S&P 500   4,298.86
DOW   33,876.78
QQQ   354.50
3 EV Stocks You Need To Have On Your Watchlist
"Unknown laser company making HUGE profit from Russia-Ukraine War" (Ad)
Will NIO Partake In China's Economic Awakening?
BJ's Restaurants' Approaching Buy Point As Earnings Surge 150%
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Cactus Opens The Cash Flow Wellhead With Flexsteel Acquisition 
Tax Software Specialist Vertex In Buy Zone After Base Breakout
Trade Smarter: Discover Hidden Opportunities w/ A.I. (Ad)
How to Choose a Brokerage Account or Online Broker
Will Plug Power’s Deal With Energy Vault Move The Needle? 
S&P 500   4,298.86
DOW   33,876.78
QQQ   354.50
3 EV Stocks You Need To Have On Your Watchlist
"Unknown laser company making HUGE profit from Russia-Ukraine War" (Ad)
Will NIO Partake In China's Economic Awakening?
BJ's Restaurants' Approaching Buy Point As Earnings Surge 150%
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Cactus Opens The Cash Flow Wellhead With Flexsteel Acquisition 
Tax Software Specialist Vertex In Buy Zone After Base Breakout
Trade Smarter: Discover Hidden Opportunities w/ A.I. (Ad)
How to Choose a Brokerage Account or Online Broker
Will Plug Power’s Deal With Energy Vault Move The Needle? 
S&P 500   4,298.86
DOW   33,876.78
QQQ   354.50
3 EV Stocks You Need To Have On Your Watchlist
"Unknown laser company making HUGE profit from Russia-Ukraine War" (Ad)
Will NIO Partake In China's Economic Awakening?
BJ's Restaurants' Approaching Buy Point As Earnings Surge 150%
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Cactus Opens The Cash Flow Wellhead With Flexsteel Acquisition 
Tax Software Specialist Vertex In Buy Zone After Base Breakout
Trade Smarter: Discover Hidden Opportunities w/ A.I. (Ad)
How to Choose a Brokerage Account or Online Broker
Will Plug Power’s Deal With Energy Vault Move The Needle? 
S&P 500   4,298.86
DOW   33,876.78
QQQ   354.50
3 EV Stocks You Need To Have On Your Watchlist
"Unknown laser company making HUGE profit from Russia-Ukraine War" (Ad)
Will NIO Partake In China's Economic Awakening?
BJ's Restaurants' Approaching Buy Point As Earnings Surge 150%
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Cactus Opens The Cash Flow Wellhead With Flexsteel Acquisition 
Tax Software Specialist Vertex In Buy Zone After Base Breakout
Trade Smarter: Discover Hidden Opportunities w/ A.I. (Ad)
How to Choose a Brokerage Account or Online Broker
Will Plug Power’s Deal With Energy Vault Move The Needle? 

Biotechnology Stocks

Biotechnology companies leverage cutting-edge science to create medicines and treatments for a multitude of diseases, making them high-risk, high-reward opportunities for investors looking to profit from healthcare innovation. This page lists publicly-traded biotech companies by market capitalization. What is a biotech stock?

