We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Immunotherapy Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX) stands against the other immunotherapy stocks.
The global immunotherapy drugs market is rapidly expanding, with projections to grow from $240 billion in 2023 to $1.3 trillion by 2033. The growth is driven by the global rise in chronic diseases such as different types of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infections.
Cancer, particularly is becoming more prevalent among people globally. The American Cancer Society recently released its 2024 Global Cancer Statistics report, which highlights the increasing burden of cancer worldwide. In 2022 alone, approximately 20 million new cancer cases were diagnosed, and 9.7 million people died from the disease. By 2050, annual cancer cases are expected to reach 35 million, driving demand for innovative treatments like immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy offers a promising alternative to traditional therapies, and its applications are expanding as research advances. It can be applied to various types of cancer, either alone or alongside treatments like chemotherapy. Immunomodulating agents, a type of non-specific immunotherapy, help improve the body’s immune system’s capability of detecting and attacking cancer cells.
Read Also: 10 Best Biotech Stocks To Buy Under $20 and 10 Best Cancer Stocks To Buy Now.
Due to the growing demand for treatments, leading pharmaceutical companies are also investing heavily in research and development to expand the range of immunotherapy drugs available. These include immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapies, and monoclonal antibodies. Combining different therapies and tailoring treatments to individual patients is helping to unlock new applications for immunotherapy, positioning it to revolutionize cancer care and other areas of medicine.
North America led the global immunotherapy drugs industry in 2023, capturing over 48.19% of total revenue, driven by medical advancements and regulatory approvals, particularly in the US. The FDA’s approval of immunotherapy for cancers with specific genetic traits, regardless of origin, highlights the region’s leadership in innovative treatments like tumor-agnostic therapies.
With over 2 million new cancer cases expected in the US in 2024, demand for effective treatments like immunotherapy will continue to grow. Organizations such as Canada’s National Research Council are also developing new immunotherapies, aiming to provide hope for patients with hard-to-treat cancers like B-cell leukemia and lymphoma.
Our Methodology
We selected stocks from ETFs with immunotherapy exposure and narrowed down the list to the top 10 companies with the highest number of hedge funds holding stakes in them. The hedge fund sentiment has been sourced from Insider Monkey’s database of 912 hedge funds as of Q2 2024.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A lab setting filled with scientific equipment and researchers in lab coats working together to develop new therapies for autoimmune diseases.
argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 52
argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX) is a global immunology company developing treatments for autoimmune diseases. By partnering with leading researchers, it is translating groundbreaking discoveries into new antibody-based medicines. The company’s recent FDA approval for VYVGART Hytrulo in CIDP showcases its leadership in autoimmune therapies.
According to the Q2 2024 results, argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX)’s net sales rose to $477.6 million, and the company turned a profit after reporting losses a year ago. According to its current operating plans, argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX) has revised its cash burn outlook and now projects using less than $500 million in net cash in 2024 for expected operating costs, working capital, and capital expenditures.
With the recent FDA approval and encouraging results, analysts are bullish on this stock and have given it an average rating of Strong Buy. Here’s what TimesSquare Capital Management said about argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:
“Our preferences among Health Care stocks are those companies providing novel therapies for unmet needs that deserve premium pricing, or specialized service providers. One example was Argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX), a biotechnology developer of antibody treatments for autoimmune disorders. This quarter the company received unrestricted approval from the FDA for its VYVGART Hytrulo to treat chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Not only did that extend argenx’s VYVGART treatment to a new indication—CIDP causes swelling and inflammation of peripheral nerves that leads to a loss of strength or sensations in arms and legs, but this new use has significantly higher pricing for argenx. That gave its shares a 9% lift this quarter.”
Overall ARGX ranks 6th on our list of the best immunotherapy stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of ARGX as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ARGX but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.