Followers | 91 |
Posts | 3296 |
Boards Moderated | 0 |
Alias Born | 10/18/2010 |
![](http://investorshub.advfn.com/images/default_ih_profile2_4848.jpg?cb=0)
Wednesday, June 03, 2020 10:11:29 PM
In such a scenario, the latest updates on drugs, antibody therapies and vaccines for coronavirus are flowing in. Let’s take a look at how can these influence the biotech ETF space.
Latest Progress in Battle Against Coronavirus
Antibody Therapy
Eli Lilly’s LLY shares have been mostly gaining since the company informed about starting dosing in a phase I study, which will evaluate an antibody candidate, LY-CoV555, as a treatment for COVID-19. Notably, it is the first candidate to enter clinical study under the company’s collaboration with privately-held AbCellera. Lilly had signed a collaboration agreement with AbCellera in March to co-develop antibody therapies to treat and prevent COVID-19. The companies will select from more than 500 unique antibodies identified by AbCellera and separated from the blood sample of a U.S. COVID-19 patient who recovered from the disease. Lilly plans to review data from this study later this month. The company intends to initiate broader efficacy studies, if the antibody candidate is found to be safe in the phase I study.
Remdesivir Update
Going on, not a very positive update from Gilead Sciences GILD has come out. The company announced mixed results from the second phase III study (SIMPLE) evaluating five-day and 10-day courses of its investigational antiviral remdesivir plus standard of care (SOC) in hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 pneumonia. The data reflected that patients in the five-day treatment arm had 65% higher probability to have clinical improvement at Day 11 as against only SOC. However, the odds of improvement in clinical status with the 10-day treatment course of remdesivir versus standard of care alone were favorable but did not attain statistical significance.
Meanwhile, South Korea has approved the usage of remdesivir for coronavirus treatment. Notably, the FDA granted remdesivir an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the treatment of hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19, given the severity of the pandemic. The drug is also currently approved in Japan as a treatment for patients infected with COVID-19. Gilead Sciences also recently informed about its plans to begin working on a new version of remdesivir that will allow patients to inhale the medication.
Vaccine Update
Per a CNN report, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the infectious diseases expert, recently said that the United States could have 100 million doses of one candidate COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2020. Dr. Fauci added that the first vaccine candidate, made by Moderna MRNA in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, could go into a final stage of trials in volunteers, by mid-summer (per a CNN report).
Antibody Test Approval
Siemens Healthineers AG SMMNY recently announced the receipt of EUA from the FDA for its laboratory-based total antibody test to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, including IgM and IgG, in blood. Test data reflected 100% sensitivity2 and 99.8% specificity.
Biotech ETFs to Gain
The competition to come up with a vaccine is opening up near-term opportunities, making the biotech sector a prospective space for investments. Therefore, we discuss a few ETFs that seek to provide exposure to the biotech space:
iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF IBB
This fund seeks to provide exposure to U.S. biotechnology stocks and tracks the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index. It comprises 210 holdings. The fund has AUM of $8.94 billion, with an expense ratio of 0.47% (read: Is Moderna Winning the COVID-19 Vaccine Race? ETFs to Gain).
SPDR S&P Biotech ETF XBI
The fund seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, which match the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. It holds about 122 securities in its basket. It has AUM of $4.68 billion and an expense ratio of 0.35% (read: Biotech ETFs to Gain From Latest Advancements in Cancer Drugs).
First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index FBT
The fund measures the performance of a cross section of companies in the biotechnology industry that are primarily involved in the use of biological processes to develop products or provide services. It holds about 31 securities in its basket. Its AUM is around $2.12 billion and expense ratio is 0.57%.
ARK Genomic Revolution ETF ARKG
This is an actively-managed fund. Companies within ARKG are focused on and are expected to substantially benefit from extending and enhancing the quality of human and other life by incorporating technological and scientific developments and advancements in genomics into their business. It generally holds about 30-50 securities in its basket. It has AUM of $1.10 billion and an expense ratio of 0.75%.
VanEck Vectors Biotech ETF BBH
The underlying MVIS US Listed Biotech 25 Index tracks the overall performance of companies involved in the development and production, marketing and sales of drugs based on genetic analysis and diagnostic equipment. It holds about 24 securities in its basket. Its AUM is $463.3 million and has an expense ratio of 0.35% (read: These ETF Areas Make Great Investment Choices in June).