MarketRank evaluates a company based on community opinion, dividend strength, institutional and insider ownership, earnings and valuation, and analysts forecasts.
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Analyst ConsensusUpgrade to All Access to use the All Ratings Filter
CompanyCurrent PricePE RatioMarket CapVolumeAverage VolumeIndicator(s)
AbbVie Inc. stock logo
ABBV
AbbVie
$138.16
+0.4%
32.66$243.75 billion4.36 million5.95 million
Novartis AG stock logo
NVS
Novartis
$100.93
+0.3%
31.06$213.34 billion3.17 million2.17 million
Danaher Co. stock logo
DHR
Danaher
$235.32
0.0%
25.36$173.71 billion1.82 million3.30 million
Amgen Inc. stock logo
AMGN
Amgen
$218.76
-0.9%
14.87$116.89 billion1.71 million2.39 millionAnalyst Upgrade
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated stock logo
VRTX
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
$334.11
+0.5%
26.60$85.66 billion1.07 million1.35 millionAnalyst Report
News Coverage
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
REGN
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
$746.52
-0.5%
20.29$82.01 billion536,615486,066Analyst Report
Seagen Inc. stock logo
SGEN
Seagen
$196.60
+1.0%
N/A$36.51 billion1.87 million1.55 millionInsider Selling
Analyst Revision
Corning Incorporated stock logo
GLW
Corning
$32.79
+3.5%
30.93$26.93 billion7.15 million4.51 millionAnalyst Upgrade
Gap Up
BioNTech SE stock logo
BNTX
BioNTech
$109.25
+0.3%
4.20$26.50 billion507,082702,470
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
ALNY
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
$190.83
+0.2%
N/A$23.76 billion457,625748,628
Royalty Pharma plc stock logo
RPRX
Royalty Pharma
$32.91
-4.7%
59.84$20.96 billion3.39 million2.31 millionInsider Selling
News Coverage
BeiGene, Ltd. stock logo
BGNE
BeiGene
$216.04
-0.5%
N/A$20.77 billion157,118156,177Insider Selling
News Coverage
Gap Down
ICON Public Limited stock logo
ICLR
ICON Public
$221.93
-1.4%
35.91$18.44 billion456,960632,975
Bio-Techne Co. stock logo
TECH
Bio-Techne
$78.43
-1.1%
46.96$12.48 billion613,136778,347Positive News
Legend Biotech Co. stock logo
LEGN
Legend Biotech
$67.62
-1.9%
N/A$11.37 billion574,968644,753Analyst Report
Analyst Revision
Healthpeak Properties, Inc. stock logo
PEAK
Healthpeak Properties
$20.69
-1.1%
20.49$11.32 billion5.53 million4.42 millionAnalyst Revision
News Coverage
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. stock logo
BIO.B
Bio-Rad Laboratories
$371.10
N/A$10.99 billion528News Coverage
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. stock logo
BIO
Bio-Rad Laboratories
$361.03
+0.4%
N/A$10.64 billion199,948231,085
United Therapeutics Co. stock logo
UTHR
United Therapeutics
$228.49
+0.9%
15.39$10.61 billion271,853360,916Positive News
iShares Biotechnology ETF stock logo
IBB
iShares Biotechnology ETF
$128.84
-0.1%
N/A$7.65 billion2.02 million1.40 millionDividend Announcement
News Coverage
Positive News
Medpace Holdings, Inc. stock logo
MEDP
Medpace
$207.86
-6.2%
26.31$6.76 billion383,662261,824Positive News
10x Genomics, Inc. stock logo
TXG
10x Genomics
$53.95
-0.7%
N/A$6.31 billion457,325915,014Insider Selling
Clarivate Plc stock logo
CLVT
Clarivate
$8.21
-2.2%
N/A$5.67 billion2.19 million4.61 million
Vaxcyte, Inc. stock logo
PCVX
Vaxcyte
$50.56
-0.8%
N/A$4.78 billion323,020553,327Positive News
Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
HALO
Halozyme Therapeutics
$33.96
-0.6%
25.92$4.50 billion592,850880,859
Syneos Health, Inc. stock logo
SYNH
Syneos Health
$41.66
+0.0%
29.13$4.32 billion1.41 million3.58 million
Abcam plc stock logo
ABCM
Abcam
$16.82
+4.9%
N/A$3.68 billion3.83 million800,724News Coverage
Positive News
High Trading Volume
Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
FOLD
Amicus Therapeutics
$12.81
+1.5%
N/A$3.59 billion1.91 million2.91 millionInsider Selling
Analyst Revision
Lumentum Holdings Inc. stock logo
LITE
Lumentum
$51.06
0.0%
N/A$3.50 billion784,3201.44 millionAnalyst Upgrade
Vir Biotechnology, Inc. stock logo
VIR
Vir Biotechnology
$25.43
-1.7%
N/A$3.41 billion597,500762,652Insider Selling
News Coverage
Krystal Biotech, Inc. stock logo
KRYS
Krystal Biotech
$128.92
+0.7%
