Why Exelixis, Inc. Could Be a Gold Mine for Growth Investors

Exelixis, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXEL) has already delivered big gains this year, but there could be a few untapped veins in this biotech gold mine. We'll need to tread lightly because a great deal of success is already baked into the price, but a few catalysts on the horizon could send this stock soaring again in 2018.

In a nutshell, there's a good chance the number of patients eligible to receive this company's pricey cancer drugs could rise several fold. Here's a closer look at a few key factors that could dislodge some shiny nuggets in the years ahead.

Exelixis' lead drug, Cabometyx, is currently limited to certain patients with kidney and thyroid cancer, and Exelixis needs to expand the drug's addressable patient population if its stock is to rise from present levels. The company is fortunate to have promising data from the Celestial trial that ought to persuade the FDA to expand its indication to include a large group of liver cancer patients with a dearth of effective treatment options.

Source: Fool.com