The PolyNovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) share price has been one of the best performers on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the last 12 months.

Since this time last year the medical device company’s shares have climbed a massive 120%.

If we go even further back, the returns get even more impressive.

Three years ago, PolyNovo’s shares were changing hands for 21 cents. Whereas today they are worth 12 times that at $2.60.

Why has the PolyNovo share price been on fire?

Investors have been buying the company’s shares due to the potential of its NovoSorb product, which was developed by CSIRO.

NovoSorb is a dermal scaffold for the regeneration of the skin when lost through extensive surgery or burn.

While this itself is a lucrative ~$1.5 billion market, the company is looking to extend the use of NovoSorb into the hernia device and breast augmentation markets. Combined, these three markets have an addressable opportunity worth an estimated $7.5 billion per year.

If it can successfully penetrate these markets, then the sky could be the limit for its sales and ultimately its shares.

But that hasn’t stopped one of its directors from cashing in some of his shares this week. On Wednesday Non-Executive Director Dr David McQuillan sold 441,687 shares on market for approximately $1.18 million.

The company advised that the sale was made to fund the purchase of property ahead of Dr McQuillan’s move from the United States to Melbourne. Dr McQuillan still holds 770,317 PolyNovo shares.

Should you be selling shares?

While insider selling is rarely good news, the purpose of this sale seems more than reasonable. So, I wouldn’t be panicking just yet.

Though, given that PolyNovo has a market capitalisation of $1.7 billion and first half sales of just $10.18 million, I also wouldn’t be opposed to taking some profit off the table.

PolyNovo clearly has a massive market opportunity, but only time will tell whether it captures a sufficient slice that justifies its current valuation.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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 Scott Phillips.

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The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price had a rare off day on Wednesday.

The biotherapeutics company’s shares finished the day 6% lower at $288.00.

Shareholders will no doubt be hoping for better on Thursday. Especially after the release of an announcement after the market close yesterday.

What did CSL announce?

According to its announcement, CSL has entered into a long term strategic partnership with the world leader in serving science, Thermo Fisher Scientific.

This partnership is for the lease of CSL’s state of the art biotech manufacturing facility, which is currently under construction in Lengnau, Switzerland.

The company made the move following a strategic review to determine a pathway that would fully optimise the capabilities of the facility once construction is completed next year.

How will CSL benefit?

Thermo Fisher will lease and operate the facility and is responsible for providing production to support CSL’s biologics portfolio. It will also provide other contract manufacturing services such as packaging and fill-and-finish for a number of CSL products.

CSL Chief Operating Officer Paul McKenzie commented: “As part of the strategic review, we are in the process of transforming our end-to-end supply chain with a view to ensuring the company’s global manufacturing network is operating at a best-in-class level. This includes balancing internal investment with access to capabilities and capacities that are available with an experienced partner.”

“CSL will now be able to access a wide range of capabilities provided by a leading pharma services provider, and we are confident that the management of the facility and the team will be in the very best of hands,” he added.

This isn’t the first time the two parties have worked together.

For some time now, Thermo Fisher has been a key provider of third-party services to CSL. This includes fill-and-finish, cell culture growth media, single-use technologies, and laboratory instruments and supplies.

There was no update in relation to its guidance for FY 2020. I would interpret this to mean the company remains on track to achieve it. Management has previously guided to a profit of ~US$2,110 million to US$2,170 million this year.

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James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of CSL Ltd. 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 Scott Phillips.

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