The Rising Demand for Weight-Loss Medications and GLP-1 Developments
Healthcare, which includes numerous businesses that offer patient care, conduct research and development of novel treatments, and design, produce, and distribute diagnostic tools and tests, takes the term "defensive" a step further than practically any other industry. Improvements in medical technology, medications, and therapeutic approaches have changed the course of patient care. As the need for quick results has grown, pharmaceutical corporations in particular have drawn much attention. Global pharmaceutical manufacturing was estimated to be worth $516.48 billion in 2022, according to a Grand View Research analysis. From 2023 to 2030, the industry is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.63%.
The biopharma industry now has the most extensive and varied clinical pipeline to date, thanks to decades of groundbreaking research. In 2012, there were 3,200 distinct medications under development; by 2022, that number had nearly doubled to 6,100. The average cost of producing a single treatment is over $1 billion, while just 14% of medications in clinical trials reach FDA clearance, according to MIT research. This could be a game-changer for AI. For instance, generative AI helps identify illness patterns in large data sets to determine the optimal medicine combinations while enabling researchers to investigate far more possible compounds than they could with conventional techniques. Additionally, according to PwC, AI-driven analytics and automation could cut operational costs by more than 30% and process timeframes by 60–70%.
In a similar vein, the market has grown significantly due to consumer interest in weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. According to a recent study in the scientific journal Addiction, GLP-1 medications may reduce the prevalence of alcohol and opioid addiction by as much as 50%. Additionally, these medications are being evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and other disorders that are frequently associated with obesity. The development of GLP-1s is becoming crucial for pharmaceutical businesses that want to be leaders in fields like cardiovascular and renal health.
Competition with the leading companies in the anti-obesity business, which is expected to grow to $130 billion by 2030, is no longer the main emphasis. The possibility for additional participants to enter the field is growing along with the possible applications of GLP-1s. For example, the Swiss business Roche entered the weight-loss drug sweepstakes last year when it paid up to $3.1 billion to acquire California-based Carmot Therapeutics. The corporation wants to "fast-track" its anti-obesity medicines to regain faith in its pipeline and take a share of the weight-loss market.
Challenges in Biotech Funding and the Shift Towards Cell and Gene Therapies
The pharmaceutical sector may appear to be flourishing at first glance. However, it has its own set of difficulties, just like every other industry. Compared to 2021, funding for biotech and pharmaceuticals fell by a sharp 48.6% last year. In 2022, the IPO market also saw a significant decline, with profits falling as a result of market volatility and instability. Many general investors were apprehensive of the spike in drug-developer initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2020 and 2021, which garnered about $46.5 billion, more than the total from the preceding eight years combined. Future initial public offerings (IPOs) are being closely watched due to the high-risk, high-reward nature of the biotech sector as well as macroeconomic and geopolitical issues that impact larger markets.
However, as of September 3, drug developers had raised $2 billion through initial public offerings (IPOs) this year, a 24% increase over the same period in 2023. However, according to BNN Bloomberg, over two-thirds of these funds were raised in the first two months as a result of a spike in new listings. However, pharma companies' portion of U.S. IPO profits has decreased from 17% in February to 6.5%, with less than $800 million raised in the next six months.
Tim Hunt, CEO of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), emphasized increased funding in cell and gene therapies in 2024 in his opening remarks at the October 7 conference. Thirteen of the fifteen biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world by market capitalization, he said, now have an "active presence" in this area. Major pharmaceutical corporations are increasingly turning to cell and gene therapies to fill possible revenue shortages as many product patents are about to expire. Despite this enthusiasm, there has been a reduction in related patent filings, and the number of cell and gene therapy deals in the pharmaceutical industry fell by 38% in Q2 2024 compared to the same time in 2023. Nevertheless, the sector is appealing and should not be disregarded by investors.
Our Methodology
Our methodology involved selecting pharmaceutical sector stocks with a market capitalization exceeding $2 billion and a share price below $20. We then identified the stocks with the lowest share prices and verified their last closing prices using Yahoo Finance. Finally, we ranked these stocks in ascending order based on their closing price as of February 21st.
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A state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, with robotic arms and conveyor belts for drug production.
Grifols, S.A. (NASDAQ:GRFS) is a Spanish global healthcare company specializing in plasma-derived therapies, diagnostics, and hospital pharmacy products. The company was founded in 1909 in Barcelona and it develops and markets biological medicines for rare and life-threatening conditions. The company operates through five divisions: Bioscience (plasma-derived therapies), Diagnostic (in vitro diagnostics), Hospital (medical technology and medicines), Bio Supplies (biological products for non-therapeutic use), and others. Its core business revolves around plasma-based treatments for chronic diseases.
Grifols, S.A. (NASDAQ:GRFS) delivered strong financial results in Q3 2024, showing solid growth and improved financial health. Revenue reached EUR 1,793 million, reflecting a 12.4% year-over-year increase. Adjusted EBITDA grew by 26.7% to EUR 462 million, with a healthy margin of 26%. Free cash flow saw a significant boost to EUR 127 million, and the company successfully lowered its leverage ratio from 6.8x in Q1 to 5.1x in Q3, indicating better debt management.
Grifols, S.A. (NASDAQ:GRFS)’s Biopharma division performed well, growing by 12.1% in Q3. The Immunoglobulin (IG) Franchise saw a strong 16.6% increase, with subcutaneous IG experiencing a remarkable 52% growth year-to-date. Albumin sales also rose by 11.7%, further strengthening Grifols' position in the plasma-derived medicines market.
Grifols, S.A. (NASDAQ:GRFS) remains a market leader in plasma-derived therapies, benefiting from rising global demand. The company continues to improve its financial performance by increasing revenue, expanding profit margins, and reducing debt. Its focus on innovation is evident through its recent contract with the US BARDA to develop a recombinant polyclonal antibody therapeutic platform. With a strong presence in key international markets like China, Grifols, S.A. (NASDAQ:GRFS) is well-positioned for long-term growth.
Overall GRFS ranks 2nd on our list of the best low price pharma stocks to invest in right now. While we acknowledge the potential of GRFS 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 time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GRFS but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
