Valneva, Cardiol Therapeutics, BioNTech - New vaccines needed against Corona

Valneva - Waiting for results

Is today the day that Valneva's Corona vaccine results will be presented at the Guggenheim Vaccines and Infectious Disease Conference in the Company's presentation? If it is just information on the Chikungunya or Lyme disease vaccine, which, after all, is being co-developed with Pfizer, that would be a disappointment for those invested. At the moment, everything revolves around the Corona Inactivated vaccine, which consists of killed pathogens, i.e. a conventional vaccination method. Results have been announced for early in the fourth quarter.

If the Phase 3 clinical trial produces positive results, share price jumps can be expected. This vaccine could persuade vaccine skeptics to vaccinate, paving the way for herd immunity. The dead vaccine method is proven, has fewer side effects and is much easier to store. However, vaccine protection must be refreshed after a few years. Another advantage for Valneva could be the existence of the Delta mutant since it is already present during the study. However, as mentioned, this presupposes correspondingly positive results.

The Company has recently announced good news for the Lyme disease vaccine. It was shown that antibodies in the blood were still above baseline even after 18 months but had decreased over time. A booster vaccination would therefore be necessary. The share is trending sideways after the GAP. Currently, it all depends on the results. In the event of negative results, disappointed shareholders will certainly dump their shares. The stock belongs on the watch list to be able to react in case of related news.

Cardiol Therapeutics - New study underway

Canada-based Cardiol Therapeutics specializes in cannabidiol as an anti-inflammatory agent for heart conditions. There are increased heart problems in many Covid patients. The Company's lead product CardiolRx is being investigated in a Phase II/III clinical trial in hospitalized Corona sufferers who have cardiovascular complications. The concentrated cannabidiol drug is taken orally.

On August 24, the Company received the green light from the U.S. FDA for its IND application submitted for a Phase II clinical trial of CardiolRx in acute myocarditis. The Company wants to gain insights into the extent to which the inflamed heart muscle can recover by taking CardiolRx.

The Company is also constantly striving to increase its visibility. Cardiol Therapeutics took a big step on August 9, when the stock was listed on NASDAQ. On September 28, the Company presented at the Cantor Virtual Global Healthcare Conference. On October 14, the Company will participate in the International Investment Forum, where attendees can also ask questions. You can register here!

Trading at CAD 2.66 in early August, the stock rose as high as CAD 6.19 by September 27. In the wake of the Pfizer chief's statement regarding a possible end to the Corona Crisis, the stock also fell back to CAD 4.45. Yet, heart muscle inflammation is not a purely Corona phenomenon. A Canadian analyst sees a first price target at CAD 12.50. The analysts of GBC expect in the long term even CAD 17.49.

BioNTech - Growth prospects muted

On August 10, BioNTech was worth more than Daimler and Bayer combined, with a market capitalization of more than USD 100 billion. But since then, at least in terms of the share price, things have not been going well. From its former value of EUR 395, the stock has almost halved to EUR 198.60. The crash occurred despite supposedly positive news, such as the release of new vaccination groups and the approval of the booster vaccination for over-65s in the USA. One possible reason, as paradoxical as it sounds, is the success of the vaccination. Since then, the number of deaths has declined, especially in the vulnerable age group.

At the same time, the competition is catching up, and Merck, for example, has a promising drug against Corona in a clinical trial, which, if approved, could reduce the willingness to vaccinate. Vaccine skeptics prefer to wait for alternative remedies to Covid. So the question is, what comes next? Since the Pfizer chief said on ABC that he expects we can get back to "normal" in a year, the stock has plummeted nearly EUR 100. If the Corona money source dries up, it must continue. For example, in cancer research, where the Company can now research without financial pressure thanks to the income from the Corona vaccine.

The share was able to stop the downward trend only at the support at EUR 203.20. On a positive note, no closing price was formed below it, so that a counterreaction to EUR 270.10 is currently possible. As an investor, one should also pay attention to the competition, such as Valneva or Merck. Good news there is also bad news for BioNTech. The valuation was too high at the beginning of August. Now it looks much more moderate, and one should not forget that Corona has cleared the way for mRNA compounds.

The shares of all three companies are very volatile at the moment. Positive results, or better yet, approval, could see Valneva's share prices explode on the back of a proven vaccine. The same applies to Cardiol Therapeutics, which can still help patients with its drug even after Corona. BioNTech, on the other hand, is already on the market, and it is all about future prospects. The initial euphoria has faded for the time being because growth will probably only come with new preparations.