Close menu




January 20th, 2022 | 09:15 CET

Valneva, XPhyto, BioNTech - This is the breakthrough

  • Biotechnology
Photo credits: pixabay.com

The shares of vaccine manufacturers are currently experiencing a rollercoaster ride. While BioNTech, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, based on mRNA technology, continue to reduce their incredible stock market valuation, Valneva, the manufacturer of an inactivated vaccine, has made a brilliant comeback on the stock market floor. The reasons for the good mood were positive data regarding the neutralization of the Omicron variant, which pushed the share up by more than 30% after trading hours.

time to read: 3 minutes | Author: Stefan Feulner
ISIN: VALNEVA SE EO -_15 | FR0004056851 , MODERNA INC. DL-_0001 | US60770K1079 , BIONTECH SE SPON. ADRS 1 | US09075V1026

Table of contents:


    Valneva - Blow after blow

    As recently as the afternoon, French-Austrian vaccine maker Valneva was seeking damage control as the Company's share price plunged about 50% since the start of the year to a low of EUR 12.68. "The process is progressing as planned, and we currently see no reason to question our previously communicated guidance of a possible first EMA approval in the first quarter," the Company said on Wednesday in response to a request from news agency Reuters.

    However, a short time later came the redemptive news, marking a milestone in the Company's young history. Preliminary laboratory studies show that three doses of Valneva's inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate VLA2001 neutralize the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529 line), a company statement said. 100% of serum samples tested showed neutralizing antibodies to the original virus and the Delta variant and 87% to the Omicron variant.

    Dr. Juan Carlos Jaramillo, Chief Medical Officer of Valneva, commented, "We are very pleased with these results, confirming the potential of our inactivated adjuvanted whole virus vaccine for broad-spectrum protection and its ability to combat the currently circulating variants of concern. Furthermore, Valneva expects to submit all applications to the respective authorities in time to receive a potential approval still in the first quarter.

    In November, the vaccine producer announced that the European Commission had signed an agreement with the Company to supply up to 60 million doses of VLA2001 over a two-year period - including 24.3 million doses in 2022. Delivery of the vaccine in Europe is currently expected in April 2022, subject to EMA approval. In December 2021, Valneva also announced that it had signed an agreement to supply one million doses of VLA2001 to the Kingdom of Bahrain, subject to approval by the Bahrain Health Authority, in the first quarter of 2022. Now Valneva could become a "top dog" after all, as a recent analysis at researchanalyst.com suggested.

    XPhyto - Expansion ahead

    Also progressing well is life sciences accelerator XPhyto, which specializes in investing in next-generation drug delivery, diagnostics, and new active pharmaceutical ingredients. These include precision transdermal and orally dissolvable drug formulations, rapid and cost-effective testing for infectious diseases and oral health, and standardization of new pharmaceutical agents for neurological applications, including psychedelic compounds and cannabinoids. The Company has research and development sites in North America and Europe, with an operational focus in Germany, and is currently focused on regulatory approval and commercialization of medical products for European markets.

    In addition to the appointment of Drahoslav Zdarek as the new Head of Sales, the Company's top priority is the commercialization of Covid-ID Lab. The Company's CE Mark-approved RT-PCR rapid test in Germany is registered as a commercial in vitro diagnostic test (CE-IVD) in the European Union.

    A distribution agreement was signed with TechUnit to distribute Covid-ID Lab in the Czech Republic as an initial priority market, followed by Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine and Russia. "The signing of the distribution agreement with TechUnit is an important step in building a strong European sales market," said Prof. Dr. Thomas Beckert. "This is an important relationship with excellent potential for further territorial expansion."

    You can read a detailed report on XPhyto here. The Company will also present at the second International Investment Forum on February 17, 2022. Free registration is available at www.ii-forum.com.

    BioNTech continues in free fall

    While Valneva is bullish after reporting positive data, the "traditional" vaccine producers continue to lose ground. Moderna, for example, lost around 6%, while BioNTech is down 2.5% at USD 165.41. The next support area is around USD 150. If this level falls, the next broad support area would be around USD 132.


    Valneva could celebrate a liberation blow after the sell-off of the last days with the published data. On the other hand, from a technical point of view, the lights continue to be red for the mRNA manufacturers BioNTech and Moderna. The path of XPhyto continues and points to growth through the market launch in new countries.