N/A$3.30 billion274,204420,155Insider Selling
Azenta, Inc. stock logo
AZTA
Azenta
$45.13
-0.7%
N/A$2.96 billion713,097818,759Positive News
Galapagos NV stock logo
GLPG
Galapagos
$43.04
+0.3%
N/A$2.83 billion110,886213,026
Revance Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
RVNC
Revance Therapeutics
$29.87
-4.0%
N/A$2.61 billion1.25 million1.12 millionAnalyst Report
Olink Holding AB (publ) stock logo
OLK
Olink Holding AB (publ)
$20.86
-0.4%
N/A$2.60 billion100,67799,733News Coverage
Positive News
Beam Therapeutics Inc. stock logo
BEAM
Beam Therapeutics
$32.21
-3.7%
N/A$2.55 billion741,042763,871
Immunocore Holdings plc stock logo
IMCR
Immunocore
$56.99
-1.6%
N/A$2.51 billion308,340252,342
Hercules Capital, Inc. stock logo
HTGC
Hercules Capital
$14.83
-1.7%
10.09$2.15 billion793,3571.09 million
Arcellx, Inc. stock logo
ACLX
Arcellx
$40.13
-1.4%
N/A$1.93 billion710,706483,126
Myriad Genetics, Inc. stock logo
MYGN
Myriad Genetics
$23.30
+0.2%
N/A$1.90 billion256,133520,748
Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
RCKT
Rocket Pharmaceuticals
$23.60
+0.6%
N/A$1.89 billion1.09 million584,371
Geron Co. stock logo
GERN
Geron
$3.60
-2.4%
N/A$1.88 billion6.90 million6.38 million
Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
RXRX
Recursion Pharmaceuticals
$9.18
+0.4%
N/A$1.76 billion1.34 million3.10 millionInsider Selling
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
AMLX
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals
$25.51
-2.8%
N/A$1.71 billion640,320935,313
Standex International Co. stock logo
SXI
Standex International
$141.01
-1.4%
12.72$1.70 billion54,40954,415Insider Selling
SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
SWTX
SpringWorks Therapeutics
$27.25
+0.3%
N/A$1.70 billion560,779652,505Analyst Revision
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
BCRX
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals
$8.52
-3.3%
N/A$1.66 billion1.59 million2.25 million
Arcus Biosciences, Inc. stock logo
RCUS
Arcus Biosciences
$21.10
-2.5%
N/A$1.58 billion1.33 million1.17 million
Prime Medicine, Inc. stock logo
PRME
Prime Medicine
$14.49
-3.5%
N/A$1.46 billion471,424293,791Insider Selling
News Coverage
Replimune Group, Inc. stock logo
REPL
Replimune Group
$22.47
-0.4%
N/A$1.30 billion801,455555,499Analyst Revision
ImmunityBio, Inc. stock logo
IBRX
ImmunityBio
$2.84
-4.1%
N/A$1.29 billion2.70 million4.72 million
Sana Biotechnology, Inc. stock logo
SANA
Sana Biotechnology
$6.20
-7.5%
N/A$1.28 billion1.02 million1.38 millionInsider Selling
News Coverage
Progenity, Inc. stock logo
PROG
Progenity
$5.98
+13.0%
N/A$1.10 billion893,1488.59 millionGap Up
Avid Bioservices, Inc. stock logo
CDMO
Avid Bioservices
$16.66
-2.7%
10.04$1.07 billion229,254444,795News Coverage
Positive News
Adaptive Biotechnologies Co. stock logo
ADPT
Adaptive Biotechnologies
$7.31
-0.8%
N/A$1.05 billion723,363942,711Insider Selling
REGENXBIO Inc. stock logo
RGNX
REGENXBIO
$20.10
-0.7%
N/A$879.76 million274,094421,802
Cogent Biosciences, Inc. stock logo
COGT
Cogent Biosciences
$12.01
+4.4%
N/A$815.89 million989,882751,167Analyst Report
Analyst Revision
News Coverage
Tekla Healthcare Investors stock logo
HQH
Tekla Healthcare Investors
$17.07
-0.5%
N/A$794.80 million86,231104,126
Dyne Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
DYN
Dyne Therapeutics
$12.96
-3.7%
N/A$784.86 million453,331330,987Analyst Downgrade
News Coverage
Positive News
Disc Medicine Opco Inc stock logo
IRON
Disc Medicine Opco
$45.69
+15.8%
N/A$781.48 million777,565112,516Analyst Report
Analyst Revision
News Coverage
Gap Up
High Trading Volume
Novavax, Inc. stock logo
NVAX
Novavax
$7.47
-2.9%
N/A$663.69 million5.51 million4.75 millionAnalyst Upgrade
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
ACRS
Aclaris Therapeutics
$9.39
+1.2%
N/A$663.69 million259,569875,977
Aldeyra Therapeutics, Inc stock logo
ALDX
Aldeyra Therapeutics
$11.09
-6.7%
N/A$649.65 million1.36 million711,608Positive News
Diversified Healthcare Trust stock logo
DHC
Diversified Healthcare Trust
$2.66
+1.5%
N/A$627.97 million6.95 million5.06 millionAnalyst Report
Insider Buying
News Coverage
Positive News
Tyra Biosciences, Inc. stock logo
TYRA
Tyra Biosciences
