Slow and Steady Wins the Race

If you are on the lookout for stocks that have the potential to deliver dramatic gains right away, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place than the biotechnology industry.

Hardly a month passes without at least one or two biotech names skyrocketing or tumbling thanks to updates about clinical studies. And this year won’t be any different for this group.

A particular biotech to keep on an eye on is Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN).

This 2023, Regeneron has several upcoming trial readouts that could potentially push its stock price to an all-time high. The earliest update to watch out for involves its anti-inflammatory drug Dupixent, which is already a leading treatment for asthma and eczema.

Gaining its first approval back in 2017, Dupixent has been generating over $7 billion in sales every year for both Regeneron and its co-developer, Sanofi (SNY).

Riding this momentum, Regeneron stock could climb higher courtesy of the upcoming results of experimental studies with Dupixent and patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

Based on data from the World Health Organization, COPD is the third leading cause of death across the globe. Despite this, there remains a shortage of effective and accessible treatment options for patients. Needless to say, this represents an untapped potential market and a promising fresh revenue stream for Regeneron.

Meanwhile, another product in Regeneron’s portfolio could soon get a shot in the arm. After struggling with unimpressive results in the earlier months of 2022, the company’s shares soared around September. As expected when it comes to biotechs, this type of double-digit percentage is triggered by positive clinical updates.

For Regeneron, the trigger was Eylea.

Aside from its blockbuster drug Dupixent, Eylea is another top-selling product of Regeneron. It is a rare eye disorder treatment that it developed with Bayer (BAYN). Recently, Regeneron disclosed that Eylea proved to be effective in a Phase 3 clinical study that justified a higher dosage of the treatment.

For years, Eylea has been a generous cash cow for the companies. Now, it could become an even more lucrative source. However, this development is even more critical for Regeneron because Eylea’s patent exclusivity is set to expire in 2024.
With the recent development, the company could easily apply for an extension of patent protection, which is obviously excellent news for Regeneron and its shareholders.

This news could not have come at a more timely period since Regeneron stock started tumbling following the biotech’s report of lower sales for Eylea in the fourth quarter of 2022.

In a preliminary report on its fourth-quarter earnings, Regeneron shared that the sales for Eylea during this period only reached $1.5 billion, which fell short of the $1.64 billion expectation from analysts.

The disappointing update scared off some shareholders and caused interested investors to think twice before putting their money in this company. However, these results were justifiable since they coincided with the launch of a rival drug treatment, Vabysmo from Roche (RHHBY).

Nonetheless, Regeneron remains a good investment in these turbulent times. Despite the challenges, its products, especially Eylea and Dupixent, continue to deliver solid financial results.

More importantly, the company has several promising pipeline candidates. To date, Regeneron has roughly 40 clinical trials ongoing, with a quarter of these queued for Phase 3 studies. This indicates the company’s capacity and plans to extend its lineup to launch brand-new treatments.

Meanwhile, it has also been working on label extensions for its already successful products, as seen in its efforts with Dupixent and Eylea.

With these solid products in its portfolio and other promising candidates for regulatory approval this 2023 and early 2024, Regeneron looks ready to deliver solid results in 2023 and beyond. Even if it doesn’t, the company is equipped with the tools to keep churning out strong returns in the long run. I suggest you buy the dip.