CEO Charles Sherwood of Anika Therapeutics knows his company hasn’t always attracted a lot of investor attention. In a recent interview, he even referred to the company as “sleepy” — somewhat tongue-in-cheek — more than once.
But here’s the thing: In the past year, Anika’s stock price has grown by 40 percent while the wider biotech and health care markets have fallen. The 120-employee, Bedford-based company is best known for making so-called viscosupplements — lubricating fluid made up of a naturally occurring protein called hyaluronic acid that’s injected into a joint for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Anika’s (Nasdaq: ANIK) top two products — Orthovisc, which is injected every couple months, and Monovisc, which lasts up to six months — grew revenues by 24 percent in 2015.
