3 Small-Cap Biotech Stocks to Keep on Your Radar [VXTX is one, others snipped]
Small market caps. Big opportunities.
Keith Speights
( TMFFishBiz)
Jun 20, 2018 at 6:01AM
Investing in small-cap biotech stocks can be scary and exciting at the same time. A pipeline failure can devastate the stock, while great clinical results can cause share prices to skyrocket.
There are more small-cap biotech stocks than any investor can realistically keep up with. But three stocks I think you'll want to keep on your radar are Abeona Therapeutics ( NASDAQ:ABEO), Atara Biotherapeutics ( NASDAQ:ATRA), and Viking Therapeutics ( NASDAQ:VKTX). Here's why these small-cap biotech stocks are worth monitoring closely.
[snip]
3. Viking Therapeutics Viking Therapeutics is the biggest year-to-date winner of these three small-cap biotechs, with its stock price tripling so far this year. While Viking has several pipeline candidates, the one attracting the most attention is thyroid hormone receptor beta-selective agonist VK2809.
The biotech expects to report results later in 2018 from a phase 2 study of VK2809 targeting high cholesterol and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It's the latter target indication that has investors especially eager, because NAFLD includes non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) -- a disease some predict could become "the next hepatitis C."
Viking stock received a huge boost recently thanks to great results reported by Madrigal Pharmaceuticals ( NASDAQ:MDGL) from its phase 2 study of NASH candidate MGL-3196. Because Madrigal's drug uses the same mechanism of action as VK2809, expectations are high for similar success for Viking's phase 2 study.
Madrigal has reportedly begun looking seriously at selling to a larger drugmaker. With quite a few big pharma companies wanting to score in the potentially lucrative NASH market, I think Viking could also find itself an acquisition target.
High risk, high reward Small clinical-stage biotech stocks like Abeona, Atara, and Viking aren't great picks for many investors. The risks are very high. On the other hand, the potential rewards from these stocks are also great.
More cautious investors might prefer to closely watch these biotechs and wait for more clinical results for their lead products. That approach would decrease the risk somewhat, although it also means the potential profits would be lower as well.
Like I said earlier, these kinds of stocks can be both scary and exciting and investors will have to take into account their appetite for volatility when deciding whether to buy.
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