Best Biotech Companies To Watch For 2014

It's not too often that you see a biotech company establish a truly differentiated product portfolio with multi-billion dollar potential and minimal competition, but Vertex (Nasdaq:VRTX) seems to be doing exactly that. This one-time specialist in virology is already well on the way to more than $5 billion in potential revenue, and could ultimately see nearly double that amount if clinical trials go the right way. This may ultimately put the company in the ��ice problem to have��category of figuring out how to reinvest the proceeds and determining whether or not further investments in the hepatitis C program are worthwhile.

Finally Delivering An Effective Therapy For Cystic Fibrosis
Although cystic fibrosis has long been used as an example of where gene therapy could eventually improve clinical outcomes, it turns out that more conventional chemistry can still play a meaningful role. Between Kalydeco and two clinical CTFR ��orrectors�� Vertex has made a major step forward in the treatment of a disease that while not as lethal as it once was (at least in the U.S. and EU), is still a very serious and difficult to manage chronic illness.

Best Biotech Companies To Watch For 2014: OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc.(OGXI)

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of new cancer therapies that address treatment resistance in cancer patients. The company?s clinical stage products include Custirsen, a phase III clinical stage product for treatment in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer; OGX-427, which is in phase II clinical development stage is designed to inhibit heat shock protein 27; and SN2310 that completed phase I stage of clinical development is designed to evaluate safety in patients with advanced cancer. Its pre clinical stage products include GX-225 that is focused on reducing the production of IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-5; and CSP-9222, lead compound from a family of caspase activators. OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is based in Bothell, Washington.

Best Biotech Companies To Watch For 2014: (DYMTF)

Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation engages in the development and commercialization of energy solutions for biomass-to-liquid fuel conversion based on its fast pyrolysis technology. The company?s fast pyrolysis technology uses biomass or biomass waste feedstock to produce BioOil as a fuel and char. BioOil is a renewable fuel, which could be replaced with natural gas, diesel, and other fossil fuels to produce power, mechanical energy, and heat in industrial boilers, fuel gas turbines, and fuel reciprocating engines. The company has a strategic alliance with Tecna S.A. of Argentina to develop commercial energy systems based on Dynamotive?s pyrolysis technology in Latin America and other markets on a non-exclusive basis. It has operations in Canada, the United States, Argentina, and the United Kingdom. The company was formerly known as Dynamotive Technologies Corporation and changed its name to Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation in June 2001. The company was founded i n 1991 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada.

10 Best Energy Stocks For 2014: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated(VRTX)

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated engages in discovering, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing small molecule drugs for the treatment of serious diseases worldwide. Its products include telaprevir, a prescription medicine used for the treatment of patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; and Ivacaftor, a prescription medicine used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. The company markets its products under the INCIVEK brand name in the United States and Canada; INCIVO brand in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden, Austria, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway; KALYDECO brand in the United States; and TELAVIC brand in Japan. Its drug candidates comprise VX-222, a Phase II clinical trial drug candidate, and ALS-2200 and ALS-2158, a Phase I clinical trial drug candidates that are designed to inhibit the replication of HCV; VX-809 and VX-661, a Phase II clinical trial drug candidates that improve the function of defective cystic fibro sis; VX-509, a Phase II clinical trial drug candidate for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases; VX-765, a Phase II clinical trial drug for the treatment of epilepsy; and VX-787, an investigational drug candidate for the treatment of influenza A. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Orelli]

  As for new drugs, watch Incivo, which Johnson & Johnson sells abroad for�Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX  ) . While U.S. sales of Vertex's hepatitis C drug -- called Incivek stateside -- have slumped as patients wait for newer medications, sales outside the U.S. continue to increase, benefiting both Johnson & Johnson and Vertex, which receives a royalty on sales.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  While very upbeat on the sector as a whole, UBS was very cautious on sell-rated Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: IRWD) and ImmunoGen Inc. (NASDAQ: IMGN). Neutral-rated Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTX) and Seattle Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: SGEN) were also viewed with a skeptical eye.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX  ) focuses largely on cystic fibrosis. Shares have skyrocketed more than 130% since the biotech gained approval for Kalydeco from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2012.The good news for investors is that Vertex has two other experimental drugs targeting cystic fibrosis that could eventually drive annual sales to $3 billion or more.

Best Biotech Companies To Watch For 2014: RXi Pharmaceuticals Corp (RXII)

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXi), incorporated on September 8, 2011, is a development-stage company. The Company is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing therapies addressing medical needs using RNA interference (RNAi)-targeted technologies. As of July 12, 2012, RXi was focusing on its internal therapeutic development efforts in fibrosis. RXI-109 is its RNAi product candidate, which is a dermal anti-scarring therapy that targets connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The Company�� therapeutic platform consists of two main components: RNAi Compounds (rxRNA) and Advanced Delivery Technologies. RNAi compounds include rxRNAori, rxRNAsolo and sd-rxRNA, or self-delivering RNA. On April 26, 2012, it completed the spin-off transaction from Galena Biopharma, Inc. (Galena).

In January 2011, the Company announced research results in collaboration with Generex Biotechnology Corporation, and RXi�� wholly owned subsidiary Antigen Express, Inc., in developing vaccine formulations for immunotherapy. In January 2011, it announced initial results as part of its collaboration with miRagen Therapeutics, Inc. in creating microRNA mimics, or artificial copies of microRNAs, using the Company�� sd-rxRNA technology. In February 2011, it announced the initiation of RXi�� development program for RXI-109.

Best Biotech Companies To Watch For 2014: Gilead Sciences Inc.(GILD)

Gilead Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of life threatening diseases worldwide. Its products include Atripla, Truvada, Viread, Emtriva for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection in adults; Hepsera, an oral formulation for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B; AmBisome, a amphotericin B liposome injection to treat invasive fungal infections; Letairis, an endothelin receptor antagonist for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; Ranexa for the treatment of chronic angina; Vistide, an antiviral medication for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS; and Cayston, an inhaled antibiotic used as a treatment to enhance respiratory systems. The company?s products also comprise Tamiflu, an oral antiviral for the treatment and prevention of influenza A and B; Macugen, an intravitreal injection for the treatment of neovascular a ge-related macular degeneration; and Lexiscan/Rapiscan, an injection used as a pharmacologic stress agent in radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging. Its products under the Phase III clinical trials consist of Cobicistat, a pharmacoenhancer that is under evaluation as a boosting agent for HIV medicines; Elvitegravir, an oral integrase inhibitor being evaluated as part of combination therapy for HIV; Integrase Single-Tablet, a ?Quad? regimen of elvitegravir, cobicistat, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and emtricitabine for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in treatment-naive patients; and Aztreonam for inhalation solution for the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The company?s Phase II clinical trials products comprise Cicletanine, Ranolazine, and Aztreonam, as well as GS 9190, GS 9256, and GS 9451. Its Phase I clinical trial products include GS 7340, GS 5885, GS 6620, GS 9620, and GS 6624. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Fost er City, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Orelli]

  The most advanced second-generation hepatitis C drugs, Johnson & Johnson's (NYSE: JNJ  ) simeprevir and Gilead Sciences' (NASDAQ: GILD  ) sofosbuvir, are already being reviewed for approval by the FDA. They both should be approved by the end of the year.