Are Biotech Stocks The Way Forward?
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Invest in biotech: 3 stocks to consider 

Loads of traders and investors are enticed by the health care sector due to its stability and lucrative growth potential. If there's one thing that households tend not to hold back on, it's health care spending, even if times are tough. This is one sector that looks set to experience perpetual growth. Authoritative figures on the subject believe we are in the golden age of biotechnology. As technology continues to speed on and fuel scientific advances,  new ways to treat and prevent diseases are constantly emerging.  As a result, the biotech sector offers investors and traders alike truly exciting opportunities. Lots of the leading biotech companies have successful drugs on the market as well as strong pipeline candidates.  The pandemic, as terrible as it has been, has also fostered in a climate for innovation and profit for all parties involved as treatments and vaccines continue to be developed. Here are some of the biotech companies to keep a close eye on for 2021.

1. Axsome Therapeutics

Not only is depression real, it's big business. Axsome's most promising candidate drug is AXS-05, a drug with multiple application potential. This drug has been designed to target both depression and Alzheimer-induced agitation. In addition, AXS-05 is also in a phase 2 trial for smoking cessation.  Pipeline drugs include AXS-07 for the treatment of migraines and AXS-14 for the treatment of fibromyalgia. As treatment for depression alone, AXS-05 has major blockbuster drug potential with analysts estimating yearly sales to be worth $2.6 billion. Forecasts for AXS-07 are estimated at $500 million and for AXS-14 between $500 million and $1 billion in the US alone. The potential revenue from these three 3 drugs makes Axsome Therapeutics a very appealing option for biotech stock investment. Unlike its rival biotech companies on FTSE 100 indexes such as the UK's GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, Axsome Therapeutics can be found on the Nasdaq (NASDAQ:AXSM).

2. Exelixis

Exelixis already has four approved drugs on the market. By far it's biggest player is Cabometyx, designed for the treatment of both hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma - or more commonly put -  live cancer and kidney cancer. Exelixis has a bunch of collaborative efforts in the works - they say two heads are better than one. Along with biopharma company Bristol Myers Squibb, it wants to combine Cabometyx with Myers' immunotherapy drug, Opdivo. Other collaborative partnerships include its one with drugmaker Roche. Due to the fact that Exelixis is profitable, it can utilise its constantly-replenished stockpile of cash to expedite partnerships, expand it's offerings and grow its profits.

3. Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals practically enjoys an almost complete monopoly over the treatment of the underlying causes of cystic fibrosis (CF). It's largely cornered and guarded the market through the production of multiple cystic fibrosis drugs. By way of a combination of two cystic fibrosis drugs - Kaftrio and Trikafta  - its latest drug could mean increasing its treatment of the patient population by over 50%. In terms of pipeline drugs, Vertex has two other high-potential cystic fibrosis drugs undergoing phase 2 trials.  The company intends to transcend its hold on the CF market through phase 2 studies in kidney diseases brought about by distinct gene mutations. Vertex is also in an early-stage partnership CRISPR Therapeutics that involves the testing of gene-editing therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia -  both rare blood diseases.  In addition to all of this, the company has moved ahead to clinically testing an experimental drug with the ability to cure type 1 diabetes in certain patients.  Due to its profitability, Vertex has can rely on large cash stockpiles to further the endeavours of its drug pipeline.