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2018 - The Year In Review

April BDI-40 Up 18%, ASX200 Up 2%
Big Caps Up 3%, NBI Down 5%

 Volpara Up 49%, Antisense 44%, Polynovo 41%
Immutep Down 15%, Patrys 11%

 

May 1, 2019

 

April was truly excellent for Australian biotechnology - one of the best months on record.

 

The Biotech Daily Top 40 Index (BDI-40) climbed 18.1 percent, again out-performing the ASX200 which was up 2.3 percent, while the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (NBI) fell a further 4.8 percent.

 

The three Big Caps of Cochlear, CSL and Resmed (which are not included in the BDI-40) rose a collective 2.9 percent in April.

 

For the year to April 30, 2019 the BDI-40 was up 20.9 percent, the ASX200 rose 5.7 percent, the Big Caps improved 14.5 percent and the NBI was up 2.7 percent.

 

In April, Cochlear improved 8.6 percent to $10,812 million, CSL rose 2.6 percent to $89,972 million and Resmed was up 1.5 percent to $21,019 million.

 

In April, 24 of the BDI-40 stocks were up; 17 by more than 10 percent and seven by more than 30 percent; while 11 fell, with just two losing more than 10 percent; and five were unchanged.

 

While Pro Medicus added $581 million to the index, Volpara was the best by percentage, up 48.7 percent for the month and 243.3 percent for the year to $333 million, followed by Antisense up 43.75 percent for the month and 360.0 percent for the year to $23 million.

 

Polynovo was up 40.7 percent, followed by Alterity (Prana) up 40 percent, Pro Medicus (37.8%), Avita (37.5%), Oncosil (36.0%), Starpharma (31.1%), Impedimed (20.7%), Mesoblast (18.4%), Nanosonics (14.6%), Universal Biosensors (14.3%), Medical Developments (13.9%), Cyclopharm (13.3%), Osprey (12.5%), Benitec (12.1%) and Pharmaxis (10.7%).

 

Immutep led the falls, down $17 million or 15.2 percent to $95 million, followed by Patrys (11.1%), Orthocell (8.3%), Uscom (8.0%), Dimerix (7.1%) and Imugene (5.8%).

 

Outside the Top 40, Acrux was at its best since September 2017, Resonance continued its record run, up a further 40.5 percent to $52 million, with Alcidion, Elixinol, Medadvisor, Painchek and Recce all contenders for promotion.

 

The 16 stocks in Cannabis Corner were up 5.1 percent to a collective market capitalization of $1,614 million, with 11 companies up, three down and two unchanged.

 

On the Nasdaq, Vaxart (Biota) was at an all-time low tumbling 60.9 percent on a capital raising to $9 million, Queensland’s Protagonist lost 17.6 percent to $341 million; Israel’s Redhill (with Australian assets) shed 5.4 percent to $314 million and Eyepoint (Psivida) fell 4.1 percent to $231 million.

 

There are some changes to the BDI-40 this month with Cynata, Genetic Signatures and Paradigm earning their promotions from the Second 20 to the Top 20, swapping places with Impedimed, LBT and Reva.

 

BDI-40 v S&P ASX200 Jun 30, 2006 to Apr 30, 2019 

 

Big Caps (Cochlear, CSL, Resmed) Apr 30, 2016 To Apr 30, 2019