8 Biotech Stocks With Major Catalysts on the Horizon

Biotech stocks frequently make big moves on a single trial result or FDA ruling. These 8 drugmakers are worth watching amid important events on deck this summer.

biotech lab work
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We all know that investing in biotech stocks isn't for the faint of heart.

They tend to be pretty volatile, experiencing massive price surges and slumps. The reason for all these swings is simple – biotech stocks trade on catalysts.

Unlike, say, a steady consumer products firm, biotech stocks march to the drum of regulatory approval, the outcomes of trial data and major conference presentations. Often, stocks in the sector will zoom higher or sink lower on these pieces of information.

Then it becomes a waiting game until the next major catalyst.

For investors looking to play in biotech stocks, knowing these important dates is vital for success. The worst thing to do is get caught off-guard and not have an exit strategy if things suddenly get ugly for your investment.

While the start of the calendar year is often prime time for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) events and trial data to be released, the summer also heats up for drugmakers and biotech stocks. The next few months feature several major events for a number of biotechnology firms and their shareholders.

The key is knowing which events to watch.

Finding Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) dates – which are deadlines for the U.S. FDA to review a company's drugs – and other info for these biotech catalysts can be a daunting task. Here, we'll point out several of these dates for investors to mark on their calendars.

Here are eight biotech stocks with major catalysts on the calendar in the next few months.

Disclaimer

Data is as of May 18. Note: Any dates listed here are tentative and subject to change.

Contributing Writer, Kiplinger.com