$14.81
+2.0%
N/A$617.78 million25,08931,291Positive News
Stoke Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
STOK
Stoke Therapeutics
$11.76
-7.3%
N/A$560.75 million149,914170,301News Coverage
Voyager Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
VYGR
Voyager Therapeutics
$12.97
+1.4%
5.69$556.82 million411,382674,535
Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
ENTA
Enanta Pharmaceuticals
$25.99
-0.5%
N/A$549.76 million143,138199,478Positive News
OmniAb, Inc. stock logo
OABI
OmniAb
$4.53
+0.4%
N/A$523.67 million540,577635,454
SomaLogic, Inc. stock logo
SLGC
SomaLogic
$2.59
-5.5%
N/A$514.82 million1.02 million936,726
Runway Growth Finance Corp. stock logo
RWAY
Runway Growth Finance
$12.36
-2.1%
12.00$511.63 million52,862108,986Positive News
AnaptysBio, Inc. stock logo
ANAB
AnaptysBio
$18.70
+2.1%
N/A$495.36 million242,409267,050Positive News
Tenaya Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
TNYA
Tenaya Therapeutics
$7.12
-3.8%
N/A$494.84 million199,711558,538
VanEck Biotech ETF stock logo
BBH
VanEck Biotech ETF
$157.94
-0.1%
N/A$489.68 million5,2214,919Positive News
Entrada Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
TRDA
Entrada Therapeutics
$14.95
+1.9%
N/A$487 million70,07652,608Positive News
Gap Up
IGM Biosciences, Inc. stock logo
IGMS
IGM Biosciences
$10.62
-4.2%
N/A$477.78 million139,489262,779
Aura Biosciences, Inc. stock logo
AURA
Aura Biosciences
$12.48
-1.4%
N/A$471.74 million40,33599,181
Omega Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
OMGA
Omega Therapeutics
$7.87
-3.2%
N/A$447.34 million70,67687,036
Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. stock logo
NAUT
Nautilus Biotechnology
$3.31
+5.1%
N/A$413.32 million75,495105,795
bluebird bio, Inc. stock logo
BLUE
bluebird bio
$3.65
-2.9%
N/A$400.11 million2.88 million3.52 million
PepGen Inc. stock logo
PEPG
PepGen
$12.28
-25.1%
N/A$389.79 million213,03552,558Insider Selling
High Trading Volume
Cabaletta Bio, Inc. stock logo
CABA
Cabaletta Bio
$12.15
-1.5%
N/A$386.93 million201,284400,025
Tutor Perini Co. stock logo
TPC
Tutor Perini
$6.80
-1.6%
N/A$356.87 million218,949405,022
Tekla Life Sciences Investors stock logo
HQL
Tekla Life Sciences Investors
$13.65
-0.4%
N/A$344.47 million48,68274,161
Vera Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
VERA
Vera Therapeutics
$7.77
-10.7%
N/A$343.91 million211,944320,572News Coverage
Sanara MedTech Inc. stock logo
SMTI
Sanara MedTech
$39.40
-1.2%
N/A$334.17 million7,78618,600Positive News
Social Capital Suvretta Holdings Corp. IV stock logo
DNAD
Social Capital Suvretta Holdings Corp. IV
$10.32
-0.2%
N/A$329.74 million348,055168,212Positive News
High Trading Volume
Social Capital Suvretta Holdings Corp. II stock logo
DNAB
Social Capital Suvretta Holdings Corp. II
$10.32
N/A$329.11 million2,755156,759Positive News
Precigen, Inc. stock logo
PGEN
Precigen
$1.18
-6.3%
N/A$321.91 million1.08 million1.11 millionPositive News
Seer, Inc. stock logo
SEER
Seer
$4.82
+1.3%
N/A$307.23 million121,701308,582
Tango Therapeutics, Inc. stock logo
TNGX
Tango Therapeutics
$3.33
-2.9%
N/A$303.23 million138,710307,455Positive News
Rallybio Co. stock logo
RLYB
Rallybio
$7.89
+0.8%
N/A$295.56 million89,01270,810
908 Devices Inc. stock logo
MASS
908 Devices
$9.18
N/A$295.24 million79,394243,034
ProKidney Corp. stock logo
PROK
ProKidney
$12.06
+5.1%
N/A$294.35 million384,780125,465High Trading Volume
Invesco S&P SmallCap Health Care ETF stock logo
PSCH
Invesco S&P SmallCap Health Care ETF
$132.77
-1.2%
30.42$290.77 million3,8515,546
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock logo
RIGL
Rigel Pharmaceuticals
$1.61
-0.6%
N/A$281.34 million1.34 million3.44 million
Innate Pharma S.A. stock logo
IPHA
Innate Pharma
$3.23
-2.7%
N/A$267.10 million30,93812,231News Coverage
High Trading Volume
Gracell Biotechnologies Inc. stock logo
GRCL
Gracell Biotechnologies
$4.00
+1.8%
N/A$266.12 million366,778214,960Gap Down
DA32 Life Science Tech Acquisition Corp. stock logo
DALS
DA32 Life Science Tech Acquisition
$10.22
-0.3%
N/A$262.91 million32,15954,997Positive News
Vaxxinity, Inc. stock logo
VAXX
Vaxxinity
$1.88
-5.5%
N/A$251.81 million105,071135,091Positive News

