5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: MannKind Leads the Pack

Over the last week’s trading period, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) increased 1.41 percent as of 1:30 p.m. EST on Friday (October 19) to reach 3,504.47 points.

Some big news last week came on Wednesday (October 17) from Oragenics (NYSE:OGEN), which announced it had been approved in Belgium to enroll patients in a Phase 2 trial for AG013, a drug for the mouth disorder Oral Mucositis (OM). Oragenics expects to finish enrollment in mid-2019 and release topline data from the trial between the middle and second half of the same year.

On Thursday (October 18), Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) and Samsung BioLogics launched Imraldi, a biosimilar drug to Abbvie’s (NYSE:ABBV) Humira. Imraldi was approved for the same set of indications as its counterpart — 14 complex autoimmune conditions — in the EU in August 2017.

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

• MannKind (NASDAQ:MNKD)
• Sierra Oncology (NASDAQ:SRRA)
• Eiger BioPharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:EIGR)
• Aevi Genomic Medicine (NASDAQ:GNMX)
• 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 are current as of 1:30 p.m. EST Friday.

MannKind

First on the top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is MannKind with a 34.87 percent share price increase to $1.96. Last week’s hike is likely due to the company closing its exclusive license agreement with United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR), which was announced on Tuesday.

The worldwide licensing and collaboration agreement is to develop a dry powder formulation of treprostinil as a treatment for high blood pressure. MannKind has already received approval for another inhalation powder, Afrezza, which is the company’s only approved drug.

Sierra Oncology

Sierra Oncology is a clinical stage drug development company advancing targeted therapies for treating cancer patients. The company didn’t have any news in the last trading week, but it did host a “Key Opinion Leader” call on Wednesday, which featured a presentation by the company’s CEO Nick Glover.

The company’s share price increased 27.81 percent over last week’s trading period to reach $1.78.

Eiger BioPharmaceuticals

Middle 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 is currently moving into Phase 3 which is set to initiate by the end of 2018.

The company announced on Thursday it will present at the BTIG investor conference in the end of October. Eiger also announced positive Phase 2 LIMT study results for its Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) Infection single treatment. The company will share additional data from the trial at another conference in November.

This news may have been what caused investor interest in the company, which saw a 23.41 percent share price increase to $11.96.

Aevi Genomic Medicine

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

Aevi started the week of with it announcing that it completed enrollment for Part B of its ASCEND trial for an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) genetic-specific treatment. Over the five-day trading period, shares of the company increased 16.82 percent to $1.23.

KalVista Pharmaceuticals

KalVista Pharmaceuticals closes out 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 with a Phase 2 trial expected to be initiated within the year.

However, KalVista didn’t have any news over last week’s trading period to describe its share price increase. Its most recent news was regarding a presentation at the Cantor Global Healthcare Conference on October 2. KalVista’s share price increased 13.95 percent last week to $19.91.

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 accurate information.***

5 Top Weekly NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: AcelRx Lands on Top

By Gabrielle Lakusta, October 14, 2018 

Over the past trading week, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) had a 5.27 percent decrease as of 1:25 p.m. Friday (October 12). 

Investors looking to stay updated on clinical trial updates may have caught Bellerophon Therapeutic’s (NASDAQ:BLPH) news on its Phase 2b trial. The trial is for high blood pressure (pulmonary hypertension) associated interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) and will expand its current one cohort group to three to test different drug amounts for the indication.

Bellerophon also anticipates releasing updated interim results from the Phase 3 study were also announced for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), which is another type of high blood pressure.

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

• AcelRx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACRX)
• vTv Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VTVT)
• Calithera Biosciences (NASDAQ:TRVN)
• BioDelivery Sciences (NASDAQ:BDSI)
• Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CYCC)

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 the Investing New Network’s stock information as of 1:25 p.m. EST Friday, unless otherwise noted.

AcelRx Pharmaceuticals

First on our list this for our top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks is AcelRx with a 28.80 percent share price increase to $3.98. This speciality pharmaceutical company develops and commercializes pain therapeutics based on the company’s proprietary sublingual formulation.

Likely what spurred this share price increase despite the overall market having a dip this week was a regulatory update from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). AcelRx met with the regulatory agency to review the company’s new drug application for its pain drug Dsuvia. The new drug application was accepted in May 2018 and the prescription drug user fee act date is early November 2018.

vTv Therapeutics

Also from INN’s last update on the 5 top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list, vTv has landed second on last week’s list. 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, however it did present at the 20^th Annual Rodman & Renshaw Global Investment Conference on September 6. vTv’s share price increased 27.44 percent over the past trading week to $3.16.

Calithera Biosciences 

This clinical stage pharmaceutical company is developing small molecules for tumor immunology and metabolism in oncology indications.

The latest news Calithera had was announcing an oncology clinical trial collaboration to evaluate Pfizer’s (NYSE:PFE) drug Ibrance and talazoparib. Aside from providing the drugs, Pfizer is also support the collaboration financially.

Calithera’s share price increased 22.59 percent last week to reach $0.87.

BioDelivery Sciences

BioDelivery is a commercial stage company with a focus on pain therapeutics. The company develops drugs with its proprietary technology, BioErodible MucoAdhesive (BEMA) which is administered on the inside of the cheek.

Shares of BioDelivery Sciences increased 18.15 percent over the trading period to reach $3.49 on Friday.

That said, the company didn’t report any news over last week’s trading period. It did, however, present at multiple investor healthcare conferences in early October.

Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals

Last on our 5 top weekly NASDAQ biotech stocks list is Cyclacel, which is a clinical-stage company focusing on cell cycle, transcriptional regulation and DNA damage response in oncology needs.

In early October, 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 16.50 percent over the trading week to reach $1.38.

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.