5 Best-performing Canadian Pharma Stocks (Updated January 2025)
From established players to up-and-coming firms, Canada’s pharmaceutical company landscape is diverse and dynamic.
Canadian drug companies are working to discover and develop major innovations amidst an increasingly competitive global landscape. Rising technologies such as artificial intelligence are playing a role in the landscape as well.
Here the Investing News Network lists the top Canadian pharma stocks on the TSX, TSXV and CSE by year-over-year gains. All data was compiled on January 10, 2025, using TradingView’s stock screener, and companies with market caps above C$10 million at that time were considered.
Read on to learn about what’s been driving the share prices of the best performing Canadian pharma stocks.
1. NurExone Biologic (TSXV:NRX)
Year-over-year gain: 147.27 percent
Market cap: C$34.08 million
Share price: C$0.68
NurExone Biologic is the biopharmaceutical company behind ExoTherapy, a drug delivery platform that uses exosomes, which are nano-sized extracellular vesicles, to create treatments for central nervous system disorders, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. It is a less invasive alternative to cell transplantation, which requires surgery and carries the risk of rejection.
NurExone’s first nano-drug, ExoPTEN, uses a proprietary sIRNA sequence delivered with the ExoTherapy platform to treat spinal cord injuries. ExoPTEN received orphan drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2023, meaning it has been recognized as a potential treatment for rare medical conditions. The designation makes it eligible for incentives such as market exclusivity and regulatory assistance aimed at accelerating its development and approval.
In December 2024, the company released preclinical results from animal testing evaluating the efficacy of its nano-drug ExoPTEN in restoring lost vision. The lead investigator at the Goldschleger Eye Institute, which collaborated on the study, said the results were “extremely encouraging,” and “suggest that ExoPTEN could fundamentally change how we approach conditions like glaucoma and optic nerve trauma.”
2. Cipher Pharmaceuticals (TSX:CPH)
Year-over-year gain: 140.88 percent
Market cap: C$377.18 million
Share price: C$14.26
Cipher Pharmaceuticals is a specialty pharma company with a diverse portfolio of treatments, including a range of dermatology and acute hospital care products. The company has out-licensed some of its offerings as well. Cipher began trading on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol CPHRF in early 2024.
In addition to its current portfolio, Cipher has acquired Canadian rights to CF-101, a dermatology treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis is currently expected to undergo Phase III clinical trials. The company is also conducting proof-of-concept studies on DTR-001, a topical treatment for removing tattoos.
On July 29, Cipher announced it had signed a definitive asset purchase…
Read More: 5 Best-performing Canadian Pharma Stocks (Updated January 2025)