Key Points

  • Biotech companies are among the market's riskiest investments, but that's exactly why they have potential for high returns.
  • Investors interested in biotech can mitigate their risk in several ways, including focusing on stocks traded on major exchanges or purchasing a basket of biotech stocks through an exchange-traded fund.
  • Because successful clinical trials and regulatory approval are not guaranteed, investors can see sudden, sharp drops in their biotech stocks.
  • A successful trial or FDA approval can result in big upside trade, as can an acquisition from a bigger pharmaceutical company. 
  • 5 stocks we like better than AbbVie

Have you been wondering how to invest in biotech stocks? You may have watched biotechs rallying fast and posting significant gains and felt you missed out. You may have also seen biotechs and biopharma stocks reward shareholders when acquired.

There are a few factors to consider when considering investing in biotech. In this article, we'll look at whether biotech stocks are a good fit for your portfolio and also some possible pitfalls to avoid. 

What Are Biotech Stocks?

Biotechs are established to develop specific medicines or therapeutic treatments. Often, they focus on a single product. 

When looking for the best biotech stocks to buy, be aware that many companies with promising technologies have market capitalizations of less than $2 billion, often well under. Some are also categorized as penny stocks, priced below $5 a share.

These biotech startups frequently have no earnings and very little revenue, as their operations are funded by venture capital

Many small biotechs generate a small amount of revenue by providing research services to large pharmaceuticals to supplement the venture capital, but their primary line of business is different. 

Biotechs are generally considered a risky category of investment. There is a great deal of potential in a company with a product successfully brought to market, but there is also the risk of disappointment.

Biotech stocks overview and infographic

Overview of the Biotechnology Industry

The biotechnology industry mainly focuses on research and development rather than building large manufacturing and distributing operations. 

The industry is risky, relying on a hit product brought to market. It's similar to the movie business, where a studio may invest millions into producing a motion picture, only to find that it flops when released. 

Similarly, biotech companies may go through years of research and development, only to learn that the treatment doesn't deliver the expected and hoped-for results in clinical trials. There's no guarantee that years of hard work and capital investment will pay off. But when it does, the treatment could eventually become a "blockbuster," a term it shares in common with Hollywood. 

To identify the top biotech stocks, remember that biotechs have similarities with pharmaceuticals but differ in some key ways. Pharmaceuticals bring existing, FDA-approved products to market. They have manufacturing and marketing chops, as you can see by the slew of drug commercials on TV. When you've been in a doctor's waiting room, you may have seen pharmaceutical sales reps arrive for a meeting to pitch their wares.

The biggest pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), Roche Holding AG (OTCMKTS: RHHBY), AbbVie Inc. (NYSE: ABBV), Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) and Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK), typically acquire or license new treatments once already developed. They aren't taking the risk of research and development, which may not result in a marketable product. 

If you're interested in learning more about the differences and similarities between biotechs and pharmaceutical companies, you can do more research using MarketBeat's pharmaceutical stocks list

How a Biotech Company Differs from a Pharmaceutical Company

The biotech and pharmaceutical sectors are related but more like cousins than siblings. One key point that distinguishes the two sectors is that investing in pharmaceutical companies is more about what is while biotech stocks are about what could be, and that changes the risk profile for both.

A pharmaceutical company has revenue coming in from products that are commercially available and has other products in development. Because they typically have one or more revenue streams, pharmaceutical companies are generally profitable. In some cases, these companies also offer investors a dividend, which can be a significant part of an investor’s total return.

