The Week Ahead In Biotech: Merck, Bristol-Myers Earnings, Conference Presentations In Focus

Biotech stocks see-sawed through the week ended Jan. 31 and ended the month lower overall. Big pharma earnings of the week were mostly disappointing.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) guided 2020 below consensus, while Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE: LLY) managed to outperform expectations.

The week continued to see coronavirus-related spikes, with Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBLI), NanoViricides, Inc. (NASDAQ: NNVC), Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIR) and Vaccinex, Inc. (NASDAQ: VCNX) among the stocks riding on the momentum.

Acceleron Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: XLRN) was one of the standout gainers of the week, thanks to a positive midstage clinical readout.

The much-anticipated FDA verdict on Aimmune Therapeutics Inc's (NASDAQ: AIMT) peanut allergy drug Palforzia came through in the week, with the regulatory agency greenlighting the drug.

Related Link: 7 Blockbuster Drugs Expected To Be Launched In 2020

Turning ahead to the unfolding week, the following are key catalysts that could create a ripple in the biotech space.

Conferences

• 2nd International Scientific & Clinical Congress on Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Feb. 5-7 in Paris, France
• The European Association for Hemophilia and Allied Disorders, or EAHAD, 2020 Congress: Feb. 5-7 in Hague, Netherlands
• ASCO-SITC Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium: Feb. 6-8 in Orlando, Florida
• Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2020: Feb. 8 in Miami, Florida

Clinical Readouts

Forty Seven Inc (NASDAQ: FTSV) is due to present at the ASCO-SITC Symposium Phase 1b data for magrolimab + avelumab in ovarian cancer.

Jounce Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: JNCE) will present at the ASCO-SITC Symposium Phase 1/2 data for vopratelimab, codenamed JTX-2011, in solid tumors. (Feb. 6)

Catalyst Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ: CBIO) is scheduled to present at the EAHAD Congress Phase 2b data for dalcinonacog alfa in hemophilia B. (Feb. 7)

Kodiak Sciences Inc (NASDAQ: KOD) is due to present at the Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2020with Phase 1b data for KSI-301 in diabetic macular edema (Feb. 8)

Adverum Biotechnologies Inc (NASDAQ: ADVM) will present at the Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2020 with Phase 1 data for ADVM-022 in wet age-related macula degeneration. (Feb. 8)

Earnings

Monday

• Catalent Inc (NYSE: CTLT) (before the market open)
• Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TARO) (after the close)

Tuesday

• Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc (NYSE: ZBH) (before the market open)
• Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE: HAE) (before the market open)
• BIO-TECHNE Corp (NASDAQ: TECH) (before the market open)
• Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBIX) (after the close)
• Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) (after the close)
• Qiagen NV (NYSE: QGEN) (after the close)

Wednesday

• Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) (before the market open)
• Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) (before the market open)
• Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ARWR) (after the close)
• Cardiovascular Systems Inc (NASDAQ: CSII) (after the close)
• Misonix Inc (NASDAQ: MSON) (after the close)
• SurModics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRDX) (after the close)

Thursday

• ABIOMED, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABMD) (before the market open)
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (NYSE: BMY) (before the market open)
• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALNY) (before the market open)
• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: REGN) (before the market open)
• Twist Bioscience Corp (NASDAQ: TWST) (after the close)
• Anavex Life Sciences Corp (NASDAQ: AVXL) (after the close)
• Pacific Biosciences of California (NASDAQ: PACB) (after the close)
• Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ENTA) (after the close)
• Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) (after the close)
• Seattle Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGEN) (after the close)
• Natus Medical Inc (NASDAQ: NTUS) (after the close)
• LeMaitre Vascular Inc (NASDAQ: LMAT) (after the close)
• Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: LGND) (after the close)

Friday

• AbbVie Inc (NYSE: ABBV (before the market open)
• Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO (before the market open)

IPOs

Beam Therapeutics plans to offer 6.25 million shares in an IPO, with the offering expected to be priced between $15 and $17. The company, which is engaged in developing therapies based on single-base gene editing, has applied for listing its shares on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "BEAM."

Contract research organization PPD is planning a 60-million-share IPO to be priced in the range of $24-$27. The shares are to be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "PPD."