1. HydroGraph Clean Power (CSE:HG)

Year-to-date gain: 384.21 percent
Market cap: C$282.81 million
Share price: C$0.99

HydroGraph Clean Power produces cost-effective, high-purity graphene, hydrogen and other strategic nanomaterials.

Graphene, a pure carbon material extracted from graphite, has myriad potential applications in industries such as transport, solar cells, medicine, electronics, energy, defense and desalination. HydroGraph has an exclusive license from Kansas State University to produce graphene and hydrogen through the organization’s patented detonation process.

Much of HydroGraph’s news flow in 2025 has centered on strategic partnerships.

Results from a research study conducted with Arizona State University were released in January, demonstrating that the company’s HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene is well suited for ultra-high-performance concretes and 3D-printed structures. In February, HydroGraph announced a technical collaboration with an unnamed global leader in synthetic fiber manufacturing to assess the potential of its graphene technology in high-performance fiber applications.

The following month, HydroGraph shared the launch of a line of advanced graphene dispersions developed in collaboration with battery materials and testing services company NEI. The products have the potential to be used to produce high-performance electrodes for use in energy storage solutions.

The company signed a letter of intent in April that could lead to a leading North American industrial gas supplier providing it with access to large volumes of high-purity acetylene. This is an essential material in HydroGraph’s patented detonation synthesis process. Acquiring this feedstock will help the firm advance its plans to build a new graphene production facility in Texas with the capacity to produce over 350 metric tons of graphene annually.

HydroGraph launched its Compounding Partner Program in July with the goal of attaining commercial-scale production of its high-performance Fractal Graphene in thermoplastics. According to the company, initial certified partners are testing new formulations in the automotive and packaging sectors.

After trading in a range of C$0.22 to C$0.35 for much of the year, shares of HydroGraph jumped nearly 300 percent in a matter of days to reach a year-to-date high of C$0.99 on July 29.

2. Black Swan Graphene (TSXV:SWAN)

Year-to-date gain: 107.35 percent
Market cap: C$60.02 million
Share price: C$1.41

Black Swan Graphene describes itself as an emerging powerhouse in the bulk graphene business.

The company is a spinout of Mason Resources (TSXV:LLG,OTCQX:MGPHF), which owns the Uatnan graphite project in Québec and holds a 39 percent stake in Black Swan. Graphite from Uatnan is used to supply Black Swan.

UK-based global chemicals manufacturer Thomas Swan & Co. holds a 15 percent interest in Black Swan, and brings a portfolio of patents and intellectual property related to graphene production. Through this partnership, Black Swan is building out a fully integrated supply chain of mine-to-graphene products.

Black Swan’s share price traded sideways for much of the year before benefiting greatly from a summer surge. Shares of Black Swan reached their highest year-to-date price of C$1.52 on July 23.

This followed a series of positive news items concerning progress on increasing commercial output. On June 3, Black Swan announced the installation of an additional production unit at its operational facility in the UK. It is working to more than triple its annual production capacity from 40 metric tons of high-quality graphene to 140 metric tons.

Later in the month, the company signed a non-exclusive distribution and sales agreement with Indian specialty materials and polymers supplier METCO Resources. The agreement will allow METCO to “distribute and promote Black Swan’s graphene nanoplatelets and GEM advanced masterbatch products to customers across India’s industrial, packaging, automotive, and construction sectors,” as per a press release.

Black Swan made another key announcement in the following month. On July 9, the market learned the company had secured a US patent for its breakthrough continuous graphene production process.

3. Focus Graphite Advanced Materials (TSXV:FMS)

Year-to-date gain: 100 percent
Market cap: C$12.26 million
Share price: C$0.135

Focus Graphite Advanced Materials is both a graphite miner and a battery technology company. Its wholly owned flagship Lac Knife high-grade crystalline flake graphite project is located in Northeastern Québec.

With a completed feasibility study, Lac Knife is one of North America’s most advanced graphite deposits. The company also holds Lac Tétépisca, the highest-purity graphite project in Québec.

In terms of battery technologies, Focus Graphite has a patent-pending proprietary silicone-enhanced spheroidized graphite technology that is designed to enhance battery performance and efficiency.

