Biotech Stock Picks That Delivered Triple-digit Gains - Is There More Room To Run?

(RTTNews) - As 2020 draws to a close, it's time to take a look at the top performing healthcare stocks that we profiled this year. Of the 53 stocks to which our premium subscribers have been alerted, 18 stocks have posted triple-digit gains.

What are the catalysts driving these stocks? Is there more room to run? Let's walk you through the details.

1. DermTech Inc. (DMTK)

DermTech, a commercial-stage genomics company in dermatology, was trading around $11, when we alerted our premium subscribers to it on January 19, 2020. The stock touched a high of $27.42 in intraday trading yesterday and that represents a gain of 136% from our published price.

Report titled "Exploring Derma"

The company currently offers the Pigmented Lesion Assay (PLA) for early melanoma detection. After lackluster performance in the second quarter due to the pandemic, there has been growth in both the number of ordering clinicians and sample volume for PLA above pre-COVID levels.

DMTK closed Thursday's (Dec.24, 2020) trading at $24.80, up 5.98%.

2. TCR2 Therapeutics Inc. (TCRR)

TCR2 Therapeutics was trading around $15 when we profiled this stock on January 25, 2020. The stock, which touched a high of $35.86 in intraday trading on December 14, has given back some of its gains and trade around $30. Had you bought the stock in January, you would have made a gain of 135%.

Report titled "Focusing on Crossing the T's"

TCR2 Therapeutics is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a pipeline of novel T cell therapies called TRuC, which in preclinical studies have demonstrated superior anti-tumor activity compared to CAR-T cells. The lead TRuC-T cell program is TC-210.

On December 13, the company announced positive interim update from the phase I portion of the TC-210 phase I/II clinical trial for patients with mesothelin-expressing solid tumors. An interim update from the phase I portion of the TC-110 phase I/II clinical trial for patients with CD19+ non-Hodgkin lymphoma or adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia is expected in 2021.

As of September 30, 2020, the company had $246.7 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments.

TCRR closed Thursday's trading at $30.68, up 1.02%.

3. Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (OVID)

Ovid was trading around $3 when we alerted our readers to it on March 3, 2020. The stock, which touched a high of $9.40 on June 19, 2020, equating to a 118% return in 3 months, has now erased all its gains.

Report titled "Will 2020 see shares of this neurology company rocket?"

Ovid is a biopharmaceutical company developing medicines for rare neurological diseases. The lead drug candidate is OV101 (gaboxadol), is currently in clinical development for the treatment of Angelman syndrome and Fragile X syndrome.

In May, the company reported positive topline results from a phase II trial of OV101 in males with Fragile X syndrome, dubbed ROCKET. Early this month, the company announced that its phase III clinical trial of OV101 for the treatment of Angelman syndrome, dubbed NEPTUNE, did not meet its primary endpoint.

Ovid is also developing OV935 in collaboration with Takeda Pharma for the potential treatment of rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). Pivotal studies of OV935 in Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are expected to begin in the first half of 2021.

As of September 30, 2020, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $86.9 million.

OVID closed Thursday's trading at $2.61, down 2.97%.

4. Moderna Inc. (MRNA)

Moderna was trading around $27 when we alerted readers to this stock on March 26, 2020. With the pandemic spread, development of drugs/vaccines to treat and prevent COVID-19 has taken centre-stage in which Moderna is also one of the players. The stock touched an all-time high of $178.50 on December 1, 2020, reflecting a gain of 548% from our published price.

On December 18, 2020, the FDA authorized the company's mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 for emergency use. About 20 million doses are slated to be delivered by the end of this month.

A Biologics License Application for full U.S. licensure of the vaccine is expected to be submitted in 2021.

Report titled "It's Not Just About COVID-19 Vaccine…"

MRNA closed Thursday's trading at $123.39, down 5.33%.

