3 healthcare shares delivering big returns

These three healthcare companies have offered investors strong returns over the past year.

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Investors and speculators have done well from these pharmaceutical companies over the past year.

And if these companies realise their ambitions they could do even better.

Cynata Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: CYP)

The Cynata Therapeutics share price took off recently, gaining more than 60 per cent in less than two weeks.

Cynata, a stem cell and regenerative medicine company, is developing a therapeutic stem cell platform technology called Cymerus.

The company's share price surged amid news that its clinical trials of CYP-001, a product to treat the steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), had progressed well.

Cynata, with a market capitalisation of about $80 million, posted its quarterly results on Tuesday stating that it had $8.8 million in cash at the end of 2017 and was "well-funded to complete the clinical trial in GvHD and has an operating runway into 2019, based on current projections".

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU)

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd share price edged up 1.7 per cent on Tuesday as the company posted its quarterly results.

The Neuren Pharmaceuticals share price has gained more than 100 per cent over the past year with the company's shares now going for around $2.97.

The biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing drugs for neurological disorders announced that net cash used in operating activities for 2017 came to about $5.59 million, with the bulk of that going towards research and development.

The company finished the year with cash and cash equivalents at about $4.7 million.

Benitec Biopharma Ltd (ASX: BLT)

The Benitec Biopharma Ltd share price has come crashing back to earth after surging a couple of weeks ago.

The biotech company's share price shot up by 60 per cent in less than a week but has since shed most of those gains after dropping another 8 per cent as the company released its quarterly results on Tuesday.

But shareholders have still enjoyed gains of around 100 per cent over the past year.

Benitec stated that its development programmes "target chronic and life-threatening conditions which are gene-associated".

The company spent about $4.37 million in the last quarter and finished that period with $10.27 million in cash and cash equivalents.

Motley Fool contributor Steve Holland has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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