By contrast, a biotech company is primarily research-driven. The company is using science to develop a potential therapy or vaccine. However, many of these companies are small-cap stocks that do not have a commercially used product. This means that in addition to not being profitable they are generating little to no revenue. And the small fraction of biotech companies that are profitable rarely pay a dividend.

Another distinction between the two companies is that pharmaceutical companies spend a great deal of money in marketing and sales. On the other hand, biotech companies see their strength as being in research and development (R&D). This focus on R&D may cause biotech companies to raise capital which can dilute their share price even further.

Where the two sectors overlap is that pharmaceutical companies are increasingly pulling back from research and are looking to partner with biotech firms for innovation. This helps create an opportunity for investors who know what to look for in a biotech stock.

Qualities to Look For in a Biotech Stock

There’s no surefire way to take the risk out of biotech stocks. However, there are certain things you can look for to help manage your risk.

A "Hot" Area

This means looking for a company that is doing research for a disease or condition that affects a large segment of the population. Should the company be successful, there are two obvious reasons why investors will be rewarded.

First, there will be a high demand for the company’s products. Second, the companies would be able to get a faster return on their significant R&D and licensing efforts. Another reason to look for a hot area of research is because it can lead to breakthrough “orphan” drugs and treatments that – if they are first to market — are typically protected from competition for many years.

An extreme example of this occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic as companies that were developing vaccine candidates saw their stock prices soar on the expectation that one or more vaccines would be fast-tracked through the FDA.

However, investors see the same speculative activity occur with biotech firms that are researching treatments for areas such as cancer, AIDS, heart disease and neurological conditions. When drugs and therapeutics successfully move through clinical trials it creates higher demand for the company’s stock.

Collaboration

Many biotech companies are small-cap companies, which can help them maintain a singular focus. However, biotech development is expensive. When smaller companies form collaborations with other companies, it can help provide financial and logistical support. If one collaborator is good, more is better.

Cash on Hand

The record pace at which multiple COVID-19 vaccines were developed underscores the normal length of time it takes to bring a product to market. That means that you should look for companies that have an ample cash reserve. It’s not uncommon for small-cap biotech firms to raise money through secondary share offerings. This has a dilutive effect on the shares of a company. Companies that continually need to issue share offerings should raise a caution flag for investors.

In addition to finding companies that have an ample supply of cash, you also want to find companies that are not overly extended with debt. Companies that are heavily burdened with debt will often need to raise more capital which can lead to an unsustainable spiral.

Pipeline of Products in Clinical Trials

Look for companies with a deep pipeline of products that are in clinical trials. Many biotech companies have one product candidate. However, that’s a high-risk, high-reward proposition for investors. If that product fails, a company might have no other way to recoup their R&D costs. But companies that have several products in development give themselves multiple bites at the apple.

Market-Ready Products

If possible, find companies with market-ready products. A deep pipeline is one thing, but at some point a company has to be able to bring a product to market. Completing clinical trials on human patients is only the first step. The product needs approval by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which can take some time. Nevertheless, getting a drug successfully through clinical trials is a good indicator that a product will come to market sooner rather than later.

Market Rebounds

Look for biotech stocks that have the potential to rebound quickly, typically companies whose stocks are being sold on temporary bad news. The process of getting a drug to market is notoriously complex. Along the line, many speculative investors will trade on the news. However, investors can use a temporary drop in share price as a great opportunity to buy on the dip. Of course, you have to believe that the news is actually much ado about nothing. If so, investors can use these opportunities to accumulate additional shares.

Management Team

Have trust in the individuals in charge. It’s important that the management team consists of not only business-savvy entrepreneurs but also individuals who have the necessary scientific or medical credentials. This ensures that the company will not only be able to allocate resources toward the most promising products, they will also be able to properly interpret research data and make corrections as necessary.

Steps and Phases for Developing New Drugs 

Before a biotech firm can bring a product to market, it must go through several steps and phases. Investors should understand these processes, as they can greatly affect company operations and the stock's price.  

