Another stock to watch is AVI BioPharma, Inc.(NASDAQ:AVII). The Wall Street Journal (see their video commentary here) and others seem to have taken an interest, as the company's drug for the worst form of muscular dystrophy moves toward FDA approval. The stock could also surge if the company becomes an acquisition target- as rumored.

Dr. Eric Hoffman, a leading Duchenne researcher at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, said that he is very convinced this drug will work. Meanwhile, Prosensa, a Dutch company developed their own muscular dystrophy drug that is considered a promising treatment, alongside AVII's.

Marketing for such a drug is still some time away (perhaps 2012-2013) but it could bring over $1 billion in sales for the company and that makes it an attractive stock for longer term speculators.

AVI Biopharma, Inc. (AVI) has also developed the treatments for a coronary artery blockage, and for Ebola and Marburg. These drugs are also in early-stage trials. Barron's has published that it must be noted that AVI Biopharma, Inc. (AVII) has disappointed in the past, when its drug for hepatitis failed to pass the trials. The biopharmaceutical company specializes in the discovery and development of ribonucleic acid (RNA)-based drugs targeting a range of diseases.