Trade the race for a COVID-19 vaccine with our new Corona Blend

Scientists across the globe are racing to pull off an incredible feat – reducing the time it takes to develop a vaccine from years to months. 

Our new Corona Blend allows you to trade a basket of the top stocks directly linked to the search for a COVID-19 vaccine. There are currently over 70 potential vaccines in development – the Corona Blend focusses on seven companies who are well positioned to lead the race. 

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) 

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is facing stiff competition across the globe, but the company has a distinct advantage: it has two backup vaccine candidates in case its primary candidate encounters unexpected setbacks during trials. JNJ also has immense production capabilities – the company reckons it could produce 900 million doses by April 2021. 

Our Analyst Recommendations tool gives Johnson & Johnson a 24% upside, but the consensus rating is a ‘Hold’. Hedge funds sold almost 100 million shares in the last quarter, while company insiders sold nearly 3.5 million in the last three months.

Pfizer (PFE) 

Pfizer, working in conjunction with BioNTech, has just received clearance to start running trials of its vaccine candidate in Germany. If all goes to plan the two companies expect to be able to produce millions of vaccines by the end of the year.  

Pfizer is currently trading below the year’s opening levels, but analysts and hedge funds are bullish on the stock. PFE has a 17% upside and hedge funds bought 65 million new shares in the previous quarter. 

Gilead Sciences (GILD) 

Gilead has seen some huge gains on the back of news surrounding its ‘remdesivir’ antiviral drug, but the stock remains highly volatile. Overall our stock sentiment tools are showing positive signals – company insiders and hedge funds have been snapping up the stock, although GILD is already trading around the consensus price target from Wall Street analysts. 

Regeneron Pharma (REGN) 

REGN is up nearly 50% this year, with recent gains coming on the back of hopes for a ‘cocktail’ of antibodies that may help protect health workers from COVID-19 until a vaccine is created. Many companies are attempting to produce such an elixir, but Regeneron is well-positioned to lead the search. 

Hedge funds added a total of 1 million REGN shares to their portfolios in the past quarter. Sentiment amongst top money managers is positive, while analysts rate the stock a ‘Buy’ and see a 10% upside. 

Sanofi (SNY – NYSE) 

Sanofi has partnered with GlaxoSmithKline to accelerate production of its vaccine, and the two companies are hoping to start clinical trials in the latter half of 2020. According to Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, the company will be able to produce 600 million doses of the vaccine in 2021 if everything goes to plan. 

Moderna Inc (MRNA) 

Moderna stock jumped 10% on April 20th as investors began piling into pharmaceutical companies. The company’s mRNA-1273 vaccine candidate will receive $483 million in funding for Phase II and III clinical trials from the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). 

MRNA has a ‘Strong Buy’ rating according to our Analyst Recommendations tool, although the average price target is 19% below the current trading price. 

Vir Biotechnology (VIR) 

Vir recently announced that it was joining forces with GlaxoSmithKline to combat COVID-19. GSK stated that it will make a $250 million equity investment in Vir, and that some ‘promising antibody candidates ‘ will be ‘accelerated into phase 2 clinical trials within the next three to five months’. 

Vir Biotechnology currently has a ‘Neutral’ rating, according to our Analyst Recommendations tool. The average target price is $31, barely above the current price. Estimates range from $20 up to $41.  

Trade the vaccine trials with the Corona Blend 

Will one of these companies be the one to develop a working coronavirus vaccine, or will an outsider beat them to it? Trade the Corona Blend long or short to capture the performance of these top pharma stocks.