Juno Therapeutics Inc (JUNO), Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc (ANAC): VHCP Management’s Top 3 Biotech Picks

Avalanche Biotechnologies Inc (NASDAQ:AAVL) is a $786 million market cap biotechnology company, that aims to discover and develop new gene therapies for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases. The biotech firm has received a twelve-month consensus price target of $47.75 from analysts at Zacks, while Jefferies Group believes shares will reach $46.00. Furthermore, the company is expected to post $0.40 earnings per share this quarter. Shares closed trading on Monday at $36.80.

Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ANAC) was VHCP Management’s third largest holding last quarter, with around 1.78 million shares. Although the fund did not alter its stake in the company during the fourth quarter, it now accounts for 10.4% of its equity portfolio, down from 12.96% at the end of the third quarter, despite gaining 23.96% during the quarter, as the value of VHCP’s equity portfolio increased by more than 50% to $363.50 million from $222.51 million at the end of the third quarter.

Not only has VHCP Management been betting on this stock for quite some time, but one of the fund’s partner, Andres Hove, serves on the company’s Board of Directors. Furthermore, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ANAC) has been performing very well as of late, gaining 36.5% year-to-date, after growing by 90% in 2014. In addition to posting great returns, the company enjoys the backing of numerous funds, such as Steve Cohen’s Point72 Asset Management, which owns 1.56 million shares. Julian Baker and Felix Baker’s Baker Bros. Advisors is also bullish regarding the stock, as it owns 4.20 million shares, and is Anacor Pharmaceuticals’ largest institutional investor.

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