Inside the Recent Strength in Biotech ETFs

Core Insights - The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) has experienced a significant rally of approximately 35% over the past six months, outperforming the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which increased by 12% during the same period [1] - The performance of the biotechnology sector marks a notable turnaround in 2025, contrasting with muted returns of 3.74% in 2024 and 0.97% in 2023 for the MSCI USA Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Index [2] Performance Metrics - The Biomedical and Genetics industry has yielded returns of 12.7% and 6.8% over the past three and one-month periods, respectively, surpassing the S&P 500's performance of 3.9% over three months and a loss of 0.3% over the past month [3] Factors Driving the Rally - Biotech stocks are currently trading at cheaper valuations compared to the broader market, with the MSCI USA Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Index at a forward P/E of 15.92X versus 23.25X for the MSCI USA index as of September 30, 2025 [5] - The Biomedical and Genetics industry has a forward P/E of 18.15X compared to the S&P 500's 19.43X, with a PEG ratio of 1.59X versus 2.17X for the S&P 500, and projected EPS growth of 22.38% compared to 7.33% for the S&P 500 [6] - Hopes for further Federal Reserve rate cuts are contributing to the rally, as biotech companies typically benefit from lower funding costs in a falling rate environment [7] - Recent regulatory developments, including Pfizer's agreement with the U.S. government to lower drug prices and invest $70 billion in the U.S., signal potential relief for the pharmaceutical industry [8][9] FDA Approvals - The FDA has approved numerous biotechnology drugs in 2025, including dordaviprone, sunvozertinib, and linvoseltamab-gcpt, with a total of 38 approvals recorded so far, following 50 in 2024 and about 55 in 2023 [10] Investment Activity - Biopharma venture investment reached $5.8 billion across 86 rounds in Q3 2025, totaling $17.1 billion year-to-date, with biopharma licensing valued at $63.7 billion in Q3 and $183.7 billion year-to-date [12] ETF Focus - Several biotech ETFs, including Invesco Biotechnology & Genome ETF (PBE), First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF (FBT), Tema Oncology ETF (CANC), and Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF (HELX), are currently performing well, hovering around a one-month high [13]