The Stocks We Love, and Sometimes Hate – Premier Study and Investing

ABUS – Arbutus is a microcap, pharmaceutical firm that has won a case against Moderna. Arbutus is claiming infringement of their lipid nanoparticle intellectual property, which they claim is being used in the Moderna mRNA Covid vaccine. Over the last few years, there have been three patent disputes between the two companies over the use of the lipid-nanoparticle delivery system used by Moderna’s Covid vaccine. Of the three previous decisions, one has been a split decision, Moderna has won one case, and Arbutus has won the third. Arbutus is entitled to royalties from vaccine revenue with both Pfizer and Curevac. Arbutus is not required to file a case against Moderna for patent infringement while the pandemic continues. There is legal precedent that Arbutus can send a non-public letter to Moderna and sue for patent infringement once the pandemic has been quelled.

ADMP Adamis Pharmaceutical is another microcap, American pharmaceutical firm that has three main drugs. A cost-leader for retail sales of Epinephrine, used historically for anaphylaxis following an allergic reaction. As many reports have been cited of anaphylaxis following the vaccine, it could be that ADMP is well positioned for consumers concerned about these events. Additionally, by June of 2021, the company had entered into phase 2/3 trial for their Covid treatment called Tempol that is taken orally. Finally, they are hoping to see approval in summer/fall 2021 for Zemhi, a drug that reduces the affect of opioid overdose, which has become more frequent during the last five years in the United States.

ALDX Aldeyra Pharmaceutical has been testing ADX-629, for treatment of Covid and for the reduction of RASP. Additionally, the firm is developing a treatment for dry-eye disease.

ALT Altimmune is developing a unique nasal spray Covid vaccine as well as a Covid treatment. The firm received funding from the US Department of Defense in 2020. The firm has stated the belief that their vaccine will be able to create sterilizing immunity that prevent vaccinated individuals from transmitting Covid-19 to others. However, Altimmune canceled their Ad-Covid vaccine program in June of 2021. Shares fell dramatically, yet the company will continue to pursue their Covid therapy.

CYDY- Cytodyn has been on a controversial ride during their development of Leronlimab, a CCR5 receptor antagonist for the treatment of Covid-19 and other conditions. The firm was given a letter from the FDA that their CD10 and CD12 trials were insufficient for Emergency Use Authorization. The company has focused on new CD16 and CD17 trials in Brazil and has also developed partnerships in India and the Philippines.

GILD Gilead Sciences is an American Pharmaceutical firm that had developed Remdesivir, an antiviral drug, for treatment of Ebola. The firm was able to be one of the first firms to receive an EUA in the United States and was also the first drug to receive full approval from the FDA for treatment of Covid-19. Many have criticized it’s price as well as its lack of effectiveness. The firm completed a number of acquisitions in 2020 and is known for their HIV portfolio.

LIFE aTyr pharmaceutical has ATYR 1923 in development for Sarcoidosis and also for Covid-19. 2020 offered chances to purchase this company a 1.14x price to book. Their interim results for Covid 19 treatment were disappointing. As of April 2021, the company has negative earnings per share.

NWBO Northwest Biotherapeutics is one of my personal favorite “all or nothing” penny stocks. This company has been running trials for over 10 years on a new strategy to combat one of the most deadly forms of brain cancer known today. The optimism has come from the know hiring and the construction of a manufacturing facility in Swaston, UK. The data lock for their trial ended around October in 2020 and the company has one year in which to report their findings.

OCN – Ocwendoes the unpopular work of cleaning up mortgage loans that are distressed or in foreclosure. Their business is complicated in the fog of regulation when mortgages are created by a bank, sold to a special purpose entity, then the payments are processed by a firm like Ocwen, but then the mortgage is packaged into a security which is bought by investors. Whether the regulatory hoops and ensuing lawsuits justify Ocwen’s high fees on distressed loans is up for debate. Ocwen stock increase over 400% over the period from 2008 to 2012 as the mortgage loan landscape was a mess.

OPK – OPKO Health is a takeover target and this is not my opinion, as Scion capital has repeatedly claimed the company is mismanaged and that Scion is hunting for investment capital to bring in new management through a takeover. OPKO core business is running laboratory tests which has done well during the pandemic. OPKO is slowly running a vitamin D derivative for the treatment of Covid.

OTLC – Oncotelic is a firm that is in Phase 4 with Arti-19, which is based on Artimisia, a well-known drug used against Malaria. The news from India is heartbreaking and this firm has shown some of the best treatment results of the companies covered on this site. The company focuses on TGF-B inhibitor. The share price fell when the company ended their AT-101 trial treatment of Covid-19 early in order to unblind the data and evaluate the effectiveness of TGF-B inhibitors against Covid-19. The phase 4 trial in India, with Arti-19, which uses Artimisia derived from the Sweet Wormwood plant is ongoing.

QDEL – Quidel received six different EUA’s in the United States for products related to Covid-19 testing. The stock fell off dramatically as the United States shifted from a testing focus to a vaccination focus. The company hold zero or close to zero debt. They are heavily dependent upon Covid testing as this has composed over 70% of their revenue in recent quarters.

RLFTF/RFL – Releif Therapeutics has one of the most promising Covid-treatments, Zyesami (Aviptadil) for Covid-19, yet the firm has been in conflict with their US partner Neuro Rx. The positive news is that the trial data for an IV delivered Zyesami has been submitted to the FDA in May 2021. The firm(s) are also developing an inhaled version of Zysami for mild and moderate cases. There are some big questions/concern about how these two firms will split profits and if each is fulfilling their duties to the other.

RVVTF – Revive Therapeutics is developing Bucillamine, a thiol donor, for the treatment of Covid-19 as well as a pipeline for hepatitis treatment and treatments using psliocybin. They uplisted to the OTCQB in June 2021.

SRNE – Sorrento Theraputics has one of the most diversified drug portfolios of any company on this list. The difficult time is keeping up to speed with all of the moving parts. In the summer of 2021 they recieved EUA in Mexico for their Covid test, leaving many investors waiting for the US EUA to follow. This company has had a large short ratio against it.

FAZ/FAS Leveraged ETF’s are the 3X bull/bear leveraged product for the financial sector. These funds attempt to track a broad range of financial firms with the largest holding by percent is Berkshire Hathaway, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America. These products are leveraged, so that the asset attempts to move 3X higher or -3X the daily price action of the basket of holdings. These products are unique and are designed for short term holding periods of a day.

VGT – Vanguard’s Information Technology ETF demonstrates the power of the IT sector. This Tech ETF has seen dramatic returns, with annual returns of 30% or more in some years. This is a high risk, high reward ETF with a very low expense ratio – Thanks Jack Bogle!