A buying opportunity in the price horror? Novo Nordisk, BioNTech, and Defence Therapeutics!

Defence Therapeutics: More than 20% gain yesterday

Defence Therapeutics shareholders do not seem to be affected by the tariff panic and general uncertainty. The Canadian biotech company's shares continue to trade well above their level at the beginning of the year. And the prospects look good for the rally to continue. On the one hand, the Company is still in the research phase, focusing on advanced cancer therapeutics and delivery technologies. This gives it the flexibility to choose the best location for future production – if it is not taken over first, which would also speak in favor of a rising share. In addition, the Company is making great strides in development and has its sights firmly set on monetization. The out-licensing of its platform is expected to contribute to this.

Yesterday, the latest announcement caused the share price to jump to over EUR 0.60. This enabled the Company to win a new partner. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories ("CNL"), Canada's leading nuclear research facility, will conduct preclinical studies combining alpha-particle radiotherapy Actinium-225 (Ac-225) with Defence's proprietary Accum® delivery technology.

Ac-225 has already shown great promise as a targeted radiation therapy for cancer. Ac-225 emits powerful alpha particles that cause irreparable damage to the DNA of cancer cells, leading to cell death. The collaboration with CNL aims to test various antibodies modified with the Accum® technology to find the best variant to penetrate the cell nucleus. This could reduce the required dosage of Ac-225, thus minimizing the side effects without compromising therapeutic efficacy.

Defence CEO Sébastien Plouffe commented: "We believe that Accum® will significantly enhance the efficacy of Ac-225 immunoconjugates by improving therapeutic potency and tumor targeting. Our technology's ability to facilitate escape from the endosome and increase the presence of therapeutics in cell nuclei enhances the effectiveness of the alpha particles at their primary target. The synergy between Accum® and CNL's expertise will advance precision oncology and lead to more effective and safer treatments."

The market potential is huge. According to straitsresearch.com, the global radiopharmaceuticals market is expected to reach USD 16.87 billion by 2033. Defence Therapeutics wants a slice of this cake.

Novo Nordisk: Nightmare as a price opportunity?

Unlike Defence Therapeutics, the nightmare for shareholders of Novo Nordisk, who have been accustomed to price gains, shows no sign of ending. Yesterday, the shares of the Danish pharmaceutical giant fell by more than 5% and are trading below the EUR 55 mark. The shares have not been this low since 2022.

Recently, US President Donald Trump once again emphasized at an event that the pharmaceutical industry is facing massive tariffs. However, according to an analyst from BMO, shifting production to the US hardly presents an alternative for the pharmaceutical industry. This is because the supply chains in the industry are considered too complex, as reported by the news agency dpa-AFX.

On Monday, Deutsche Bank confirmed its "Buy" recommendation for Novo Nordisk shares but reduced its price target from DKK 900 to DKK 750.

BioNTech: Partner before IPO

It is currently quiet around the BioNTech pipeline. What is new is that BioNTech is getting involved in the IPO of Duality Biologics (DualityBio). The Chinese biotechnology company is currently going public in Hong Kong. The aim is to raise up to HKD 1.56 billion to advance the development of innovative antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) – a novel class of cancer drugs. The IPO comes at a time of geopolitical uncertainty, marked by trade conflicts between China and the US.

A key strategic partner of DualityBio is BioNTech. The German biotech company is not only one of DualityBio's core investors but also holds licensing rights to several of DualityBio's drug candidates. It also provides support through its development network and regulatory expertise. In total, BioNTech and other investors have already committed around USD 65 million – about a third of the IPO target – which strengthens the success of the IPO despite the uncertain economic situation.

DualityBio is focusing on two core products. DB-1303, a HER2-targeted ADC that is positioned as a direct competitor to Enhertu (from AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo). BioNTech supports the development and holds the global rights to the compound.

DB-1311 is an ADC that targets tumor antigen B7-H3. It is currently in Phase 1/2a trials for solid tumors, and BioNTech also holds the licensing rights. However, there are issues: Three lawsuits are pending in China involving patent infringements of DualityBio's molecular structure technology platforms. However, the Company rejects these claims as unfounded.

Defence Therapeutics still appears undervalued and continues its upward trend with positive news. In addition, the takeover fantasy grows with each advance. Novo Nordisk may seem cheap, but how and when the tariff nightmare will be resolved remains entirely uncertain. BioNTech is also suffering from tariff issues but should attract attention over the course of the year with news from its development pipeline.