The nearly $4 billion iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (NasdaqGS: IBB), the largest biotechnology ETF by assets, will welcome some new stocks to its lineup on Dec. 23 when the annual re-ranking of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (Nasdaq: NBI) becomes effective.
The following 21 securities will be added to the Index: AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ACRX), Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:AGIO), BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:BCRX), bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq:BLUE), ChemoCentryx, Inc. (Nasdaq:CCXI), Cempra, Inc. (Nasdaq:CEMP), Chimerix, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMRX), Epizyme, Inc. (Nasdaq:EPZM), Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ESPR), Horizon Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:HZNP), Cellular Dynamics International, Inc. (Nasdaq:ICEL), Insys Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:INSY), KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:KYTH), OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMED), Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ONTX), Prothena Corporation plc (Nasdaq:PRTA), PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:PTCT), Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:PTLA), Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:RGLS), Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:SGNT) and Verastem, Inc. (Nasdaq:VSTM), according to a statement issued by NASDAQ OMX Global Indexes.
IBB will say good-bye to , the following 16 securities: ArQule, Inc. (Nasdaq:ARQL), AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVEO), Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CYTX), Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ENZN), Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FOLD), Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:FURX), GTx, Inc. (Nasdaq:GTXI), Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:HPTX), Oncothyreon Inc. (Nasdaq:ONTY), Pain Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:PTIE), QLT Inc. (Nasdaq:QLTI), SIGA Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:SIGA), Santarus, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNTS), Targacept, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRGT), Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq:VICL) and ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq:VPHM).
IBB allocates roughly 34% of its weight to biotech’s “Big Four” – Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB), Gilead (Nasdaq: GILD), Celgene (Nasdaq: CELG) and Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN). IBB is up 57.1% this year and ranks among 2013’s 10-best non-leveraged ETFs. The ETF was also on the 2011 and 2012 10 best lists. [Health Care ETFs Prescribe New Highs]
iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.