Covid-19 vaccines have been a major focus lately, capturing the attention of investors in pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. While big names like Pfizer (PFE), BioNTech (BNTX), and Moderna (MRNA) are in the spotlight, several smaller biotech companies are making waves with their efforts to fight another deadly disease: breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the U.S.
Several biotech stocks have surged recently due to promising results shared at this week’s virtual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Greenwich LifeSciences saw its stock soar nearly 1,000% on Wednesday and climbed another 26.5% on Thursday after presenting encouraging trial results for one of its breast cancer drugs. 
Immutep, an Australian biotech (IMMP), more than doubled on Wednesday and gained an additional 15% on Thursday after showcasing positive data for its breast cancer treatment. Similarly, Sellas Life Sciences (SLS), another small biotech with upcoming data to reveal, saw its stock jump by nearly 75% on Wednesday and more than 175% on Thursday.
This surge in demand highlights the ongoing prevalence of cancer, particularly breast cancer, which continues to affect millions. Any company that can successfully develop a treatment—or better yet, a cure—could generate significant revenue.
However, investing in biotech stocks remains one of the riskiest areas of the market. Many smaller companies are still in the research and development phase, with little or no sales, and have yet to achieve profitability. As a result, all three companies have posted losses in recent years, making their stocks highly volatile and prone to sudden swings based on clinical trial news or press releases.
As expected, the volatile nature of these stocks led to dramatic drops after their initial surges. Greenwich LifeSciences saw its stock drop by 25% on Friday, while Immutep and Sellas both experienced declines of over 35%.
