquartered in Dublin, Avadel is a specialty pharma company with a pipeline of products in urology, central nervous system disorders and more.

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

Data for 5 Top weekly 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: Genocea Up 56.74 Percent

By Gabrielle Lakusta, September 30, 2018

The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) had a 2.62-percent increase during the last trading week, reaching 3,837.34 points as of 12:15 p.m. EST Friday (September 28).

While this past week for news wasn’t as robust as others, Geron (NASDAQ:GERN) and Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE:JNJ) subsidiary, Janssen Biotech, shared important news on Thursday (September 27) about their partnership. The two previously worked on developing a drug for two blood disorders, but have canceled the partnership.

Geron will be responsible for all future developments of imetelstat, including the two ongoing trials, IMerge for myelodysplastic syndromes and IMbark for myelofibrosis. Both trials are currently in Phase 2 development. The company’s share price decreased over 60 percent the day on Thursday.

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

• Genocea Biosciences (NASDAQ:GNCA)
• EyePoint Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:EYPT)
• Trevena (NASDAQ:TRVN)
• Adamis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ADMP)
• KalVista Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:KALV)

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 as of 12:15 p.m. EST on Friday.

Genocea Biosciences

At the top of our weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Genocea Biosciences with a 56.74-percent share price increase to $0.77. Though the company hasn’t reported any big news in recent weeks, it did announce it will be giving presentations at two conferences in October.

The company has an oncology focus to develop new targeted cancer vaccines and immunotherapies with its Atlas proprietary technology platform. The technology identifies specific antigens of T cells based on human immune responses. The company’s only drug in the clinic is in Phase 1 development as a neoantigen cancer vaccine.

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals works on developing and commercializing ophthalmic products. So far, the company has developed three of only four US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments for back-of-the-eye diseases.

Similar to Genocea, the company did not have any news over the past trading week. Its most recent news came on September 12, when it released its 2018 and Q4 financial report. Highlights from the results include preparing for the launch of a new product, Dexycu, and a $35-million investment from EW Healthcare Partners. The FDA will an issue a response to the company’s new drug application for Yutiq on November 5. EyePoint’s share price increased 50.4 percent over the trading week to $3.38.

Trevena 

A company created to translate Nobel Prize-winning research into groundbreaking medicine, Trevena has a pipeline of pain and migraine drugs. Its Oliceridine injection has been given breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA; it could be a morphine substitute without the same side effects.

Like others on the list, Trevena had no big news over the past week. The latest news the company had was in early September about scheduling a meeting with the FDA’s Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee on October 11.

Trevena landed in the middle of our top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list with a 37.2-percent share price increase to $2.14.

Adamis Pharmaceuticals 

Next is Adamis Pharmaceuticals, which had share price increase of 31.97 percent to reach $3.45. What likely spiked its share price was FDA approval announced on Thursday for its lower-dose drug Symjepi, a new treatment for anaphylaxis.

The company’s goal is to create high-quality and lower-cost products for respiratory and allergy needs. Currently in its pipeline is a treatment for opioid overdoses and erectile dysfunction, among others.

KalVista Pharmaceuticals

KalVista Pharmaceuticals took the last spot on our top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list. The company is working on developing small-molecule protease inhibitors for diseases with significant unmet needs. KVD is in an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial for Plasma Kallikrein; another drug candidate called KVD900 has the same target, and a Phase 2 trial will be initiated within the year.

Over the past week, KalVista had one announcement, which is that it will present at the Cantor Global Healthcare Conference on October 2. KalVista’s share price increased 22.22 percent to $23.22.

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

Data for 5 Top weekly 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.