Recent GILD News
- Gilead Sciences to Release Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results on Thursday, August 8, 2024 • Business Wire • 07/25/2024 08:05:00 PM
- Gilead Presents Research Data Across Its Broad and Innovative HIV Treatment Portfolio and Pipeline • Business Wire • 07/25/2024 01:15:00 PM
- Full Efficacy and Safety Results for Gilead Investigational Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention Presented at AIDS 2024 • Business Wire • 07/24/2024 08:30:00 AM
- Gilead and the Elton John AIDS Foundation Announce Additional Five Years of RADIAN Partnership to Help Address the Growing HIV Crisis in Eastern Europe and Central Asia • Business Wire • 07/22/2024 08:00:00 AM
- Form 8-K - Current report • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 07/17/2024 01:01:01 PM
- Chief Medical Officer Merdad Parsey to Leave Gilead Early 2025 • Business Wire • 07/17/2024 12:50:00 PM
- Gilead to Highlight Landmark Progress in Research Across HIV Prevention, Treatment and Cure Programs at AIDS 2024 • Business Wire • 07/16/2024 12:30:00 PM
- EFFICACITÉ DE 100 % ET SUPÉRIORITÉ AVÉRÉES DU LÉNACAPAVIR DE GILEAD UTILISÉ DEUX FOIS PAR AN PAR RAPPORT À TRUVADA (MD) UNE FOIS PAR JOUR POUR LA PRÉVENTION DU VIH • PR Newswire (Canada) • 06/26/2024 02:45:00 PM
- Honeywell Acquires CAES Systems for $1.9 Billion, Sarepta Therapeutics Surges 34%, Gilead Continues Gains • IH Market News • 06/21/2024 12:00:38 PM
- Gilead’s Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir Demonstrated 100% Efficacy and Superiority to Daily Truvada® for HIV Prevention • Business Wire • 06/20/2024 12:51:00 PM
- Goldman Sachs Raises S&P 500 Forecast for 2024; Disney Secures Deadpool & Wolverine in Chinese Cinemas, and More • IH Market News • 06/17/2024 10:49:12 AM
- New Kite Clinical Research and Real-World Evidence for Yescarta® Demonstrate Benefit From Earlier Lines of Treatment • Business Wire • 06/14/2024 07:00:00 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 06/11/2024 11:25:27 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 06/11/2024 11:23:09 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 06/11/2024 11:20:42 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 06/11/2024 11:18:31 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 06/11/2024 11:15:14 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 06/11/2024 11:12:00 PM
- Gilead Announces New England Journal of Medicine Publication of Data that Demonstrate Bulevirtide with PegIFN Achieved Post-Treatment Undetectable HDV RNA • Business Wire • 06/06/2024 08:30:00 AM
- Gilead’s Seladelpar Demonstrated a Sustained and Consistent Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Profile in Primary Biliary Cholangitis • Business Wire • 06/05/2024 06:00:00 AM
- Kite’s Tecartus® Demonstrates Sustained Overall Survival in Adult Patients With Relapsed/Refractory B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia • Business Wire • 06/03/2024 02:00:00 PM
- Encouraging New Data Presented on Kite’s Yescarta® for Relapsed/Refractory Central Nervous System Lymphoma • Business Wire • 06/03/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Gilead and Arcus Announce Etrumadenant Plus Zimberelimab Regimen Significantly Reduced the Risk of Death in Third-line Metastatic Colorectal Cancer • Business Wire • 06/02/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Gilead and Arcus Announce Etrumadenant Plus Zimberelimab Regimen Significantly Reduced the Risk of Death in Third-line Metastatic Colorectal Cancer • Business Wire • 06/02/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Gilead and Arcus Announce Anti-TIGIT Domvanalimab Plus Zimberelimab and Chemotherapy Exceeded One Year of Median Progression-Free Survival as a First-Line Treatment for Upper GI Cancers • Business Wire • 06/01/2024 12:00:00 PM
FEATURED Southern Silver Files NI43-101 Technical Report for its Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Cerro Las Minitas Project • Jul 25, 2024 8:00 AM
Greenlite Ventures Completes Agreement with No Limit Technology • GRNL • Jul 19, 2024 10:00 AM
VAYK Expects Revenue from First Airbnb Property Starting from August • VAYK • Jul 18, 2024 9:00 AM
North Bay Resources Acquires Mt. Vernon Gold Mine, Sierra County, California, with Assays up to 4.8 oz. Au per Ton • NBRI • Jul 18, 2024 9:00 AM
Nightfood Holdings Signs Letter of Intent for All-Stock Acquisition of CarryOutSupplies.com • NGTF • Jul 17, 2024 1:00 PM
Kona Gold Beverages Reaches Out to Largest Debt Holder for Debt Purchase Negotiation • KGKG • Jul 17, 2024 9:00 AM