By Kathleen Caulderwood - Biotech stocks are up this morning on news of the first reported case of Ebola in the United States.
Yesterday, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a patient was being treated at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. The adult had traveled to West Africa, and developed symptoms after returning to the U.S., which means health workers are currently tracking down every person the patient had contact with.
On Wednesday morning, stocks of Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation NASDAQ:TKMR were up 26.54 percent in premarket trading. The Canadian company has been working with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop its treatment, TKM-Ebola, which was approved for use during the current outbreak.
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. NASDAQ:BCRXsaw its stock jump is up 5.32 percent this morning. The company, based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, announced in August that its drug, BCX-4430 would soon be studied in non-human primates.
But they’re not the only biotech firms doing well. A handful of other companies are also researching Ebola treatments and vaccines. Though many have yet to reach human trials, their stocks all received a major boost after Monday’s news.
Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. NASDAQ:SRPT shares were up 4.98 percent, NewLink Genetics Corp. (NASDAQ:NLNK,) which is currently developing an Ebola vaccine, saw its stock jump 2.08 percent. Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:INO) is up 4.37 percent. NanoViricides Inc NYSE:NNVC is up 15 percent.