The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Novavax, Moderna, Pfizer, Gilead and Vir Biotechnology
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – May 27, 2020 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Novavax NVAX, Moderna MRNA, Pfizer PFE, Gilead GILD and Vir Biotechnology VIR.
Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:
Coronavirus Vaccine Efforts Continue: Novavax (NVAX) and More
Novavax announced that it has enrolled the first set of patients in a phase I/II clinical study of its coronavirus vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373. The study is being conducted in two portions phase I and II. The phase I portion will enroll approximately 130 healthy participants, aged 18 to 59 at two sites in Australia. Preliminary data from the phase I portion of the study is expected in July and the phase II portion is expected to begin quickly if the phase I data are promising.
Novavax plans to conduct the phase II portion in multiple countries, including the United States. The study is being funded by The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global organization based in Oslo.
Novavax is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock currently. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The news comes as several pharma/biotech companies speed up efforts to make a vaccine for COVID-19, which has infected more than 5.5 million and killed more than 3,40,000 people globally.
Apart from Novavax, Moderna, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer and partner BioNTech have initiated human/clinical studies on a coronavirus vaccine. Last week, Moderna announced encouraging data from phase I study on the coronavirus vaccine candidate and plans to start a phase II study soon. Several other vaccine candidates are in pre-clinical stage of development.
In the United States, two organizations, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are providing funding to companies involved in making drugs/vaccines. Last week, AstraZeneca (AZN) received more than $1billion in funding from BARDA to help produce a coronavirus vaccine, which it is developing in is a phase I/II study with Oxford University. AstraZeneca has also agreed to provide the United States with up to 300 million doses of the vaccine, if approved. CEPI has also provided funding of millions of dollars to biotechs including Moderna, Novavax, CureVac and Inovio and several universities to accelerate the development of vaccines against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, other than vaccines, several drug/biotech companies are working on making new antibodies and drugs to combat the disease. The lead candidate is Gilead’s investigational antiviral candidate, remdesivir, which is being evaluated in phase III studies to treat COVID-19. Vir Biotechnology’s investigational monoclonal antibodies, VIR-7831 and VIR-7832, are expected to directly go to phase II clinical studies sometime in 2020.
Larger companies like Pfizer, Biogen, Lilly and Amgen have signed collaborations with smaller biotechs to co-develop antibody therapies to treat COVID-19. Separately, many marketed drugs like Sanofi,/Regeneron’sIL-6 inhibitor Kevzara, Roche’s IL-6 inhibitor, Actemra, Incyte/Novarts’ JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor, Jakafi, AstraZeneca’s BTK inhibitor, Calquence, Amgen’s PDE4 inhibitor, Otezla among others are being evaluated to treat respiratory complications associated with COVID-19 or to treat critically ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients, which is also the need of the hour.
Also, the FDA has granted emergency-use authorizations to hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir to treat the disease. Chloroquine is already approved for treating malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Notably, hydroxychloroquine is currently being evaluated in studies for the treatment of COVID-19.
All eyes are on pharma/biotech sector to find a treatment/vaccine for COVID-19 as they are being considered the key to bring stalled global economies back on track.
Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation
Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.
A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.
See 8 breakthrough stocks now>>
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
https://www.zacks.com
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (VIR) : Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research
