Biotech Alert: Searches spiking for these stocks today

Stay ahead of biotech stocks seeing a surge in interest from retail and financial professional investors with this exclusive recap from The Fly

These names in the biotech sector are seeing a substantial increase in search activity today, as determined by InvestingChannel. They include:

• Kazia Therapeutics (KZIA), 1,046% surge in interest
• Eton Pharmaceuticals (ETON), 269% surge in interest
• Acorda Therapeutics (ACOR), 86% surge in interest
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), 79% surge in interest
• Surface Oncology (SURF), 78% surge in interest

Pipeline and key clinical candidates for these companies:

Kazia Therapeutics is an oncology-focused drug development company based in Sydney, Australia, whose lead program is paxalisib, a brain-penetrant inhibitor of the PI3K / Akt / mTOR pathway, which is being developed to treat multiple forms of brain cancer. Licensed from Genentech in late 2016, paxalisib is or has been the subject of ten clinical trials in this disease. Kazia is also developing EVT801, a small-molecule inhibitor of VEGFR3, which was licensed from Evotec SE in April 2021. Preclinical data has shown EVT801 to be active against a broad range of tumor types and has provided compelling evidence of synergy with immuno-oncology agents. A phase I study commenced recruitment in November 2021.

Eton Pharmaceuticals is focused on developing, acquiring, and commercializing treatments for rare diseases. The company currently commercializes ALKINDI SPRINKLE and Carglumic Acid tablets and has four additional rare disease products under development, including dehydrated alcohol injection and the ZENEO hydrocortisone autoinjector.

Acorda Therapeutics develops therapies to restore function and improve the lives of people with neurological disorders. Inbrija is approved for intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in adults with Parkinson’s disease treated with carbidopa/levodopa and utilizes Acorda’s innovative ARCUS pulmonary delivery system, a technology platform designed to deliver medication through inhalation. Acorda also markets the branded Ampyra Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg.

Vertex has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis, or CF – a rare, life-threatening genetic disease – and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a pipeline of investigational small molecule, cell and genetic therapies in other serious diseases, including sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, pain, type 1 diabetes, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Surface Oncology is an immuno-oncology company whose pipeline includes two wholly-owned clinical-stage programs targeting CD39 and IL-27, as well as a preclinical program focused on selectively depleting regulatory T cells in the tumor microenvironment via targeting CCR8. In addition, Surface has two partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies: a collaboration with Novartis (NVS) targeting CD73 and a collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) targeting PVRIG.

Recent news on these stocks:

October 28

Cowen analyst Philip Nadeau raised the firm’s price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals to $330 from $315 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares following the company’s Q3 earnings report. The analyst said its pipeline is maturing with 3 non-CF programs in pivotal development and he expects the company to outperform as CF revenue grows and its pipeline matures.

October 27

Acorda Therapeutics provided its long-term business plan and financial guidance. Acorda said it is implementing high-potential initiatives to grow the Inbrija business, including launching new brand campaigns for physicians and people with Parkinson’s; expanding the usage of recently launched E-prescribing platform, which removes barriers to prescribing and has increased fulfillment rates; introducing cash-pay option to improve patient access; and focusing its sales team with a hyper-targeted call strategy. Revenue excluding the U.S. is expected to increase in 2023 and 2024 as Germany launch progresses and additional launches commence in Spain and Latin America, Acorda said. Meanwhile, Acorda said Ampyra net sales are currently at 13% of peak sales, and the company believes the long-term value of the brand is expected at roughly 10% of peak sales through 2027.

For fiscal 2022, Acorda is forecasting Inbrija net sales of $30.M-$31.6M and Ampyra sales of $83.4M-$86M. Total net revenue for FY22 is anticipated at $116M-$119.7M, which compares with one estimate of $129.07M. For FY23, Acorda sees Inbrija net sales of $44.4M-$49.2M, Ampyra sales of $74.1M-$81.9M, and total net revenue of $121.3M-$134.3M, compared with one estimate of $120.51M.

Fiscal 2024 Inbrija sales are expected to be $62.1M-$68.6M, with Ampyra sales of $70.1M-$77.5M, and total net revenue of $134.1M-$148.1M. Fiscal 2025 Inbrija sales are seen at $82.4M-$91M, with Ampyra sales of $69.1M-$74.2M, and total net sales of $151M-$166.8M. Fiscal 2026 Inbrija sales are expected to be $97.2M-$107.5M, with Ampyra sales of $65.2M-$72.1M and total net revenue of $163.9M-$181.2M. Finally, Acorda sees fiscal 2027 Inbrija sales of $116.4M-$128.6M, Ampyra sales of $62.5M-$69.1M, and total net revenue of $180.4M-$199.3M.

October 19

VIB and Surface Oncology jointly announced the publication of a study entitled, "Structural basis of activation and antagonism of receptor signaling mediated by interleukin-27: Cell Reports," in Cell Reports. The study was a collaborative research effort between the Unit for Structural Biology at the VIB-University of Ghent Center for Inflammation Research and Surface Oncology. "SRF388 is a fully human anti-IL-27 antibody designed to inhibit the activity of this immunosuppressive cytokine, and this study provides important structural evidence that the antibody directly competes with the IL-27 receptor to prevent downstream signaling of the cytokine," said Vito Palombella, Chief Scientific Officer at Surface Oncology.

About “Biotech Alert”

The Fly will report on a selection of biotech stocks seeing a surge in interest from retail and financial professional investors, based on data from InvestingChannel.

This Fly exclusive recap reveals the biotech stocks that are seeing a spike in searches among the 15-plus million retail and financial professional investors through InvestingChannel’s online financial news media ecosystem.

This increased attention from the investors may be in response to, or advance of, outsized moves for stocks in the biotech sector, which tend to be volatile and prone to sharp swings in share price around binary events such as clinical study results and FDA approvals.

Keywords: biotech, biotech sector, biotech alert, investingchannel, XBI, SPDR S&P Biotech ETF