  • Research and development: This generally involves identifying a target disease or condition, developing processes for testing potential drug candidates, and optimizing the drug's formulation, safety, and efficacy for patient use.
  • Preclinical testing: A biotech can't simply begin testing its formulation on humans. This stage may involve pharmacology, toxicology studies and other types of laboratory testing. Some industry experts say animal testing will become less prevalent as new technologies such as organ-on-a-chip (OOC) and advanced computer modeling offer insights into how humans respond. 
  • Clinical trials: Clinical trials test the safety and efficacy of the drug in humans. These are conducted in three phases, using more participants and more rigorous testing protocols each time. Clinical trial news often moves a biotech's stock price sharply in either direction.
  • Regulatory approval: Once a drug has successfully completed clinical trials, the developer must get regulatory approval from agencies such as the FDA before it can be commercialized. This process involves submitting a new drug or marketing authorization application with all the clinical and preclinical data the company has generated.
  • Manufacturing: Once the drug has regulatory approval, the company must begin manufacturing the manufacturing process. Many small, new biotechs are not equipped for manufacturing in-house, so they often hire a contract manufacturer. Another avenue is to license the technology to a large pharmaceutical firm with large-scale manufacturing capabilities. Often because of the contributions of biotechs to their portfolios, it's possible to invest in pharmacy stocks for big gains
  • Marketing: The final step is marketing and selling the product to healthcare providers, insurance companies, and patients. This may involve working with distributors and developing marketing campaigns to raise awareness of the drug's benefits.

How to Buy Biotech Stocks

Investing in biotech stocks exposes you to a rapidly growing slice of the healthcare industry. For a broader look at the potential in all healthcare sectors, including biotech, you can use this list of healthcare stocks on MarketBeat.

To invest in biotech specifically, you could use a broad basket of stocks in an exchange-traded fund to capture industry-wide returns. 

Biotechs can, at times, outperform the broader stock market. For example, the iShares Biotechnology ETF (NYSEARCA: IBB) outperformed the S&P 500 on a 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year basis. That's not surprising, given the inherent volatility of biotech stocks and the potential for market-beating gains once a company has good news about clinical trials or a treatment gets the nod from regulators. 

Here are some steps you can take to get started with biotech investments. 

Step 1: Do your research.

Much like biotechs are research-focused, biotech investors must also understand what they buy. This may include studying the company's website, where you can read news, press releases and earnings reports, which contain updates on progress on clinical trials and regulatory approvals, even before a company is profitable. 

You can also review a list of healthcare stocks on MarketBeat to learn how a company you're interested in fits within the healthcare industry. 

Step 2: Understand the risks.

We can't emphasize this step enough. Biotech stocks are among the market's most volatile. For example, poor results from a clinical trial can send a stock sharply lower, with no previous warning. A delay in FDA approval can also mean a fast price drop. 

Prepare yourself for the possibility of significant losses. Biotech investors must be able to stomach a rollercoaster ride of volatility because it happens often. 

Step 3: Invest in stocks listed on major exchanges.

Plenty of biotechs are small companies characterized as penny stocks, which trade under $5 a share. In addition, biotechs are inherently riskier than some other categories. One way of potentially mitigating risk is by investing only in biotechs listed on the NYSE or Nasdaq exchanges. Those stocks are subject to greater regulatory scrutiny than stocks listed over the counter. 

Step 4: Focus on companies close to bringing a drug to market.

Another way to reduce risk is by focusing on biotechs that have already shown success in clinical trials and have applied for FDA approval. That can eliminate some of the sharp downsides in a company's stock that's only in the early stages of development and which may see clinical failures that wipe out shareholder value in a heartbeat. 

Step 5: Purchase stocks based on your investment objectives.

Because biotechs are inherently riskier than, say, utilities, it's important to know the role biotech plays. 

Understand that your biotech investment is more likely than bigger, more established companies to show big price swings that could bring down portfolio value. 

If you want exposure to the sector without such a wild ride, an ETF could smooth your biotech investment and reduce your risk. In addition to the iShares Biotechnology ETF, biotech ETFs include the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSEARCA: XBI) and the VanEck Biotech ETF (NASDAQ: BBH)

Step 6: Monitor your investment.

After you purchase a biotech stock or ETF, monitor your investment regularly. Keep an eye on the company's financial reports, news about clinical trials or partnerships, and broad-market trends that may affect the stock's performance. For example, 2022 was a bad year for biotech dealmaking, as less venture capital was entering the industry. That can slow research and development. 

Pros and Cons of Investing in Biotech

Investment in any sector or asset class has pros and cons, which is true for biotech. Because the sector is notoriously volatile, you should understand the pros and cons. 

