5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Dova Up 41 Percent

Over the past trading week, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) increased 0.44 percent to reach 3,983.43 points as of 2:00 p.m. EST on Friday (December 28).

A shorter week than normal due to holidays doesn’t mean one without important news — especially with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) open.

This past week, Horizon Pharma (NASDAQ:HZNP) announced its supplemental new drug application was approved by the FDA, meaning it can expand the age range for RAVICTI. The oral liquid for urea cycle disorder will now include infants younger than two months living with the condition.

Histogenics (NASDAQ:HSGX) announced it will need to complete an additional clinical trial before applying for a Biologics License Application for NeoCart. This follows a discussion with the FDA regarding Histogenics’ Phase 3 clinical trial data.

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

• Dova Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:DOVA)
• Sesen Bio (NASDAQ:SESN)
• Adaptimmune Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ADAP)
• Mustang Bio (NASDAQ:MBIO)
• Equillium (NASDAQ:EQ)

Here’s a closer look at those companies and what moved their share prices. Share prices are quoted in US dollars and were current as of 2:00 p.m. EST on Friday.

Dova Pharmaceuticals

First on our top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Dova Pharmaceuticals with a 41.77-percent share price increase to $8.12. Dova is focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing drug candidates for rare diseases, specifically those for acute and chronic thrombocytopenia.

The company didn’t have any news last week, but on December 17 it announced management changes. Dova appointed a new CEO and chief commercial officer, both with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

Sesen Bio

Next up is Sesen Bio, which is developing next-generation antibody-drug conjugate therapies to treat cancer based on its Targeted Protein Therapeutics platform.

This past week, Sesen announced it will host a conference call on January 3 to review updated data on its Phase 3 VISTA trial of Vicinium. The trial is for Sesen’s drug candidate as a potential treatment for high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in those who have been previously treated with bacillus Calmette-Guérin. Over the trading period, Sesen’s share price had a 38.83-percent increase to $1.43

Adaptimmune Therapeutics

Middle of our weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Adaptimmune with a 23.74-percent share price increase to $4.93. This clinical-stage company is developing cancer immunotherapy products with its SPEAR T-cell platform. The company is currently conducting trials with this technology across multiple solid tumor indications.

Although the company didn’t have any news last week, it did have an announcement on December 12. It said its current chief technology officer will leave the company at the end of January 2019.

Mustang Bio

Mustang Bio is harnessing the power of the human immune system with CAR-T cells to fight cancer. The company has a focus on acquiring, licensing or in other ways acquiring ownership interests to fund research and development for these technologies.

Mustang’s most recent news was an update on its CAR-T drug MB-102 as a treatment for a rare incurable blood cancer, blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm. The drug candidate received Orphan Drug Designation, which provides certain incentives such as tax credits for drug development. Landing fourth on our NASDAQ biotech stocks list, Mustang had a 22.05-percent share price increase to $3.10.

Equillium

Equillium lands last on our NASDAQ biotech stocks list with a 21.92-percent share price increase to $7.71. The company focuses on using immunobiology to develop products to treat severe autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

Recently, the company announced that its drug EQ001 has received a FDA fast-track designation for the treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease. Some benefits from this program include more frequent meetings or communication with the agency to discuss the drug’s development plan. It may also be eligible for accelerated approval and priority review.

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 TradingView’s Stock Screener. 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: Index Tumbles

Published December 23, 2018 by Gabrielle Lakusta

Over the past trading week, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) decreased 11.96 percent to 3,873.42 points as of 12:30 p.m. EST on Friday (December 21).

The biotech industry always has a focus on clinical trial news which generally triggers share price volatility. TRACON Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TCON) announced on Friday that its Phase 2 TRAXAR trial did not meet its primary endpoints. The trial was with TRC105 in combination with Inlyta (axitinib) for renal cell carcinoma.

The company intends to present the results from this trial for an upcoming scientific congress.

FibroGen (NASDAQ:FGEN) also announced clinical trial results for its Phase 3 trial on Thursday (December 20), this time with positive news. The drug, roxadustat, met all primary objectives in the trial for chronic kidney disease patients with anemia.

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

• Outlook Therapeutics (NASDAQ:OTLK)
• XBiotech (NASDAQ:XBIT)
• Acasti Pharma (NASDAQ:ACST)
• Clementia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CMTA)
• Cumberland Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CPIX)

Here’s a closer look at those companies and what moved their share prices. Share prices are quoted in US dollars and are current as of 1 p.m. EST on Friday.

Outlook Therapeutics

First on our top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list last week is Outlook Therapeutics with a 53.98 percent share price increase to $0.67. The company provided a business update and reported financials for the fiscal 2018 year which may have triggered this share price increase. Some highlights include a $20 million private placement, appointing additional members to the management team and restructuring and extending another financing in the form of senior secured notes.

Outlook focuses on a single drug candidate ONS-5010, for wet age related macular degeneration. The company is currently working on a Phase 1 clinical trial for the drug.

XBiotech

Next is XBiotech, which saw a share price increase of 35.30 percent to $6.01. The company is focused on pioneering the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutics antibodies based on its True Human technology. Some of the antibody therapies in its pipeline are for indications in inflammatory conditions, oncology and infectious diseases.

Though it hasn’t had any regulatory or financial updates in the past week, the company did announce results from its Phase 2 trial on December 12. The study testing bermekimab on atopic dermatitis patients proved successful and met all primary and secondary trial objectives.

Acasti Pharma

Acasti Pharma lands middle of our weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list. The company focuses on the research, development and commercialization of prescription drugs using omega 3 fatty acids from krill oil. The company is currently developing this oil for hypertriglyceridemia which lead patients more prone to cardiovascular diseases.

Over the trading period, Acasti announced it achieved its enrolment target for TRILOGY, the Phase 3 trial of CaPre for patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Over 1,450 patients have been enrolled in the trial at 150 clinical sites across the US, Canada and Mexico. Acasti’s share price increased 12.12 percent to $0.74.

Clementia Pharmaceuticals

Clementia Pharmaceuticals has a broad focus of developing drugs for patients with no treatment options. Its lead candidate is palovarotene, in development to treat fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, multiple osteochondroma and other diseases.

The company’s share price increased 9.56 percent to $12.49 over last week’s trading period, although it hasn’t had any news for nearly a month. The most recent news was at the end of November when the company announced the departure of its chief commercial officer.

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals

A new company to our list, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals lands last on this past weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list. This specialty pharmaceutical company is working on acquiring, developing and commercializing branded prescription products. Within its approved portfolio of drugs includes Acetadote, Caldolor, Kristalose, and Omeclamox-Pak among others.

Although Cumberland didn’t have any news over the trading period, its stock price increased 9.17 percent share price increase to $6.55. The last announcement was on November 13 when the company released its Q3 2018 financial results. Net revenues in the report was lowered to $8.49 million from $11.19 from Q3 2017.

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 TradingView’s Stock Screener. 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.