Biotech Alert: Searches spiking for these stocks today

These names in the biotech sector are seeing a substantial increase in search activity today, as determined by InvestingChannel. They include: 

• Cyclerion Therapeutics (CYCN), 2,700% surge in interest
• NLS Pharmaceutics (NLSP), 843% surge in interest
• AC Immune (ACIU), 594% surge in interest
• SeaStar Medical (ICU), 337% surge in interest
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), 234% surge in interest

Pipeline and key clinical candidates for these companies:

Cyclerion Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that says it is “on a mission to develop treatments for serious diseases.” Cyclerion’s portfolio includes novel sGC stimulators, namely praliciguat and olinciguat, as well as multiple research stage molecules. Praliciguat is a systemic sGC stimulator that is exclusively licensed to Akebia and is being advanced in rare kidney disease. Olinciguat is a vascular sGC stimulator that Cyclerion intends to out-license for cardiovascular diseases. Concurrently, Cyclerion is also evaluating other activities aimed at enhancing shareholder value, which potentially include collaborations, licenses, mergers, acquisitions and/or other targeted investments.

NLS Pharmaceutics is a Swiss-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that says it is “dedicated to the development of groundbreaking therapies for rare and complex CNS disorders.” The company collaborates with scientists and pharmaceutical partners to advance treatments in areas such as addiction medicine, sleep disorders, and cognitive dysfunction.

AC Immune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that calls itself “a global leader in precision prevention for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and NeuroOrphan indications driven by misfolded proteins.” The company’s pipeline currently features sixteen therapeutic and diagnostic programs, including five in Phase 2 development and one in Phase 3.

SeaStar Medical is a commercial-stage therapeutic medical technology company that says it is “redefining how extracorporeal therapies may reduce the consequences of excessive inflammation on vital organs.” SeaStar Medical is developing and commercializing cell-directed extracorporeal therapies that target the effector cells that drive systemic inflammation, causing direct tissue damage and secreting a range of pro-inflammatory cytokines that initiate and propagate imbalanced immune responses.

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a “robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology,” including sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, acute and neuropathic pain, type 1 diabetes and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, the company states.

Recent news on these stocks:

January 31

NLS Pharmaceutics and Kadimastem, a clinical-stage cell therapy company specializing in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and potential cure for diabetes, announced that in a special general meeting of shareholders, Kadimastem’s shareholders approved the merger with NLS. NLS is also planning to convene a shareholder meeting for final approval of the merger.

SeaStar Medical Holding has entered into a securities purchase agreement with a single institutional investor for the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 3.53M shares of its common stock in a registered direct offering. In a concurrent private placement, the company also agreed to issue and sell to the investor warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 3.53M shares common stock. The combined offering price for each share of common stock and accompanying warrants is $1.70. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about February 3, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be approximately $6M. SeaStar Medical intends to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include additions to working capital and capital expenditures. H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive financial advisor to SeaStar Medical in connection with the offering.

January 30

The FDA approved Journavx 50 milligram oral tablets, a first-in-class non-opioid analgesic, to treat moderate to severe acute pain in adults. Journavx reduces pain by targeting a pain-signaling pathway involving sodium channels in the peripheral nervous system, before pain signals reach the brain. Journavx is the first drug to be approved in this new class of pain management medicines. Pain is a common medical problem and relief of pain is an important therapeutic goal. Acute pain is short-term pain that is typically in response to some form of tissue injury, such as trauma or surgery. Acute pain is often treated with analgesics that may or may not contain opioids.

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About “Biotech Alert”

The Fly will report on a selection of biotech stocks seeing a surge in interest from retail and financial professional investors, based on data from InvestingChannel.

This Fly exclusive recap reveals the biotech stocks that are seeing a spike in searches among the 20-plus million retail and financial professional investors through InvestingChannel’s online financial news media ecosystem.

This increased attention from the investors may be in response to, or advance of, outsized moves for stocks in the biotech sector, which tend to be volatile and prone to sharp swings in share price around binary events such as clinical study results and FDA approvals.