5. Silk Road Medical Inc (SILK)

Silk Road was trading around $27 when we alerted readers to it on April 2, 2020. The stock touched an all-time high of $75.80 on November 9, 2020, representing a 177% growth in price.

Report titled "Will it regain its lost sheen?"

Silk Road is a medical device company whose flagship procedure, TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR), is clinically proven to treat blockages in the carotid artery at risk of causing a stroke. More than 7,500 procedures have been performed through the third quarter of 2020.

Although revenue in the second quarter of 2020 declined to $15.1 million from $18.9 million in the previous quarter, it made a strong comeback in the third quarter - registering $20.1 million. The company is optimistic that it is well positioned for long term growth.

Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments were $153.9 million as of September 30, 2020.

SILK closed Thursday's trading at $64.71, up 2.42%.

6. Translate Bio Inc. (TBIO)

Translate Bio was trading around $10 when we alerted our readers to this stock on April 6, 2020. The stock hit a high of $28.09 in intraday trading on June 24, 2020, reflecting a gain of 184%, thanks to the progress in lead COVID-19 mRNA vaccine candidate, MRT5500, being developed under collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur.

Report titled "A message, well delivered..."

Translate Bio is a clinical-stage mRNA therapeutics company developing a new class of potentially transformative medicines to treat diseases caused by protein or gene dysfunction.

A phase I/II study of MRT5500 is now anticipated to begin in first quarter 2021. A phase I/II clinical trial for MRT5005 for the treatment of cystic fibrosis is underway.

TBIO closed Thursday's trading at $22.14, down 8.32%.

7. Myovant Sciences Ltd. (MYOV)

We alerted our subscribers to Myovant Sciences on April 7, 2020. The stock, which was trading around $8 then, has since gained as much as 228% - registering a 52-week high of $28 on December 11, 2020.

Report titled "Will the results lift investors' spirit?"

Myovant is a healthcare company whose lead product candidate is Relugolix, a once-daily, oral GnRH receptor antagonist. Relugolix won FDA approval for adult patients with advanced prostate cancer as recently as December 18, 2020, under brand name Orgovyx. The drug is under regulatory review in Europe and the U.S. for women with uterine fibroids and is under development for women with endometriosis.

The FDA decision on Relugolix for uterine fibroids is expected by June 1, 2021.

MYOV closed Thursday's trading at $22.75, down 1.09%.

8. Axsome Therapeutics Inc. (AXSM)

Axsome Therapeutics is a stock that is regularly featured in our website. It was trading around $3 when we alerted readers to the stock for the first time on August 29, 2018. The second time we reminded readers of this stock on March 11, 2019, it was trading around $9. We again brought this stock to the notice of our readers on April 8, 2020 when it was trading around $51.

Report titled "Make or Break Events Await These Stocks"

AXSM touched an all-time high of $109.53 on April 27, 2020, equating to a gain of 114% in just two weeks, thanks to positive phase II/III results of its lead drug candidate AXS-05 in Alzheimer's disease agitation.

There are a couple of catalysts to keep an eye on in the coming months.

A phase III trial of AXS-05 in Alzheimer's disease agitation is due to be initiated this month. An NDA for AXS-07 in the acute treatment of migraine is expected to be submitted to the FDA in the first quarter of 2021.

AXSM closed Thursday's trading at $84.91, up 0.50%.

9. Halozyme Therapeutics Inc. (HALO)

Halozyme was trading around $18 when we alerted our subscribers to it on April 15, 2020. The stock touched an all-time high of $44.53 on December 9, 2020, thanks to improving financials and achievement of multiple key milestones including two FDA approvals and one EMA approval for partnered drugs, bringing the total number of FDA-approved products utilizing the company's ENHANZE drug delivery technology to five. Had you bought the stock in April, you could have made a gain of 145%.

Report titled "Will halo shine brighter?"