In late May, definition drilling at Lac Tétépisca led to an extension of the strike length of the mineralized zone to over 6 kilometers, while preliminary metallurgical testing confirmed the quality of the project’s flake graphite.

In mid-June, the company said thermal purification testing on Lac Knife flake graphite completed by American Energy Technologies Company had resulted in refined concentrate to a purity level of 99.999 percent carbon.

“This milestone underscores Focus Graphite’s potential to supply ultra-high-purity graphite material for nuclear energy applications, a market historically dominated by synthetic graphite and limited to a small cohort of qualifying producers,” states the company’s press release.

Shares of Focus Graphite hit their highest year-to-date value of C$0.17 on June 17.

1. Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TSX:TECK.B)

Market cap: C$22.01 billion
Share price: C$45.04

Teck Resources is a major global polymetallic miner, as well as one of the world’s top zinc producers.

The Vancouver-headquartered company produced 615,900 metric tons (MT) of zinc in concentrate in 2024, with 555,600 MT coming from its Red Dog zinc mine in Alaska. The remaining 60,300 MT came from Teck’s 22.5 percent share of zinc production from the Peru-based Antamina copper-zinc mine.

Teck’s total 2025 production guidance for the base metal is set in a range of 525,000 to 575,000 MT. As of June 30, the company’s zinc production for the year totaled 384,000 MT.

In addition to the sites mentioned, Teck owns the Trail operations, which it describes as ‘one of the world’s largest fully integrated zinc and lead smelting and refining complexes.’ Located in BC, Canada, the Trail operations produced 256,000 MT of refined zinc in 2024, with 190,000 to 230,000 MT of the material expected in 2025.

Teck pays a quarterly dividend. On September 29, it will pay out a dividend of C$0.125 per share.

2. Fireweed Metals (TSXV:FWZ)

Market cap: C$485.11 million
Share price: C$2.32

Fireweed Metals is a critical metals company whose flagship Macmillan Pass zinc project is located in Canada’s Yukon. In 2023, the company acquired the Gayna River zinc project in the Northwest Territories, as well as the Mactung tungsten project, which is adjacent to Macmillan Pass and straddles the border between Yukon and the Northwest Territories. According to Fireweed, Mactung ‘hosts the world’s largest high-grade tungsten deposit.’

Even with these new assets, the company still has a strong focus on Macmillan Pass. In fact, in November 2023, the Fireweed team, led by Dr. Jack Milton, the firm’s vice president of geology, received the Association for Mineral Exploration’s H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award for its work at the Macmillan Pass property.

Fireweed’s best drill intersection to date from Macmillan Pass’ Boundary zone includes 143.95 meters true width at 14.45 percent zinc, including 28.71 meters at 25.52 percent zinc. In September 2024, after its largest regional exploration campaign ever at Macmillan Pass, the company released an updated resource estimate for the Tom and Jason deposits, as well as inaugural resource estimates for the Boundary zone and End zone deposits.

Fireweed launched its 2025 field program in early June, saying it will include 12,000 meters of diamond drilling at Macmillan Pass. The work will target ‘both high-priority regional prospects and step-outs around known zinc-lead-silver-gallium-germanium deposits,’ according to a press release.

3. Trilogy Metals (TSX:TMQ)

Market cap: C$405.68 million
Share price: C$2.47

Trilogy Metals is focused primarily on copper, zinc and cobalt at its Alaskan Upper Kobuk projects, which are held by Ambler Metals, a joint venture operating company owned equally by Trilogy and South32 (ASX:S32,OTC Pink:SHTLF).

Its most advanced zinc project is the Arctic copper-zinc-lead-gold-silver volcanogenic massive sulfide project, which is in the feasibility stage and has proven and probable reserves of 43.44 million MT grading 3.12 percent zinc.

In addition, early stage 2023 field work at the company’s wholly owned Helpmejack project in Alaska’s Ambler schist belt outlined two target areas prospective for volcanogenic massive sulfide and shale-hosted zinc deposits.

Trilogy had been focusing on improving access to the region with its Amber Access project, but it was rejected by the US Bureau of Land Management under the Biden administration in June 2024 due to the impact the proposed road could have on the environment and communities in the region, which have seen little development.

