Cardiol Therapeutics, Bayer, Formycon: These pharma stocks could explode!

Cardiol Therapeutics - Focus on heart disease

The causes of cardiovascular diseases are manifold and can be divided into influenceable and non-influenceable risk factors. Non-influenceable risk factors include age, gender and genetic predisposition. Influenceable risk factors include high blood pressure, diet, diabetes, obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, and excessive alcohol consumption, the scourges of modern society.

A distressing combination occurs when simple flu-like infections combined with stress-related factors result in severe heart muscle inflammation. Canadian biotechnology Company Cardiol Therapeutics has focused on the research and development of anti-inflammatory therapies to treat cardiovascular disease. The Company's lead product is CardiolRx™, a proprietary pharmaceutically produced high-concentration, ultra-pure oral cannabidiol (“CBD”) formulation.

Of interest now are the ongoing tests with COVID-19 patients who are available for a clinical trial. Especially in the area of currently emerging mutations, the combination of cardiac symptoms and acute pulmonary dysfunction can carry a significant risk of death. A Phase 1 trial has already been completed with CardiolRx™. The hope now is that this CBD formulation can be a cardioprotective therapy to reduce mortality and major cardiovascular events in COVID-19 patients who have a prior history of, or risk factors for, cardiovascular disease.

Cardiol Therapeutics has addressed attractive areas with its current research pipeline, which could multiply the current market capitalization of EUR 100 million if the related success stories are reported. Therefore, take the stock, which is also traded in Germany, into your shortlist.

Bayer - The search for final settlements

In 2020, chemical Company Bayer posted the highest loss in its corporate history due to its acquisition of US seed and pesticide producer Monsanto. The Leverkusen-based Company last reported a net loss of EUR 10.5 billion, mainly due to "special charges" of EUR 23 billion. These relate to provisions for lawsuits concerning the Monsanto pesticides, glyphosate and dicamba, the industrial chemical PCB which the US company also produces, and the sterilization spiral Essure.

Some 125,000 plaintiffs blame Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup, which contains the active ingredient glyphosate, for their cancer and are seeking damages. Farmers in the US also blame Monsanto because dicamba has drifted off their neighbors' fields and damaged crops. In the US, some 40,000 women are also suing Bayer, claiming that Essure caused them to suffer injuries to their uterus and fallopian tubes, among other things.

After years of litigation, the chemical Company has accepted the first US court ruling that the world's best-selling pesticide glyphosate caused cancer. This ruling makes the guilty verdict against the Company legally binding, and Bayer says it has already paid Johnson his USD 20.5 million in damages. German farmers also regularly use glyphosate in their fields. The EU is currently considering whether to extend or allow the approval of the controversial agent to expire.

For Bayer shares, the decision will soon be made because, after a low of around EUR 40, resistance at EUR 56 is now on the horizon. Prices above this would open up the potential to EUR 80.

Formycon - Also well equipped for COVID-19

Some time ago, the biosimilar manufacturer Formycon attracted attention with an application against COVID-19. There is news on the active ingredient FYB207, which has recently been in the spotlight mainly due to tests for use against coronaviruses. The in vitro neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 variants by FYB207 show that the active ingredient has an even stronger effect against the B.1.1.7 mutant of the virus, which is considered particularly infectious, than against earlier variants. This is excellent news in the fight against the pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses use the protein ACE2 on human cells' surface as an entry portal for respiratory infections. Formycon has therefore fused the human ACE2 protein to the constant portion of human immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) using computational structural design, creating a very effective SARS-CoV-2 blocker that completely prevents cell infection in vitro.

However, FYB207 is still far from potential approval as a drug. According to the Company, preclinical activities and preparations for entering clinical trials with FYB207 are fully on track. Still, experience has shown that the trials are lengthy and costly in their design. In our opinion, a clinical phase may already occur in the second half of 2021. The share has consolidated up to EUR 58 and is now gaining new momentum.