Srikant Kumar (Painter)

In India, most pasta is made from suji. It is also called rawa. This is durum wheat semolina. It is the same we use in Europe for the good quality pasta. So it is very familiar for me.

But you have to check the packet sometimes. Some Indian brands use maida. Maida is a regular, soft wheat flour. The pasta made from maida is not very firm when you cook it. It is more soft. So, for the best pasta, you should find the one that says 100% durum wheat or suji.

BioNTech stock, or BNTX, refers to shares in the German biotechnology company BioNTech SE. You might be familiar with them because they partnered with Pfizer to develop one of the first and most widely used mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. That partnership was a massive catalyst for the company, propelling it from a relatively unknown biotech firm into a household name almost overnight.

Investing in BNTX means you're betting on the company's future beyond its COVID vaccine. Their core technology platform is all about mRNA and other immunotherapies for treating cancer and other infectious diseases. This is the real long-term play. The COVID vaccine provided them with a huge financial windfall, giving them billions in cash to fund extensive research into new cancer treatments and other vaccines, like for the flu or shingles.

It's important to understand that the stock can be quite volatile. Its price is heavily influenced by news related to COVID, like booster recommendations or new variant concerns. However, as the immediate pandemic urgency fades, the investment story is shifting. The market is now more focused on the company's pipeline of new drugs in development and their ability to successfully commercialise another product.

Like any biotech stock, it comes with significant risk. A lot of its value is tied to clinical trial results, which can be unpredictable. A failed trial can see the share price drop sharply. Conversely, positive news can cause it to spike. So, it's not for the faint-hearted or those looking for a stable, dividend-paying blue chip. It's a stock you buy if you believe in the long-term potential of mRNA technology to transform medicine, with the understanding that the road will likely have some bumps. Always do your own research or consider speaking with a financial adviser before making any investment decisions.