However, under the Trump administration, a series of executive and secretarial orders focusing on developing Alaska’s natural resources have been enacted that could reverse this decision.

“Recent actions taken by President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signal a positive path forward for the Ambler Road,’ Trilogy Metals President and CEO Tony Giardini said. ‘This transportation corridor is crucial not only for providing access to the minerals that are vital to U.S. national security and prosperity, but also for much-needed economic growth and job creation in Alaska. Trilogy Metals is committed to working with all stakeholders on progressing the road, to unlock the vast natural resource potential of the Ambler Mining District.”

4. Emerita Resources (TSXV:EMO)

Market cap: C$317.02 million
Share price: C$1.20

Emerita Resources has a portfolio of high-grade, large-scale polymetallic projects covering more than 26,000 combined hectares in Spain’s Iberian Pyrite Belt. The company’s flagship asset is the Iberian Belt West project, which hosts three massive sulfide deposits: La Infanta, La Romanera and El Cura.

Emerita released a resource estimate for Iberian Belt West in May 2023. It finished environmental baseline studies the following month, and completed supporting documentation for its mining license application in December 2023.

In July 2024, the Andalusian government granted Iberian Belt West a declaration of strategic interest, which will streamline the process of moving the project through development.

Phase 2 metallurgical testing results for the La Romanera and La Infanta deposits released in late 2024 show that commercial-grade copper, lead and zinc concentrates can be obtained from both deposits.

In March of this year, Emerita announced an updated resource estimate for Iberian Belt West, showing a 35 percent increase to the total indicated mineral resource tonnage and a 44 percent increase in total inferred mineral resource tonnage. Also this year, Emerita made the cut for the latest TSX Venture 50 list.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$122,444, up by 2.6 percent over the last 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. It briefly dropped to its lowest valuation of $120,414 shortly after the opening bell.

Bitcoin has found itself at the crossroads of macroeconomic data, political influence and shifting capital flows. Inflation statistics and central bank dynamics have introduced caution, while stablecoin activity and institutional appetite are hinting at a redistribution into altcoins.

Bitcoin price performance, August 13, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) continued to rally, up by 4.5 percent to US$4,716.60. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$4,638.43, and its highest was US$4,738.59.

Glassnode notes that ETH is a bellwether for altcoins, and its current move as capital continues to flow into exchange-traded funds suggests further upside. In an X post on Wednesday, Charles Edwards, founder of crypto quantitative digital asset fund Capriole Investments, shared data showing that 75 percent of Coinbase Global’s (NASDAQ:COIN) volume came from institutional players on Tuesday (August 12).

He pointed to the outlook for interest rates following the release of July inflation data.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$200.74, up by 6.1 percent over 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation was US$195.81.

• XRP was trading for US$3.27, up 0.1 percent in the past 24 hours and at its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest was US$3.24.

• Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.99, up by 2.3 percent over the past 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest level was US$3.93.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.8827, up by 4.6 percent over 24 hours, and its highest valuation on Wednesday. Its lowest was US$0.8660.

Today’s crypto news to know

World Liberty Financial sets up US$1.5 billion crypto treasury

World Liberty Financial, a digital asset venture backed by US President Donald Trump and his sons, has announced plans to establish a US$1.5 billion “crypto treasury” in partnership with ALT5 Sigma (NASDAQ:ALTS).

Under the deal, ALT5 will raise US$1.5 billion through the sale of its own shares. The funds will go toward the purchase of World Liberty’s in-house token, $WLFI, and will also be used to set up a crypto treasury, settle litigation, pay down debt and for other corporate uses. It will ultimately hold about 7.5 percent of $WLFI tokens.

Unnamed institutional investors and venture capital firms participated in the share sale. Crypto treasury models have grown in popularity this year amid a friendlier US regulatory stance under the Trump administration.

The project’s leadership is heavily tied to the Trump family, with Trump himself listed as “co-founder emeritus,” and Eric, Donald Jr. and Barron Trump holding co-founder titles.

As part of the arrangement, Eric Trump will join ALT5’s board and Zach Witkoff will serve as its chair.

Bullish shares surge on NYSE debut

Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), the parent company of Bullish Exchange and CoinDesk, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Shares were priced at US$37 each, an increase from an earlier target of US$33, with 30 million on offer to raise US$1.1 billion and value the company at nearly US$5.4 billion.

