3 ‘Strong Buy’ Biotech Stocks That Could Triple in 2020
In any industry, there are always deals that are too good to be true and unfortunately, they usually are. The best thing to do before any kind of investment is to educate yourself before you make any hasty decisions. Being extra cautious could be an excellent idea.
When it comes to the stock market though, “playing it safe” doesn’t always pay off and putting your money on a seemingly ‘sure bet’ that most big players are investing in, might not get you the results you are actually looking for.
When you take a deeper look, you’ll notice that there are actually incredible opportunities in “smaller” and less heard of biotech stocks that can bring you closer to the sweet payday.
Using TipRanks’ Stock Screener, we’ve highlighted 3 ultra-promising biotechs that are showing upside of nearly 300% and above.
Gamida Cell (GMDA)
Gamida Cell is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that is creating and developing cell therapies for different types of cancers. The company has its own proprietary nicotinamide-based (or NAM based) cell expansion technology which is pretty much its “trade secret." NAM-based cell expansion takes the natural state of cancer cells and modifies them so that they are no longer harmful to the body.
Gamida is hoping to bank on the success of its frontrunner drug ‘omidubicel’ which is expected to be a life-saving stem cell transplant solution for patients with high-risk blood cancers and bone marrow failure disorders. Omidubicel is currently in Phase 3 of its clinical trials.
4-star JMP analyst Jason N. Bulter sees the Phase 3 results for omidubicel in 1H20 “as the primary value driver for the stock” and identifies “potential for success based on positive Phase 2 results.” And that’s good enough reason for Bulter to rate the stock an Outperform along with $16 price target. If the price target is reached within 12 months, that would provide a 12-month return of nearly 261%.
"Our..price target is derived through an NPV analysis of omidubicel sales, for which we project U.S. sales of ~$580MM by 2027 and assign a 75% probability of approval.” the analyst explained.
Overall, we can see from TipRanks that Gamida has a “Strong Buy” consensus rating. In the last three months, the stock has received 22 buy ratings and seven hold ratings. Based on these ratings, the average $175 price target on X stock translates into upside of over 10% from the current share price.
Gamida stock has a resounding “yes” on Wall Street. TipRanks analytics show that out of three analysts polled in the past 3 months, all three are bullish. The price target of $17.67 shows a potential upside of about nearly 300% from where the stock is currently trading. (See Gamida stock analysis on TipRanks)
Nabriva Therapeutics (NBRV)
Similarly to GMDA, Nabriva Therapeutics is a company that also has 2 premiere projects in the works and has a lot of promising developments going on. Nabriva's lead drug XENLETA, which treats patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), recently won FDA approval and is being distributed in the U.S. since August. Nabriva also recently acquired Zvante Therapeutics and added CONTEPO to its portfolio; an injection for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections. In contrast to XENLETA, however, CONTEPO has yet to gain FDA approval.
Northland analyst Carl Brynes is forecasting "peak global sales of XENLETA at $1B, supported by XENLETA's clinical differentiation and oral/IV dosing forms." With a market cap of only $130.58 million, the analyst sees huge upside for NBRV stock, as he reiterates an Outperform rating and $12.50 price target. (To watch Brynes' track record, click here)
Wedbush analyst Robert Driscoll added, "We see XENLETA’s profile as well suited for the treatment of CABP, given its favorable safety and efficacy profile, a narrow but CABP-targeted spectrum, and flexible IV to oral/oral dosing. Importantly, two Ph 3 studies have demonstrated efficacy with a short treatment course of 5-7 days, which we note aligns with antibiotic stewardship principles. With recent favorable changes to the reimbursement landscape and a clear plan in place for lefamulin commercialization, plus clarification around second asset CONTEPO NDA resubmission timelines, we believe NBRV shares are currently undervalued."
All in all, the drug maker is without question a Wall Street favorite, considering TipRanks analytics indicate NBRV as a Strong Buy. Out of 5 analysts polled in the last 3 months, all 5 are bullish on the stock. With a return potential of nearly 390%, the stock's consensus target price stands at $8.70. (See Nabriva stock analysis on TipRanks)
PhaseBio Pharmacuticals (PHAS)
Rounding out our list is PhaseBio Pharmacuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical, developing treatments for orphan diseases with cardiopulmonary indications. PhaseBio's stake in the race is PB2452; medication that the company hopes will undo the negative effects of the antiplatelet drug ticagrelor. The company also has a really good second offering in PB1046; its treatment of PAH (pulmonary arterial hypertension), which creates high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.
The company recently announced that it completed the Phase 2a clinical trial of PB2452 on healthy elderly patients and that the results have been consistent to its former Phase 1 study with younger, healthy patients. This is good news for PHAS and shows that the company is right on track with its clinical trial advances.
William Blair analyst Matt Phipps believes “the completion of the Phase 2a study continues a pattern of excellent execution from company management, and we look forward to the full data presentation at an upcoming medical conference and initiation of pivotal trials in the coming months." The analyst added that “the base case...for PB2452, which assumes a peak penetration for ticagrelor of 40% of the addressable market, results in a risk-adjusted net present value of roughly $16 per share.”
With that in mind, it's not surprising why Phipps reiterated an Outperform rating on PHAS stock, while boosting his price target to $7.00 (from $5.00).
How does Phipps' bullish forecast echo against the word of the Street? Quite positively, it seems, as TipRanks analytics exhibit PHAS as a Strong Buy. Based on 5 analysts polled in the last 3 months, all 5 rate the stock a "buy." Meanwhile, the 12-month average price target stands at $18.33, marking nearly 340% upside from where the stock is currently trading. (See PhaseBio stock analysis on TipRanks)
