The healthcare stocks in the S&P 500 outperformed all other sectors in the broader index with a ~2.5% gain thanks mainly to M&A prospects. Healthcare technology, along with names battling the resurgence of COVID-19, led the gainers while the overall index fell ~1.9%.
Among stocks with more than $2B market capitalization and 100K average daily volume over the past week, Arena Pharmaceuticals dominated with a ~83.8% rise after Pfizer agreed to acquire it in a ~$6.7B deal with 100% premium for the biotech. Cerner also joined the M&A-driven rally to gain ~20.7% over the week amid reports of a potential ~$30B bid from Oracle for the electronic-medical-records company.
Vaccine developer, Novavax jumped ~30.5% as investors welcomed the WHO clearance for the company’s COVID-19 shot. Further gains for the Maryland-based biotech are likely when an expert panel of the European regulators is set to review the marketing authorization for the vaccine next week.
Biohaven Pharmaceutical posted a ~25.2% weekly rise after the company announced the approval for NURTEC ODT (rimegepant) in Israel, making it the first regulatory win for the migraine drug outside the U.S. Meanwhile, Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) surged ~23.7% to stand among best gainers for the second week this month. More data emerged this week confirming the Omicron-neutralizing effect of the company’s COVID-19 therapy developed in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK). Rounding out the top five gainers, Roivant Sciences added ~22.6%.
Notable gainer: Pfizer (PFE) made headlines throughout the week, raising its sales guidance for the COVID-19 vaccine once again as the rapidly spreading Omicron variant highlighted the need for booster shots. Despite an abrupt end to its six-day rally on Friday, the New York-based pharma giant with a ~12.7% rise recorded its best weekly gain since March 2009.
Among worst performers of the week, two newly IPO’ed biotechs, Instil Bio (NASDAQ:TIL) and Exscientia (NASDAQ:EXAI), stood out, falling 19.3% and ~13.5%, respectively, despite their favorable ratings on Wall Street. Meanwhile, GoodRx Holdings (NASDAQ:GDRX), an operator of a price comparison platform for prescription medicine slumped ~15.6%.
Last week’s best performer, Bright Health Group, crashed ~13.1%, hurt by the sole Sell rating issued by Goldman Sachs even as the investment bank kicked off its coverage on managed care with largely positive views.
Allogene Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ALLO) dropped ~12.3% after the company’s ASH presentations on Phase 1 data for experimental allogeneic CAR T therapies failed to excite investors, including Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management, which sold ~1.6M shares of the biotech several days later.