Biotech Mid-Caps- Momentum Trade is Back

ASCO Abstracts Provide Clinical Updates

But as of 2 P EDT Stocks Are Being Hit By Profit Taking XBI at $92.39

Biotech mid-caps had a good week ending 5/18 as tracked by the top performing XBI which was up 2%  and over 10% in 2018 YTD. The large cap biopharma dominated IBB continues to lag because of slowing top line revenue growth and of being the target of  drug pricing rhetoric. (Celgene (CELG) is down again today to new 12 mo. lows at $75.)The mid-caps, unencumbered by financial metrics, are thought to be in the sweet spot of M&A and major product launches as well as clinical breakthrough news. The current rally began on May 11 after Trump’s much-anticipated speech on drug pricing that was viewed as having less threat for the drug and biotech industry profits in the shorter term. The rally last week was helped by the release of ASCO Abstracts for the June 1 Meeting in Chicago. Undoubtedly the specialized life science funds were active traders in the market last week.

Our top mid-cap picks as well as the XBI did well last week: bluebird bio (BLUE) up 1.6% to the $183 level and Foundation Medicine (FMI) up 6.8% last week and up again today to the $87 level with CMS approval for their FDA approved genomic profiling assay for solid tumors. We added FMI to the Rayno core portfolio on JY 5, 2016 at a price of $20.40.

Why we focus on mid and small caps was evident last week in the huge moves for many of the top performing 2018 stocks on the mid-cap list below: CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) up 13.8%, Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD) up 19.5%, Ligand Therapeutics  (LGND) up 9.4%, and LOXO Oncology (LOXO) up 22.2%.

We will continue to develop our mid-cap tracking list below to find new picks.

Caution: in previous years rallies have ended with the conclusion of ASCO. Also mid-caps can be volatile week to week.

Mid-Cap Biotech Watch List

Company Ticker Price $ Revs $B MktCap %Perf Analyst
5 Day %
5/21/18 $B YTD 2018 Rating
Acadia Pharma ACAD 18 0.1249 2.25 -40.22 2 -2.78
Agio Pharma AGIO 86.99 0.043 5.01 52.16 2.1 0
Alnylam ALNY 102.81 0.899 10.3 -19 2.2 0
Anaptys Bio ANAB 87.57 0.01 2.06 -18.8 1.7 -2.36
ArenaPharma ARNA 45.53 0.021 2.23 34 1.8 -0.2
Array Biopharma ARRY 15.75 0.139 3.27 23 1.6 0
AveXis AVXS 217 0 8 96.2 2.8
acquired
BlueBird Bio BLUE 183.7 0.034 9.18 -9.73 2.2 1.6
Blueprint Med BPMC 82.07 0.021 3.39 8.83 1.5 -0.7
Clovis Oncology CLVS 50.09 0.055 2.63 -26.4 2 0
CRISPR Ther CRSP 64.68 0.062 3.05 178 2.1 13.8
Exelixis EXEL 21.58 0.452 6.41 -29 1.9 10.4
Incyte INCY 67.83 1.54 14.38 -28.4 2.2 2
Ionis IONS 44.64 0.507 5.6 -11.25 2.8 -2.85
Amicus Ther FOLD 16.74 0.0369 3.15 16.3 1.7 19.5
Foundation Med FMI 81.8 0.153 2.99 18.9 2.5 6.8
GW Pharma GWPH 154.7 0.016 4.36 17.2 2.3 6
Ligand Pharma LGND 194.98 0.141 4.15 42 2.2 9.4
Loxo Oncology LOXO 170.44 0.02 5.13 102.5 1.3 22.2
Neurocrine Bio NBIX 93.25 0.161 8.38 20 1.6 3.15
Nektar Therap NKTR 85.3 0.308 13.73 42.8 1.7 7.4
NovoCure NVCR 29.3 0.177 2.65 45 1.6 -2.33
Seattle Genetics SGEN 56.77 0.513 8.98 6.1 2.3 0
Serepta SRPT 93.48 0.154 6.07 68 1.8 0.64
Tesaro TSRO 47.71 0.223 2.62 -42.4 2 -4.5
First Trust Arca FBT 11.4 1
iSharesBIO IBB 107.8 1 0.59
NASDAQ-100 QQQ 167.46 7.5 -1.2
SPDR S&P XBI 93.57 10.2 2.09
HC SPDR XLV 83.2 0.63 -0.42
Data from FinViz
and Yahoo

Disclosure long: ARRY, FOLD, trading XBI, many other small caps.

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