The 4 Best Biotech Stocks to Watch

With constant changes in trials and results, following biotech stocks is often difficult. New advancements in drugs and the rounds of trials and approvals (or disapprovals) have huge standing on the fate of companies' stocks. These four biotech stocks have performed well recently and should stay on your radar. 

Clovis Oncology

Through May 31^st, Clovis had doubled in value. That's when things started to get interesting. A data presentation of a phase I study of CO-1686, a lung cancer drug, at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology, sent the stock skyrocketing.

Though the study only dealt with a few patients, the tumor shrinkage reported with treatment of CO-1686 was pretty impressive. This was especially true in lung cancer patients who had a specific mutation that left their tumors unresponsive to other drugs that are already approved.

Last year, the lead pancreatic cancer drug that Clovis had, CO-101, failed in a phase III study. But with the new CO-1686, that's forgotten, which is good news for Clovis Oncology stock. Analysts and investors predict that Clovis will dramatically speed up development of the new drug to get it approved in three years.

There's still a lot to get done, of course. Clovis needs to find a most-effective dose, figure out pill formulation, and design and then conduct a pivotal study. But with this news, Clovis is definitely a stock to keep an eye on. 

Chelsea Therapeutics

Image via Flickr by Images_of_Money

Though Chelsea Therapeutics started the year with their stocks far below $1, its movement after that makes it a stock to watch. Chelsea has shown great perseverance.

Take the drug Northera, for instance. Though the path of development was up and down, the company is getting ready to resubmit it to the FDA later on this summer to treat neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. With the stock going up, watch out. 

MannKind

Some success stories, like Dr. Lindsay Rosenwald, show the possibilities of the biotech market. Another great example is MannKind. With cult stocks doing well in frothy bull markets, MannKind is up there on the list.

The coming months will have a big impact on MannKind's success. Its fast-acting inhaled insulin drug, Afrezza, is up for another road of pivotal clinical trials this August. The FDA has already rejected Afrezza twice. Anticipating the data, shares are running up, so this is an important moment for Afrezza and MannKind as a whole. 

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals

When the results from Keryx Biopharmaceuticals' Zerenex study came out in January, this company's shares popped. Since that time, though, trading has gone mostly sideways.

Concerns have come to the forefront about the ability to partner Zerenex. There are also concerns about securing enough market exclusivity and patent protection to make Zerenex viable commercially. Still, with its potential, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals is something else to watch closely.

If you're into tracking Biotech stocks, Clovis Oncology, Chelsea Therapeutics, MannKind, and Keryx Biopharmaceuticals should get to the top of your list of stocks to watch. With new trials and data set to go out in the near future, the results could have great implications on keeping these stocks moving up.