During the second quarter, Halozyme's partner Janssen received approvals in both the U.S. and the EU for the subcutaneous form of DARZALEX utilizing ENHANZE, which is branded as DARZALEX FASPRO in the U.S. In late June, the company's partner Roche received FDA approval for Phesgo, which utilizes ENHANZE technology for the treatment of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. The company earned milestone following the approvals of these news drugs and expects their adoption to be an important driver of its growth and profitability in the coming years.

For full year 2020, the company expects revenue of $250 million to $260 million, representing growth of 28 to 33% over 2019.

HALO closed Thursday's trading at $42.91, up 0.61%.

10. TFF Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TFFP)

TFF Pharma was trading around $4 when we profiled it on April 16, 2020. The stock touched an all-time high of $19 on October 9, 2020, equating to a gain of 288% in a little over 5 months, thanks to the company's strong clinical progress and exceptional partnering activity.

Report titled "A Good Shot Or Long Shot?"

TFF Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing innovative drug products based on its patented Thin Film Freezing, or TFF, technology platform. The company's lead drug candidates include Voriconazole Inhalation Powder and Tac-Lac Inhalation Powder.

Voriconazole Inhalation Powder to treat the severe and life-threatening disease of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis has successfully completed the clinical portion of its phase I trial and progressed to phase II. Earlier this month, the company announced the first dosing of asthma patients with Voriconazole Inhalation Powder in a phase Ib clinical trial. The company is also exploring if its TFF technology could be used in developing a dry powder product delivered directly to the lung to target SARS-CoV-2 and potentially similar viruses such as SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and other endemic coronaviruses.

TFFP closed Thursday's trading at $15.47, down 0.13%.

11. Livongo Health Inc.

Livongo Health was trading around $41 when we alerted our subscribers to it on April 24, 2020.

Report titled "In Good Health"

Livongo is a digital health company offering its members solutions for chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, weight management, diabetes prevention, and behavioral health, which are delivered on one integrated Applied Health Signals platform.

The stock touched a high of $151 on October 13, 2020, reflecting a gain of 263% from our published price.

Livongo was acquired by Telehealth giant Teladoc (TDOC) in a deal valued at $18.5 billion on October 30, 2020.

12. Vapotherm Inc. (VAPO)

Vapotherm was trading around $24 when we alerted our subscribers to it on May 6, 2020. The stock touched an all-time high of $54.42 on August 4, 2020, representing a return of 124% in just three months, but has now given back most of its gains.

Report titled "Vapotherm's Journey From $9 to $22 in 6 Months, More in Store?"

Vapotherm is a medical technology company developing comfortable, non-invasive technologies for respiratory support of patients with chronic or acute breathing disorders.

Early this month, the company boosted its fourth quarter and full-year 2020 revenue outlook on the back of higher capital demand worldwide and higher disposable demand in the US related to increased hospitalization rates.

VAPO closed Thursday's trading at $27.78, down 0.64%.

13. Rocket Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RCKT)

Rocket Pharma was trading around $17 when we alerted our subscribers to it on May 8, 2020. The stock, which has been on an uptrend since then, touched a high of $63.99 on December 10, 2020, on the back of steady progress the company has made across all five of its clinical programs.

Report titled "On the right trajectory?"

Rocket Pharma is a clinical-stage company developing genetic therapies for rare childhood disorders. Early this month, the company announced positive gene expression, clinical biomarker and preliminary functional data from phase I trial of RP-A501 for the treatment of Danon disease. The updated data from this trial is anticipated in the second half of 2021.

The company expects to report data from a phase II trial evaluating RP-L201 for the treatment of Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I, a rare, autosomal recessive pediatric disease in the first half of next year.

Data from a phase I trial of RP-L401 in Infantile Malignant Osteopetrosis is expected in the second half of 2021.

RCKT closed Thursday's trading at $56.70, down 2.26%.

14. Twist Bioscience Corp. (TWST)

Twist Bioscience was trading around $38 when we profiled it on May 11, 2020. The stock touched an all-time high of $170.86 on December 23, 2020, equating to a gain of 339% in a little over 7 months.