Shares surged as much as 218 percent to reach US$118 on trading volume of roughly 38 million shares, before pulling back to close at US$70.65. The initial public offering pushed the company’s market cap above US$10 billion.

Banking groups push for stablecoin loophole closure

US banking groups, led by the Bank Policy Institute (BPI), are urging Congress to close a loophole that allows stablecoin issuers to indirectly offer yields through affiliates. They argue that while new stablecoin laws prevent issuers from directly offering yield, they don’t prohibit crypto exchanges or affiliated businesses from doing so.

The groups contend that this circumvents the law and could lead to a US$6.6 trillion outflow of deposits from traditional banks, potentially disrupting credit flow to American businesses and families.

Banks are concerned that yield-bearing stablecoins undermine their ability to attract deposits, which are crucial for backing loans. The offering of yield is a significant marketing draw for stablecoins, with some, like USDC, already rewarding holders on exchanges such as Kraken and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN).

Safe harbor programs proposed for DeFi

In a Wednesday letter, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and the DeFi Education Fund asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Hester Peirce, head of the commission’s Crypto Task Force, to set up a safe harbor program from broker-dealer registration requirements for non-fungible token (NFT) and DeFi applications.

The group said the letter was a follow up to Trump’s Working Group on Digital Assets, which called on the SEC to give certain DeFi service providers relief from registration provisions under the Exchange Act, specifically those related to broker-dealers, exchanges and clearing agencies. SEC Chair Paul Atkins also directed staff to update “antiquated agency rules and regulations” for certain crypto and blockchain applications in July.

To avoid enforcement actions, a safe harbor provision would exempt some companies that offer crypto-related products and services from enforcement actions. a16z has sent two previous letters to the commission this year recommending safe harbors for NFTs, airdrops and network tokens.

Big pharma ETFs

Many of these funds have diverse holdings across some of the most important sectors in the pharmaceutical industry, including pain therapeutics, oncology, vaccines and biotechnology. Data was gathered on August 11, 2025.

1. iShares US Pharmaceuticals ETF (ARCA:IHE)

Total assets under management: US$539.44 million

Created on May 5, 2006, this iShares ETF tracks some of the top US pharma companies. In total, the iShares US Pharmaceuticals ETF has 41 holdings, with the vast majority being large-cap stocks.

Of its holdings, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) are by far the largest portions in its portfolio, coming in at weightings of 25.51 percent and 17.68 percent, respectively. The next highest are Royalty Pharma (NASDAQ:RPRX) at 5.04 percent, Viatris (NASDAQ:VTRS) at 4.94 percent and Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK) at 4.59 percent.

2. VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (NASDAQ:PPH)

Total assets under management: US$494.34 million

Established in late 2011, the VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF tracks the MVIS US Listed Pharmaceutical 25 Index. It has the capacity to provide big returns, even though there are some risks attached to the ETF. An analyst report indicates that investors looking for ‘tactical exposure’ to the pharma sector might consider this ETF as an investment option.

The ETF has 25 holdings, with the top five being Eli Lilly at a weight of 15.81percent, Johnson & Johnson at 12.08 percent, Novartis (NYSE:NVS) at 7.80 percent, Merck & Co. at 6.33 percent and Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) at 5.94 percent.

3. Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF (ARCA:PJP)

Total assets under management: US$240.1 million

The Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF is primarily focused on providing exposure to US-based pharma companies. An analyst report states that this ETF chooses individual securities based on certain investment criteria, namely stock valuation and risk factors. Invesco changed the fund’s name from the Invesco Dynamic Pharmaceuticals ETF in August 2023.

This ETF was started on June 23, 2005, and currently tracks 31 companies. Its top holdings are Johnson & Johnson with a weight of 5.25 percent, Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) at 5.08 percent, AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) at 4.95 percent, and both Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Merck & Co. at 4.83 percent each.

4. SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF (ARCA:XPH)

Total assets under management: US$150.91 million

The SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF came into the market on June 19, 2006, and represents the pharmaceutical sub-industry sector of the S&P Total Markets Index. An analyst report for the ETF suggests that due to its narrow focus — which includes pharma giants that post ‘big returns’ during times of consolidation — it should not be considered for a long-term portfolio.

