We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Immunotherapy Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) stands against the other immunotherapy stocks.

The global immunotherapy drugs market is rapidly expanding, with projections to grow from $240 billion in 2023 to $1.3 trillion by 2033. The growth is driven by the global rise in chronic diseases such as different types of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infections.

Cancer, particularly is becoming more prevalent among people globally. The American Cancer Society recently released its 2024 Global Cancer Statistics report, which highlights the increasing burden of cancer worldwide. In 2022 alone, approximately 20 million new cancer cases were diagnosed, and 9.7 million people died from the disease. By 2050, annual cancer cases are expected to reach 35 million, driving demand for innovative treatments like immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy offers a promising alternative to traditional therapies, and its applications are expanding as research advances. It can be applied to various types of cancer, either alone or alongside treatments like chemotherapy. Immunomodulating agents, a type of non-specific immunotherapy, help improve the body’s immune system’s capability of detecting and attacking cancer cells.

Read Also: 10 Best Biotech Stocks To Buy Under $20 and 10 Best Cancer Stocks To Buy Now.

Due to the growing demand for treatments, leading pharmaceutical companies are also investing heavily in research and development to expand the range of immunotherapy drugs available. These include immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapies, and monoclonal antibodies. Combining different therapies and tailoring treatments to individual patients is helping to unlock new applications for immunotherapy, positioning it to revolutionize cancer care and other areas of medicine.

North America led the global immunotherapy drugs industry in 2023, capturing over 48.19% of total revenue, driven by medical advancements and regulatory approvals, particularly in the US. The FDA’s approval of immunotherapy for cancers with specific genetic traits, regardless of origin, highlights the region’s leadership in innovative treatments like tumor-agnostic therapies.

With over 2 million new cancer cases expected in the US in 2024, demand for effective treatments like immunotherapy will continue to grow. Organizations such as Canada’s National Research Council are also developing new immunotherapies, aiming to provide hope for patients with hard-to-treat cancers like B-cell leukemia and lymphoma.

Our Methodology

We selected stocks from ETFs with immunotherapy exposure and narrowed down the list to the top 10 companies with the highest number of hedge funds holding stakes in them. The hedge fund sentiment has been sourced from Insider Monkey’s database of 912 hedge funds as of Q2 2024.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 84

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is a global pharmaceutical company known for its innovative medicines in areas like immunology, oncology, cardiology, and more. Immunotherapy is one of the main areas of interest within Pfizer Oncology, especially after the recent clinical successes of cancer immunotherapy.

After acquiring Seagen for $43 billion in 2023, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) plans to develop eight potential blockbuster cancer treatments by 2030. Seagen’s antibody-drug conjugates, which target cancers like bladder cancer, are key to this strategy.

Alongside this strategic focus on oncology, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is also prioritizing cost savings through a manufacturing optimization program aimed at boosting efficiency and achieving $1.5 billion in savings by the end of 2027. The stock has received an average rating of Moderate Buy, making it one of the best immunotherapy stocks to buy now.

Here’s what Parnassus Investments said about Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) in its Q1 2024 investor letter:

“During the quarter, we added new positions in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), NICE and Charter Communications. We purchased Pfizer to capture the potential upside from any turnaround following the COVID-induced boom-bust cycle of the last few years. Pfizer’s stock price sank by more than 40% in 2023 as COVID-19 vaccine revenues rolled off, providing an attractive entry point for us. The company completed its acquisition of Seagen, which should strengthen Pfizer’s pipeline in antibody-drug conjugates (ADC). Pfizer also offers an attractive dividend yield.”

Overall PFE ranks 2nd on our list of the best immunotherapy stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of PFE as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than PFE but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.