    Conflict of interest

    Pursuant to §85 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), we point out that Apaton Finance GmbH as well as partners, authors or employees of Apaton Finance GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "Relevant Persons") may hold shares or other financial instruments of the aforementioned companies in the future or may bet on rising or falling prices and thus a conflict of interest may arise in the future. The Relevant Persons reserve the right to buy or sell shares or other financial instruments of the Company at any time (hereinafter each a "Transaction"). Transactions may, under certain circumstances, influence the respective price of the shares or other financial instruments of the Company.

    In addition, Apaton Finance GmbH is active in the context of the preparation and publication of the reporting in paid contractual relationships.

    For this reason, there is a concrete conflict of interest.

    The above information on existing conflicts of interest applies to all types and forms of publication used by Apaton Finance GmbH for publications on companies.

    Risk notice

    Apaton Finance GmbH offers editors, agencies and companies the opportunity to publish commentaries, interviews, summaries, news and the like on news.financial. These contents are exclusively for the information of the readers and do not represent any call to action or recommendations, neither explicitly nor implicitly they are to be understood as an assurance of possible price developments. The contents do not replace individual expert investment advice and do not constitute an offer to sell the discussed share(s) or other financial instruments, nor an invitation to buy or sell such.

    The content is expressly not a financial analysis, but a journalistic or advertising text. Readers or users who make investment decisions or carry out transactions on the basis of the information provided here do so entirely at their own risk. No contractual relationship is established between Apaton Finance GmbH and its readers or the users of its offers, as our information only refers to the company and not to the investment decision of the reader or user.

    The acquisition of financial instruments involves high risks, which can lead to the total loss of the invested capital. The information published by Apaton Finance GmbH and its authors is based on careful research. Nevertheless, no liability is assumed for financial losses or a content-related guarantee for the topicality, correctness, appropriateness and completeness of the content provided here. Please also note our Terms of use.


    Der Autor

    Stefan Feulner

    The native Franconian has more than 20 years of stock exchange experience and a broadly diversified network.
    He is passionate about analyzing a wide variety of business models and investigating new trends.

    About the author



    Related comments:

    Commented by André Will-Laudien on May 20th, 2026 | 08:05 CEST

    Takeover Candidates for 2026! The Life Sciences Sector Is Heating Up: Evotec, BioNxt Solutions, BioNTech, and Formycon in Focus!

    • Biotechnology
    • LifeSciences
    • Biotech
    • Investments

    In recent months, the stock market has focused primarily on high-tech and defence stocks. While this strategy may have worked well for investors in the short term, it has also pushed several life sciences stocks to levels that some consider overly depressed. The Hamburg-based drug discovery company Evotec has lost around 75% of its market value over the past three years, with similar declines seen at BioNTech, Formycon, and BioNxt Solutions. Yet some pipelines are indeed valuable and backed by years of research. For a buyer with deep pockets, this could represent an attractive opportunity, as much of the costly early-stage work has already been completed. We are looking at a sector that has been unjustly forgotten. Where do opportunities lie for risk-conscious investors?

    Read

    Commented by Fabian Lorenz on May 19th, 2026 | 07:25 CEST

    BUY RECOMMENDATIONS for RENK and Desert Gold! SHOCK for Evotec!

    • Mining
    • Gold
    • Africa
    • geopolitics
    • Defense
    • Biotechnology
    • Commodities

    While gold prices are weakening, Desert Gold shares are in a clear uptrend. And if analysts are to be believed, a tenfold increase is possible. Desert Gold is set to become a gold producer in just a few months and generate strong cash flows. And it does not matter whether gold is trading at USD 4,000 or USD 6,000 per ounce. RENK stock has been upgraded to "Buy." Not because the future outlook has improved, but because the price has plummeted. This means the valuation now offers upside potential again. The growth prospects are quite positive. Meanwhile, analysts have recently noted a lack of growth prospects at Evotec. For many, "Project Horizon" focuses too heavily on cost reduction. But growth is precisely what is expected from a biotech company. And now, the restructuring costs are also to be financed through a convertible bond.

    Read

    Commented by Nico Popp on May 14th, 2026 | 07:50 CEST

    Checkmate for Cancer: What Eli Lilly and Bayer Can Learn from Vidac Pharma

    • Biotechnology
    • Biotech
    • Pharma
    • Cancer

    Modern medicine is on the cusp of groundbreaking innovations in which the regulation of cellular energy metabolism, known as metabolic correction, is becoming a decisive strategy. While traditional cancer research has relied primarily on the destruction of cells using toxic agents for decades, researchers now recognize that the key to success may lie in the precise control of enzymatic processes. In light of this, value creation is shifting away from the conventional "sledgehammer approach" toward correcting cellular dysregulation. We highlight three exciting companies and focus in particular on metabolism pioneer Vidac Pharma.

    Read