Novavax and Moderna shares fall after plague concerns ease, Citi comments

On Wednesday, shares of Novavax and Moderna experienced a decline following a brief surge the day before, triggered by reports of a potential pneumonic plague case in Russia. Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) suffered an 11% drop as it had previously climbed 20% on Tuesday, while Moderna shares fell 6% after a 7% increase on the prior day. The iShares Biotechnology ETF also slipped 3% in response, while the S&P 500 gained 1% for the day.

The World Health Organization currently rates the global public health risk as low. The plague remains unconfirmed, and those in contact with the suspected case have tested negative, according to Citi. BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) saw minimal movement, rising 1% on Tuesday before settling flat on Wednesday.

Citi's analysis indicates that investors are increasingly focusing on a company's oncology pipeline over its COVID-19 products. The investment bank noted that the price fluctuations highlight the headline sensitivity impacting vaccine-focused firms. Citi expressed a preference for companies developing therapies for immunology, inflammation, oncology, cardiometabolic conditions, and rare diseases, suggesting that vaccine companies remain vulnerable to volatile policy narratives. The bank expects ongoing headlines to continue affecting the sector.