These names in the biotech sector are seeing a substantial increase in search activity today, as determined by InvestingChannel. They include:

• Logicbio (LOGC), 9,424% surge in interest
• Calithera (CALA), 1,434% surge in interest
• Myovant (MYOV), 784% surge in interest
• Acorda (ACOR), 487% surge in interest
• Chromadex (CDXC), 471% surge in interest

Pipeline and key clinical candidates for these companies:

LogicBio Therapeutics is a clinical-stage genetic medicine company pioneering genome editing and gene delivery platforms to address rare and serious diseases from infancy through adulthood. LogicBio's genome editing platform, GeneRide, is a new approach to precise gene insertion harnessing a cell's natural DNA repair process potentially leading to durable therapeutic protein expression levels. Earlier this week, LogicBio announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which it will be acquired by Alexion, AstraZeneca's (AZN) rare disease unit.

Calithera Biosciences is a clinical-stage, precision oncology biopharmaceutical company developing targeted therapies to redefine treatment for biomarker-specific patient populations. Calithera is advancing a pipeline of investigational, small-molecule oncology compounds with a biomarker-driven approach that targets genetic vulnerabilities in cancer cells to deliver new therapies for patients suffering from aggressive hematologic and solid tumor cancers for which there are currently limited treatment options.

Myovant Sciences has executed five successful Phase 3 clinical trials across oncology and women’s health leading to three regulatory approvals by the FDA for men with advanced prostate cancer, women with heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids, and premenopausal women with moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis, respectively. Myovant also has received regulatory approvals by the European Commission and the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency for women with symptomatic uterine fibroids and for men with advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Myovant has a supplemental New Drug Application under review with the FDA for updates to the United States Prescribing Information based on safety and efficacy data from the Phase 3 LIBERTY randomized withdrawal study of MYFEMBREE in premenopausal women with heavy menstrual bleeding due to uterine fibroids for up to two years. Myovant also is conducting a Phase 3 study to evaluate the prevention of pregnancy in women with uterine fibroids or endometriosis. Myovant also is developing MVT-602, an investigational oligopeptide kisspeptin-1 receptor agonist, which has completed a Phase 2a study for female infertility as part of assisted reproduction. Earlier this week, Sumitovant Biopharma and Sumitomo Pharma offered to acquire the remaining shares of the company that Sumitovant does not currently hold for a price of $22.75 per share in cash.

Acorda Therapeutics develops therapies to restore function and improve the lives of people with neurological disorders. INBRIJA is approved for intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in adults with Parkinson’s disease treated with carbidopa/levodopa. INBRIJA utilizes Acorda’s ARCUS pulmonary delivery system, a technology platform designed to deliver medication through inhalation. Acorda also markets the branded AMPYRA Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg.

ChromaDex Corp. is a global bioscience company "pioneering research" on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, levels of which decline with age. ChromaDex is behind NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside, commercialized as the flagship ingredient Niagen. Nicotinamide riboside and other NAD+ precursors are protected by ChromaDex’s patent portfolio.

Recent news on these stocks:

October 4

ChromaDex announced what it called "promising" findings from a clinical study, as reported in the peer-reviewed journal Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science by a team of scientists led by Dr. Kevin O'Brien, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, in collaboration with Dr. Rong Tian, Mitochondria and Metabolism Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA. The clinical study was part of the ChromaDex External Research Program and investigated the safety and tolerability of the company's proprietary Niagen ingredient, patented nicotinamide riboside or NR, in Stage C heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction, which occurs when the left ventricular ejection fraction is 40% or less. Additionally, the effects of NR on white blood cells' mitochondrial respiratory function, inflammation and whole blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels were assessed. "The promising results from this study demonstrate that high-dose NR was safe and well-tolerated, almost doubling whole blood NAD+ levels, increasing white blood cell mitochondrial respiratory function and decreasing the expression of inflammatory markers," the company said.

October 3

LogicBio Therapeutics announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which AstraZeneca Rare Disease will acquire LogicBio. The proposed acquisition brings LogicBio's unique technology, experienced rare disease R&D team, and expertise in pre-clinical development to support Alexion's growth in genomic medicines. Under the terms of the agreement, Alexion, through a subsidiary, will initiate a cash tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of LogicBio for $2.07 per share. Both boards have unanimously approved the transaction. Alexion plans to close the deal in four to six weeks, subject to the tender of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of LogicBio common stock and satisfaction of other closing conditions, and plans to retain LogicBio employees at their current location.

Calithera Biosciences announced that the FDA has granted Fast Track designation for the company's investigational mTORC 1/2 inhibitor sapanisertib, CB-228, for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have a mutation in nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor and who have received prior platinum-based chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

October 2

Myovant Sciences confirmed that it has received a preliminary, non-binding proposal from Sumitovant Biopharma and Sumitomo Pharma to acquire the remaining shares of the company that Sumitovant does not currently hold, for a price of $22.75 per share in cash. Sumitovant currently holds approximately 52% of the outstanding shares of the company. The company's board of directors has formed a special committee of independent directors comprised of the members of the Audit Committee of the company to evaluate and consider the Proposal and any alternatives thereto, with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors.

About “Biotech Alert”

The Fly will report on a selection of biotech stocks seeing a surge in interest from retail and financial professional investors, based on data from InvestingChannel.

This Fly exclusive recap reveals the biotech stocks that are seeing a spike in searches among the 15-plus million retail and financial professional investors through InvestingChannel's online financial news media ecosystem.

This increased attention from the investors may be in response to, or advance of, outsized moves for stocks in the biotech sector, which tend to be volatile and prone to sharp swings in share price around binary events such as clinical study results and FDA approvals.