Pros 

Biotech investing can be very lucrative for some key reasons: 

  • Price appreciation: The old concept of buy low, sell high is very clear with biotech stocks. If a company has successful clinical trial data or gets regulatory approval, its stock price could rocket significantly higher.
  • Innovation: Biotech companies are at the cutting edge of medical innovation. The market rewards companies with new technologies that bring obvious changes to people's lives, including treating diseases and chronic health conditions.  
  • Growth potential: Biotech companies can grow fast once a product is successfully brought to market. In addition, investors are often rewarded when a biotech is acquired by a larger pharmaceutical, a very common occurrence. 
  • Diversification: Investing in biotech companies can diversify an investment portfolio, as these companies are not not necessarily highly correlated to the broader market, simply due to their business models and research and development cycles. 

Cons 

The potential negatives of biotech investing include the following: 

  • High risk: Perhaps no other sector has so much inherent downside risk. Many products that these companies develop never make it out of clinical trials or never receive FDA approval. This means investors can see the stock price decline to nearly nothing. 
  • Lengthy development timelines: Biotech companies generally have long development cycles. This can translate to significant costs and delays in bringing products to market. Investors must be patient if they want the reward at the end of the process - if that reward comes at all. 
  • Clinical and regulatory uncertainty: Successful clinical trials and regulatory approvals are required before a biotech can bring a product to market. Both these processes can be lengthy and riddled with uncertainty. There's no guarantee of success. 
  • Limited access to capital: In shaky market conditions, such as 2022, investors, including venture capitalists and those on the public markets, may be hesitant to put more money into unproven biotech. This may result in a slower research and development process. 

Future of Biotech Stocks

As with infotech, the biotech industry should solve problems and improve conditions. Those are exactly the types of companies that the market rewards, as they can potentially increase revenue quickly. 

Possible growth areas of the biotech industry include: 

  • Gene therapy: Gene therapy can potentially upend the treatment of many genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. The FDA has already approved many gene therapies, and more are developing.
  • Immunotherapy: Industry analysts see a lot of promise in Immunotherapy for treating cancer by channeling the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. Here again, the FDA has already OK'd some therapies, and more are expected.
  • Artificial intelligence: Artificial intelligence is permeating nearly every industry at this point. In biotech, it's used to speed up and streamline drug discovery, clinical trial design, and patient monitoring. This could help rapidly accelerate the development of new drugs.

High Risk Can Result in High Reward

Investing in biotech stocks can be one of the most profitable sectors for risk-tolerant investors. Biotech companies are engaged in research and development for chronic and life-threatening conditions. If these companies are able to successfully bring a product to market, its stock price (which in some cases is trading as a penny stock) can double, triple or move even higher.

However, there’s also a tremendous risk to biotech stocks. The process to get a product approved is lengthy and expensive. And just getting a product through clinical trials is not sufficient. There is still an approval process through the FDA. And, unlike the speed at which COVID-19 vaccines were approved, this can also be a lengthy process.

To invest in biotech stocks requires knowledge of not only financial fundamentals but also the science and medicine behind the company. Individual investors who have a background in science and medicine may have the ability to separate the contenders from the pretenders.    

In the stock market, risk and return are related. That investment premise is abundantly clear regarding biotech: Higher exposure to certain risk factors can result in a higher expected return, but that's not guaranteed. 

Biotech is an exciting and promising area, and investors with some patience, the stomach for volatility, and a high risk tolerance can potentially benefit.  

FAQs 

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about biotech investing.

Should you invest in biotech stocks?

Biotechs offer exposure to an industry with high potential for big price gains, but that also comes with higher-than-average downside risk. If clinical trials are disappointing, or if a new product fails to get FDA approval, your investment will almost certainly plummet in value. Conversely, successfully bringing a product to market can mean big rewards for investors, as can an acquisition by a larger company.

How can I invest in biotech with little money? 

If you have little money to invest, one way to minimize your risk is by purchasing a basket of biotechs using an ETF. This can often be a sound approach, as you aren't simply betting your entire investment on one biotech, which is an extremely risky prospect. An ETF spreads the risk among many biotechs, meaning you'll participate in the gains of more than one company. You'll also participate in losses of multiple companies, but an ETF will generally smooth your return and reduce volatility. 

Is biotech a safe investment?

No equity investment can be called safe. 

Young, small companies with unproven technologies populate the biotech industry. It can take years to bring a product to market. A company's clinical trials may fail. The product may never get regulatory approval. For those reasons, investing in biotech can never be considered safe, although there is potential for a high return. But that comes with a great deal of risk.                  



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