trade-ideas

If These Biotech Stocks Pull Back, I'll Be Ready to Pull the Trigger

Here's why I'm waiting to add to my stakes in these two biopharma names.

Bret Jensen·Dec 22, 2025, 11:00 AM EST

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I have a slug of new cash to deploy into the market in the coming months courtesy of options expiration on Friday. A large proportion of this came from successful covered-call trades around the myriad small- and mid-cap biotech names that I have highlighted here throughout 2025. Of course, to be fair, the last couple of quarters, it has been like shooting fish in a barrel across the biotech sector. This area of the market has seen a huge boost in investor sentiment as mergers and acquisitions have picked up in the back half of this year. The State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI)  is up nearly 75% since the exchange-traded fund's recent lows following the announcement of reciprocal tariffs in April.

I have been fortunate to have had pieces of a half dozen biotech stocks that have accepted buyout offers since September. The latest being Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD) , which was purchased by mid-cap name Biomarin Pharmaceuticals (BMRN)  on Friday. It was a smart strategic pick up by Biomarin, whose stock flew up more than 15% higher on Friday thanks to the announcement. It is a rarity to see the acquirer get that or any bump from M&A activity, but market action attests to Biomarin’s shrewd move.

As I noted in my column Friday, biotech is overdue for at least a bout of consolidation or some profit taking after its huge recent rally. M&A volume will have to be more than solid to keep the current momentum going. In today’s column, I will highlight a couple of names that I still retain positions within even after quadruple witching Friday. I will add to them on any decent pullbacks in the sectors in the months ahead.

Let’s start with Cytokinetics, Incorporated (CYTK) , a mid-cap name I last gave a shout out to in early September. The stock is up around 25% since then. Late last week, the company’s lead candidate garnered Food and Drug Administration approval as a treatment for symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is caused by a thickened heart muscle.

The company is projected to be unprofitable for several years but will see a huge ramp up in revenues. Sales are projected to come in at over $2 billion by 2030. The stock has a market cap of just less than $7 billion and should end 2025 with approximately $1.2 billion in cash on its balance sheet to support its coming marketing rollout. The stock has had a nice run up, but FDA approval might make it a more desirable buyout target. If the shares pull back in the mid- $50s, I will add to my stake in CYTK.

Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc. (MLYS) is also on my biotech pullback list. The company’s lead asset lorundrostat, a blood pressure medicine, is the potential "best in class" aldosterone synthase inhibitor in a large market. Management should submit a marketing application for lorundrostat in early 2026. Mineralys did a capital raise over the summer and is well funded into 2028. Projected sales are expected to breach $1 billion in annual sales by 2030, and the stock has a market cap of just less than $3 billion. This is a name that has made several potential biotech buyout lists. The shares have had a decent recent bout of profit taking, and I will add to my position in MLYS on the next blip down in the overall market.

At the time of publication, Jensen was long BMRN, CYTK, FOLD, MLYS and XBI