“Cancer immunotherapy is an important sector in biotechnology that is changing the way many cancers are treated. While traditional medicines like chemotherapies often give cancer a broad punch, the benefit of using immunotherapy is derived from the immune system’s dynamic nature and the way it can more precisely be tailored to fight the disease. Some immunotherapies have exhibited uncommon results in clinical trials including partial and complete responses in late stage cancer patients,” according to Loncar Investments.
Assuming Loncar’s ETF comes to market, it would be the latest in an expanding line of biotech ETFs with narrow focuses. For example, the BioShares Biotechnology Clinical Trials Fund (NasdaqGM: BBC) focuses on companies with a lead drug candidate in a Phase 1, Phase 2 or Phase 3 trial. The ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF (NYSEArca: SBIO), which focuses on small- and mid-cap companies that have one or more drugs in either Phase II or Phase III U.S. FDA clinical trials. Those ETFs debuted in the fourth quarter of 2014 as did the BioShares Biotechnology Products Fund (NasdaqGM: BBP).
BBP tracks an index follows U.S.-listed biotech companies with a primary product offering or product candidate that has landed FDA approval. [New Breed Biotech ETFs]
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy Index
