Here are a couple of stocks I have been following in January --
ADVM (Adverum Biosciences) -- Gene therapy company that focuses on ophthalmic (eye) diseases. Not uncommon for gene therapy companies to start with immune privileged sites and then progress to other tissues. This company has a long history that includes a failure for wet AMD some years ago, but they have since changed leadership and bought out another gene therapy company. They currently have three different indications they are trying for therapies, but all are in very early stages. The attractiveness here isn't just they have three potential shots on goal, but also their AAV (viral) vectors they use to deliver their therapies. One of the biggest challenges in gene therapy right now is delivery to specific tissues. ADVM could be a potential partner for other gene therapy companies and license out their vectors. Editas, a CRISPR company, just announced an extension of their partnership for use of their vectors as they too are targeting eye diseases for their first clinical trials. Bought in early January during a portfolio rebalance at 3.70, and is at 7 today. I would wait for a pullback before adding, but I like this longterm.
SYBX (Synlogic) -- If I were to start a biotech today, it would be Synlogic. They are using synthetic biology to engineer probiotic or beneficial bacteria to perform specific therapeutic functions. They are targeting rare metabolic diseases such as urea cycle disorders, as well as working on more ideal probiotic situations such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They just had a recent public offering this week, and it seems that directors and institutional investors loaded up on the stock at the reduced prices. This news out today sent the stock up a big in after hours trading. I used the opportunity to start an initial position at ~9.6. This stock was trading at 23 in September and I think we will be back to 15 by March alone if you want to use it as a swing. Data (presentations) will be out in March.
Other plays I like -- Small cap stocks Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) is a 2018 play with several data readouts ahead, Leap Therapeutics (LPTX) is not properly valued under 100 million market cap as they have 9 ongoing trials and a phase III trial initiation this year. FibroGen (FGEN) which I think I've mentioned before is a mid-cap that I strongly believe in. The most interesting thing about FibroGen is they are going to be a very strong player in China, and the current projections do reflect this. Glycometrics (GLYC) is a company that had a massive re-pricing by the market in 2017, jumping from $3 in May to currently @22. They have impressive data for acute myeloid leukemia and are advancing the drug into bigger indications such as multiple myeloma. The most attractive thing about GLYC is it could be an M&A target for a larger biotech at some point in 2018, possibly before they launch their phase III trial in the second half 18.
Be on the lookout for companies that are involved in gene therapies (AAV, ZF, CRISPR), companies that can increase the speed of CAR-T production, and those looking for therapies against solid tumors. That is what is hot today.
ADVM (Adverum Biosciences) -- Gene therapy company that focuses on ophthalmic (eye) diseases. Not uncommon for gene therapy companies to start with immune privileged sites and then progress to other tissues. This company has a long history that includes a failure for wet AMD some years ago, but they have since changed leadership and bought out another gene therapy company. They currently have three different indications they are trying for therapies, but all are in very early stages. The attractiveness here isn't just they have three potential shots on goal, but also their AAV (viral) vectors they use to deliver their therapies. One of the biggest challenges in gene therapy right now is delivery to specific tissues. ADVM could be a potential partner for other gene therapy companies and license out their vectors. Editas, a CRISPR company, just announced an extension of their partnership for use of their vectors as they too are targeting eye diseases for their first clinical trials. Bought in early January during a portfolio rebalance at 3.70, and is at 7 today. I would wait for a pullback before adding, but I like this longterm.
SYBX (Synlogic) -- If I were to start a biotech today, it would be Synlogic. They are using synthetic biology to engineer probiotic or beneficial bacteria to perform specific therapeutic functions. They are targeting rare metabolic diseases such as urea cycle disorders, as well as working on more ideal probiotic situations such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They just had a recent public offering this week, and it seems that directors and institutional investors loaded up on the stock at the reduced prices. This news out today sent the stock up a big in after hours trading. I used the opportunity to start an initial position at ~9.6. This stock was trading at 23 in September and I think we will be back to 15 by March alone if you want to use it as a swing. Data (presentations) will be out in March.
Other plays I like -- Small cap stocks Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) is a 2018 play with several data readouts ahead, Leap Therapeutics (LPTX) is not properly valued under 100 million market cap as they have 9 ongoing trials and a phase III trial initiation this year. FibroGen (FGEN) which I think I've mentioned before is a mid-cap that I strongly believe in. The most interesting thing about FibroGen is they are going to be a very strong player in China, and the current projections do reflect this. Glycometrics (GLYC) is a company that had a massive re-pricing by the market in 2017, jumping from $3 in May to currently @22. They have impressive data for acute myeloid leukemia and are advancing the drug into bigger indications such as multiple myeloma. The most attractive thing about GLYC is it could be an M&A target for a larger biotech at some point in 2018, possibly before they launch their phase III trial in the second half 18.
Be on the lookout for companies that are involved in gene therapies (AAV, ZF, CRISPR), companies that can increase the speed of CAR-T production, and those looking for therapies against solid tumors. That is what is hot today.
that $140 would have been worth $2,900........ 