This pharma ETF tracks 43 holdings, with relatively close weighting among its holdings. XPH’s top five holdings are Elanco Animal Health (NYSE:ELAN) with a weight of 4.21 percent, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TARS) with a weight of 4.18 percent, Johnson & Johnson at 4.02 percent, Royalty Pharma at 3.98 percent and Viatris at 3.89 percent.

5. KraneShares MSCI All China Health Care Index ETF

Total assets under management: US$111.67 million

The KraneShares MSCI All China Health Care Index ETF was launched in February 2018 and tracks an index of large- and mid-cap Chinese stocks in the healthcare sector, all weighted by market capitalization. According to an analyst report, the fund provides investors with ‘exposure to a relatively small slice of the Chinese economy.’

The ETF tracks 46 holdings, and its top five are BeOne Medicines at 8.26 percent, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine (SHA:600276) at 8.24 percent, WuXi Biologics (HKEX:2269) at 6.71 percent, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics (SZSE:300760) at 5.95 percent and CSPC Pharmaceutical Group (HKEX:1093) at 5.39 percent.

1. Tiziana Life Sciences (NASDAQ:TLSA)

Year-to-date gain: 227.8 percent
Market cap: US$256.36 million
Share price: US$2.26

Tiziana Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biopharma which is developing therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, and cancer-related to the liver. Its pipeline of candidates is built on its patent drug delivery technology that provides a possible alternative to intravenous delivery. Tiziana’s lead candidate is intranasal foralumab, a fully human anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody.

Tiziana Life Sciences shares hit US$1.69 on March 7 after the company filed its investigational new drug application to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a Phase 2 clinical trial in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is supported by the ALS Association. However, by early April that value had fallen back to US$0.78 per share.

A series of positive news flow later in the spring helped to give Tiziana shares another boost. In April, John Hopkins University and the University of Massachusetts commenced dosing of the biotech company’s intranasal foralumab in Phase 2 trials for patients with non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. On May 7, the company shared positive results from the use of its lead candidate in improving the quality of life for patients with that form of multiple sclerosis.

Tiziana is also studying the use of intranasal foralumab for treating moderate Alzheimer’s disease. On May 9, it announced that PET scans of a patient with moderate Alzheimer’s showed a significant reduction in microglia activation associated with neuroinflammation after three months of treatment.

Shares of Tiziana reached US$1.62 on May 13.

On July 21, the company announced an ‘unexpected discovery’ in its findings of an immunologic analysis of the patient with Alzheimer’s disease.

‘In an unexpected discovery, the analysis revealed an increase in phagocytosis markers in classical monocytes, suggesting that nasal foralumab may enhance their ability to clear amyloid plaques,’ the press release states. ‘This unexpected effect may open new avenues for treating Alzheimer’s Disease by targeting both inflammation and amyloid accumulation.’

Tiziana’s share price climbed through the remainder of the month, hitting a year-to-date high of US$2.50 on July 31.

2. Palvella Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PVLA)

Year-to-date gain: 224.98 percent
Market cap: US$416.08 million
Share price: US$37.64

Palvella Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharma developing treatments targeting rare genetic skin diseases for which there are no FDA-approved therapies. The company’s product pipeline centers on its patented QTORIN platform, which has an initial focus on rare genetic skin diseases.

Its lead product candidate, QTORIN rapamycin, is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial in cutaneous venous malformations, and a Phase 3 clinical trial in microcystic lymphatic malformations (LM). QTORIN rapamycin has been granted breakthrough therapy designation, orphan drug designation and fast track designation from the FDA for the treatment of microcystic LMs.

After starting the year at US$12.00, shares of Palvella had surged to US$20.99 by February 18. About a week earlier, the company had shared plans to expand the Phase 3 trial to include pediatric patients from three to five years of age. That momentum in Palvella’s share price continued to rally to US$29 per share on March 13.

June produced a number of significant milestones for Palvella. On June 9, the company received initial proceedings from a grant issued by the FDA Office of Orphan Products Development for its Phase 3 trial, and on June 23, it completed enrollment for the trial with 51 subjects, 25 percent over its target. The company closed out the month with news it was added to the broad-market Russell 3000 Index and the Russell 2000 Index.

