Biotechs iSpecimen, Qualigen, Longeveron jump as retail investor chatter grows

Aixcrypto Holdings

23/11/2021 11:41

** Shares of iSpecimen Inc  ISPC.O  more than double to
$19.15, extending gains for a second day 
    ** Stock surged 80% to $8.88 on Monday, its best day ever in
its five months of trading, after the online marketplace for
human biospecimens secured contracts with the U.S. govt for
COVID-19 research  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2SD36E
    ** ISPC was the 6th most traded stock on Fidelity's trading
app on Monday, indicating individual investors' interest
    ** About 24k ISPC shares were shorted as of Oct. 29, per
latest exchange data, which is ~0.5% of co's outstanding shares
    ** ISPC among those trending on investor-focused social
media forum Stocktwits.com on Tuesday
    ** Some other biotech cos that also jumped despite no
apparent news: Longeveron  LGVN.O , up 12% at $31.60; Qualigen
Therapeutics Inc  QLGN.O , up 72% at $2.16; Petros Pharma
 PTPI.O  up 155% at $3.38
    ** Barring LGVN, whose market value has jumped 893% over the
past three sessions to $539 mln, combined market cap of ISPC,
QLGN and PTPI is ~$116 mln

 (Reporting by Medha Singh)
 ((medha.singh@thomsonreuters.com))