5 Top NASDAQ Biotech Stocks: Aerie Pharmaceuticals Up 73 Percent

The NASDAQ Biotechnology index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI)  had a positive week, ending it with 3,051.45 points, up by 0.53 percent.
Last week’s gainers broke higher than 30 percent in gains for the week. Here is a look at how the companies performed last week.

• Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AERI)
• Acasti Pharma (NASDAQ:ACST)
• Alphatec Holdings (NASDAQ:ATEC)
• Northwest Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:NWBO)
• Stellar Biotechnologies (NASDAQ:SBOT)

Aerie Pharmaceuticals

Aerie has had a positive week: it gained 73.48 percent over the five day trading period, and ended the week at $34.87 per share. Year-to-date, the stock has gained 43.20 percent.
Aerie is focused on therapies for glaucoma and other eye diseases. Its glaucoma drug Roclatan is in its clinical stage, and last week it was reported that Phase 3 of its trial results were positive. The day after, an equity offering for $50 million was announced, and on Friday, the company reported that $125 Million was raised. Aerie has filed an NDA in Q3 of 2016 for its other glaucoma drug, RhopressaTM.

Acasti Pharma

Acasti gained 53.26 percent over the five day trading period, and ended the week at $2.00 per share.
Acasti Pharma is advancing its cardiovascular drug sourced from krill oil, CaPre®, for the treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia. Shares of Acasti rose when last week, the company announced positive results from its CaPre® Omega-3 Bridging Study. President and CEO, Jan D’Alvise said that, “With this momentum, we look forward to working with the FDA to confirm the pathway and optimize the design of our Phase 3 program.”

Alphatec Holdings

Alphatec gained 48.36 percent over the five day trading period, and ended the week at $6.32 per share.
Alphatec Spine, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphatec Holdings, is is a global medical device company focused on spinal fusion technologies. Last week, the company announced changes in leadership, as well as regained compliance with the NASDAQ.

Northwest Biotherapeutics

Northwest gained 39.12 percent over the five day trading period, and ended the week at $0.47 cents per share.
Northwest Biotherapeutics is developing personalized vaccines for solid tumor cancers. On September 6th, the company reported that it had regained compliance with NASDAQ. THe issue was in regard to securities issuances to Cognate BioServices. However, there has been no further recent news from the company to explain last week’s rise in share price.

Stellar Biotechnologies

Stellar gained 31.28 percent over the five day trading period, and ended the week at $2.79 per share.
Stellar manufactures Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), ain important immune-stimulating protein used in the therapeutic and diagnostic markets. In August, Stellar announced its Q3 financial results, reporting increased revenue for the quarter and a net loss of $1.19 million. There has been no further recent news from the company to explain last week’s rise in share price.
Data for 5 Top NASDAQ Stocks articles is retrieved each Friday after market close using The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only companies with a market capitalization greater than $10 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are considered.
Securities Disclosure: I, Pia Rivera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.