CureVac, XPhyto Therapeutics, BioNTech, NanoRepro - Continuous testing or vaccination or both?

CureVac NV - A new attempt against the pandemic

For the Tuebingen-based biotech Company CureVac, the cards are not particularly good. Because no matter how you turn it around: CureVac's current position without a marketable product is poor - yet many are still clinging to the hope that the situation will change for the better, especially concerning the second-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in development. But it's not just CureVac that continues to develop the vaccine; everyone else is doing it, of course. As always, the first prize goes to the fastest.

Doubts among investors also put the share under a lot of pressure last week, but at a reduced level, there are also speculators hoping for better news and taking a few shares from the market. Against this background is the current market capitalization of more than USD 10 billion justified? Of course CureVac can quickly justify this valuation if it can present a good idea against COVID virus mutations or other diseases. So far, too little of that is within reach.

Hope is undoubtedly one of the reasons why CureVac's share price has not long since fallen to new lows. A rise in the share price above the crash gap could even provide positive chart impulses - as unjustified as these may currently look fundamentally. The share, therefore, remains a casino stock for the time being, i.e. in our opinion, the price will swing digitally with every announcement.

XPhyto Therapeutics - Entry into the biosensor market and expansion of the diagnostics portfolio

Again, groundbreaking news at XPhyto Therapeutics: For a total of EUR 3.7 million, they are prospectively acquiring 3a-diagnostics GmbH, Frickenhausen, a development partner for diagnostics. XPhyto has already been actively collaborating with 3a on various research topics since April 2020. The focus is on the joint development and commercialization of cost-effective and easy-to-use biosensor screening tests and associated development platforms for rapidly detecting infectious diseases. 3a has developed a pipeline of peptide-based biosensor screening tests for bacterial and viral infectious diseases. These include stomatitis, peri-implantitis, periodontitis, scarlet fever and influenza. Positive detection of the causative pathogen results in the enzymatic release of an extreme (but safe) bitter compound. 3a has also developed a scalable next-generation microbial-enzymatic screening tool for high-throughput identification of biosensor targets to facilitate the rapid development of new tests.

Hugh Rogers, CEO of XPhyto, said, "We have worked closely with the team at 3a-diagnostics on several diagnostic products and have been able to find them to be a very innovative and focused partner. The successful development and recent launch of the Covid-ID Lab 25-minute PCR test is an excellent example of our fruitful collaboration. We strongly believe that this acquisition will lead to strong synergies. It will further advance XPhyto's diagnostic pipeline and support our long-term commercial growth plans."

The first product-related result of the collaboration is the 25-minute Covid-19 PCR test introduced in March 2021 with European market approval, which is already being used in Berlin. Overall, the merger is expected to generate significant synergies in research, development, and production and significantly improved margins for marketable products, such as the 25-minute Covid-ID Lab test. In addition, the acquisition is expected to contribute to the accelerated commercialization of products in 3a's near-market development pipeline. 3a's intellectual property, including patents, know-how, expertise and third-party contracts, will be transferred to XPhyto at the time of the acquisition closing. 3a-diagnostics has an attractive pipeline, an experienced team and is highly regarded for its work in developing and commercializing innovative diagnostic products.

The XPhyto share has recently attracted a few sellers. The price, however, seems to find a sound basis in the area of CAD 1.60 to take off again now. At current levels, the market cap is only about CAD 110 million. With the current pace of research topics, a blockbuster could be beckoning around the corner at any time!

BioNTech SE - This share is unstoppable

Number 1 in vaccination centers and also sales leader worldwide. With Pfizer on board, BioNTech is going like clockwork. The Company is currently gaining a partner in South Africa to increase its availability on the African continent. South African Company Biovac will take over the final manufacturing step, filling and packaging the vaccine, and support distribution in the 55 countries of the African Union, BioNTech and its US partner Pfizer announced Wednesday.

The tech transfer and all other preparatory activities will begin immediately. Biovac is expected to complete more than 100 million doses of the vaccine at full-scale operations annually. Supplies to Cape Town are to come from the Marburg plant, among others. First deliveries are planned for early next year. The BioNTech and Pfizer network now spans 3 continents with more than 20 production sites.

Meanwhile, BioNTech shares are already celebrating new highs almost daily. Group sales are estimated at around USD 13-15 billion in 2021. With a P/E of just under 5, it is in good Company among pharmaceutical stocks. Hold!

NanoRepro AG - What will happen to the war chest?

Many are asking: What is next for the Marburg-based Company? After all, the broad marketing of the rapid tests for home use must be considered a failure. From the record high of EUR 22.40 reached at the beginning of March, the provider's share price of rapid medical tests has meanwhile lost almost 75%. The figures of the recently presented Annual Report 2020 provide little help in interpreting this, as the revenues of EUR 16.93 million are significantly above previous levels. Still, the real boost in sales is not due until 2021. Most recently - driven by the cooperation with Viromed - there was talk of revenues between EUR 250 and 400 million and an operating result in a range of EUR 60 to 100 million. We are therefore very curious about the half-year figures in September.

For NanoRepro, what has been achieved so far still means a hugely good 2021, but the capital market is looking to the future. The Company is not yet showing its cards concerning new strategic goals. Meanwhile, the stock market value is around EUR 76 million, roughly equal to the Company's current cash. If the right news about the dividend in 2022 comes or another acquisition-related use of cash makes the rounds, the share price can pick up again from a standing start. Keep an eye on it!

The companies presented here are in the field of human medicinal, pharmaceutical research. While BioNTech and CureVac occupy the field of COVID in blockbuster size, the approach of NanoRepro and XPhyto is much broader but also much smaller. What makes Xphyto so exciting is its good diagnostic thematic diversity and exciting segments.