Report titled "In the chips…"

Twist is a revenue-generating synthetic biology and genomics company that has developed a disruptive DNA synthesis platform to industrialize the engineering of biology. The company reported record revenue of $90.1 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, thanks to the new products it introduced to aid in the fight against COVID-19, as well as its core synthetic biology and next-generation sequencing (NGS) product lines.

Looking ahead to fiscal year 2021, the company expects revenue to be in the range of $110 million to $118 million.

TWST closed Thursday's trading at $164.04, down 1.63%.

15. MyoKardia Inc.

MyoKardia was trading around $99 when we reminded our readers to it on May 12, 2020.

MyoKardia is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targtHE eted therapies for the treatment of serious cardiovascular diseases. The company's lead candidate is Mavacamten, which successfully completed a phase III trial in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy recently. A New Drug Application for Mavacamten in the treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is expected to be submitted to the FDA in the first quarter of 2021.

The company was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) on October 5, 2020, for $13.1 billion, or $225.00 per share in cash. The acquisition price represents a gain of 126% from our published price.

Report titled "MyoKardia Joins $100 Stock Price Club"

16. TG Therapeutics Inc. (TGTX)

TG Therapeutics was trading around $18 when we alerted our subscribers to it on June 5, 2020. Thanks to positive results from UNITY-CLL phase III trial and UNITY-NHL trial of Ublituximab as well as ULTIMATE I & II Multiple Sclerosis trials of Ublituximab, the stock has been picking up steam. TGTX touched a high of $56.11 on December 22, 2020, which reflects a gain of 207% from our published price.

Report titled "Will ULTIMATE Results Drive This Stock's Price?"

The New Drug Applications for Umbralisib, proposed in the treatment of relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and follicular lymphoma (FL) are under FDA review, with a decision expected on February 15, 2021 for MZL and June 15, 2021 for FL.

Early this month, the company initiated a rolling submission of a Biologics License Application to the FDA requesting approval of Ublituximab, in combination with Umbralisib, as a treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The completion of rolling submission for the BLA is expected in the first half of 2021.

TGTX closed Thursday's trading at $53.34, down 1.64%.

17. Cardiff Oncology Inc. (CRDF)

Cardiff Oncology was trading around $4 when we profiled it on July 1, 2020. The stock touched a high of $25.50 on December 1, 2020, equating to a gain of 415% from our published price, thanks to clinical data sets demonstrating safety and efficacy of Onvansertib in solid tumor indications.

Report titled "Can Onvansertib Turn the Tide on Cancer?"

Cardiff Oncology is a clinical-stage company developing new cancer drugs that can overcome resistance, extend duration of response and increase overall survival. The lead drug candidate Ovansertib selectively targets Polo-like Kinase 1 (PLK1), overexpressed in most cancers, and blocks cancer cell division.

Early this month, the company announced encouraging updated data from its phase Ib/II study of Ovansertib in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

CRDF closed Thursday's trading at $18.91, down 0.21%.

18. Evelo Biosciences Inc. (EVLO)

Evelo was trading around $5 when we alerted readers to it on October 12, 2020. The stock touched a high of $12 on December 23, 2020, representing a gain of 118% from our published price.

Report titled "Calming The Cytokine Storm"

Evelo Biosciences is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing orally delivered product candidates that are designed to improve the lives of people with inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Early this month, the company announced positive topline clinical data from its phase Ib clinical trial of EDP1815 in mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. A phase II clinical trial evaluating EDP1815 for the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis is underway.

Two studies evaluating EDP1815 for the treatment of newly hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are ongoing - the phase II trial in partnership with Rutgers University, and TACTIC-E, a phase II/III trial sponsored by the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Data from the clinical trial in partnership with Rutgers University and interim safety data and futility analysis from TACTIC-E study are anticipated in the second quarter of 2021.

EVLO closed Thursday's trading at $10.75, up 0.09%.