The company said it remains on track to deliver top-line Phase 3 data in Q1 2026 to support its planned new drug application submission later that year.

While the company didn’t release news in July, Palvella Therapeutics’ share price climbed significantly through the month to hit a year-to-date high of US$39.87 on July 28.

3. OKYO Pharma (NASDAQ:OKYO)

Year-to-date gain: 163.03 percent
Market cap: US$117.35 million
Share price: US$3.13

OKYO Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharma developing therapies for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain and dry eye disease. Its lead candidate is urcosimod, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and non-opioid analgesic.

So far in 2025, the company has achieved multiple milestones related to its Phase 2 trial of urcosimod for treatment of neuropathic corneal pain.

On April 30, OKYO announced plans to end the trial early to analyze the data from the patients who had completed the trial, with the goal of accelerating its clinical development and expanding the program. Supporting the decision was the fact that urcosimod had previously demonstrated safety in OKYO’s completed Phase 2 trial of the candidate to treat patients with dry eye disease.

The next day, news broke that the FDA granted urcosimod fast track designation for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain. OKYO’s stock price reached US$1.57 on May 1.

On July 17, OKYO posted strong top-line data from its Phase 2 clinical trial, and stated it is planning a meeting with the FDA to discuss next steps for its lead drug candidate. The following day, OKYO received US$1.9 million in non-dilutive funding to support its clinical development of urcosimod.

Shares of OKYO hit a year-to-date high of US$3.17 on August 5.

4. IO Biotech (NASDAQ:IOBT)

Year-to-date gain: 129.47 percent
Market cap: US$144.28 million
Share price: US$2.16

IO Biotech is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing immune-modulating therapeutic cancer vaccines based on its T-win technology platform, designed to activate T cells to target both tumor cells and the immune-suppressive cells. The company’s lead cancer vaccine candidate IO102-IO103, which has the brand name Cylembio, is currently in clinical trials.

The FDA granted breakthrough therapy designation to IO102-IO103 when used in combination with Merck’s (NYSE:MRK) anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA for the treatment of advanced melanoma based on positive Phase 1/2 first line metastatic melanoma data.

At the start of the year, IO Biotech completed enrollment in its Phase 2 trial of IO102-IO103 with KEYTRUDA as a treatment given before and after surgery for resectable melanoma or head and neck cancer.

On February 4, the company published results from a preclinical study of its second immune-modulatory therapeutic cancer vaccine candidate, IO112, targeting arginase 1, which plays a key role in immune suppression.

In mid-March, IO Biotech was named to Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. The following month, the company presented new preclinical data for its lead candidate IO102-IO103 as well as IO170, which targets Transforming Growth Factor beta.

In its Q1 2025 financial results and business highlights released on May 14, IO Biotech shared that a readout of primary endpoint data from its pivotal Phase 3 trial of its lead investigational therapeutic cancer vaccine in patients with advanced melanoma is expected in the third quarter of 2025.

Shares of IO Biotech reached a year-to-date high of US$2.40 on July 28.

5. Spero Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SPRO)

Year-to-date gain: 110.95 percent
Market cap: US$124.12 million
Share price: US$2.22

Spero Therapeutics is developing novel treatments for rare diseases and multi-drug resistant bacterial infections with high unmet need. The company’s lead drug candidate is tebipenem pivoxil hydrobromide (HBr), a late-stage development asset developed in collaboration with pharma giant GSK (NYSE:GSK) to treat complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs), including pyelonephritis.

Spero has an exclusive license agreement with GSK for the development and commercialization of the drug candidate in all ex-Asia markets. The FDA has granted tebipenem HBr qualified infectious disease product and fast track designations.

Shares in Spero traded below US$1.00 for much of the first half of 2025. However, the stock’s value surged 245 percent on May 28 to reach US$2.35 per share after Spero reported that its Phase 3 trial evaluating tebipenem HBr for treating cUTIs met its primary endpoint and stopped early for efficacy. GSK plans to include the findings in a filing to the FDA during H2.

Spero shares reached a year-to-date high of US$3.04 on July 9.