Some of the biggest winners and losers this week have been small biotech companies. Wednesday’s biggest winner on the NASDAQ was a small, $50 million-dollar company called PDS Biotechnology Corp (NASDAQ: PDSB), whose shares spiked an impressive 41.4 percent on news regarding their new Versamune platform and the results it’s achieved in eliminating cancer tumors.
A peer-reviewed publication found that PDSB’s signature compound was able to demonstrate an impressive response in regard to its anti-tumor properties. The article was published by the Journal of Immunology on May 3rd and described how PDSB’s Versamune platform activates killer T-cells that can recognize cancer cells and killing them.
“As a cancer immunologist who has spent the last decade performing translational and clinical research in immuno-oncology at the National Cancer Institute, the versatility of PDS’ Versamune® technology, and the strength of this recently published data, demonstrates Versamune®’s potential to provide significant advancements in the treatment of various cancers and debilitating diseases,” said Dr. Lauren V. Wood, PDS Biotechnology’s Chief Medical Officer. “With respect to our lead therapeutic candidate, PDS0101 (a combination of Versamune® nanoparticles plus proprietary human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 E6 and E7 antigens), the Journal of Immunology article details Versamune®’s ability to overcome the critical mechanisms associated with ineffective immune responses mediated by HPV16 and cancer cells, therefore leading to a superior anti-tumor effect.”
Even more impressively, the press report went on to mention that a single injection of the compound in cancer-ridden mice led to complete regression of well-established tumors. While still a long ways to go before mainstream adoption in hospitals around the world, this could be the first step in finding an effective treatment method for cancer,
Cancer immunotherapy is an extremely hot area in the biotech market as many companies compete to develop new cancer treatments. Earlier this week, Puma Biotechnology (NASDAQ: PBYI) lost over 33 percent when news came out that its own cancer drug wasn’t selling as well as it expected.
PDSB also reported it’s first quarter financial results on Tuesday, reporting a net income of $6.8 million in comparison to a net loss of $0.7 million the company reported during Q1 2018. Research and development expenses increased by 412 percent, up to $1.0 million during the first quarter. Today’s results would seem to vindicate this decision, as the surge in PDSB’s stock price added tens of millions to the company’s market cap.
Shares of the small biotech company surged 41 percent over the course of the day, but the vast majority of this increase happened within the first 10 minutes of Wednesday’s trading session. Traders that were on the ball and following the news saw significant gains as the stock jumped from $6.88 to $8.10 in minutes of the market opening.
PDS Biotechnology Company Profile
PDS Biotechnology Corp formerly known as Edge Therapeutics Inc operates as a clinical stage biotechnology company, principally involved in drug discovery in the United States. It is primarily engaged in the treatment of various early-stage and late-stage cancers, including head and neck cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, anal cancer, and other cancers. – Warrior Trading News
