"Our model portfolios are based on selecting stocks that meet the investing criteria of "legendary" investors," explains John Reese.

The editor of Validea continues, "Sanofi-Aventis (SNY), which is involved in pharmaceuticals and human vaccines, earns a Guru Score of 100% based on the value investing strategy of Benjamin Graham.

"In its pharmaceutical activity, the company specializes in six therapeutic areas: diabetes, oncology, thrombosis and cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS), and internal medicine.

For speculative investors aware of the risks associated with a development stage drug company, Karim Rahemtulla looks to Medivation (NASDAQ: MDVN), a play on development of a drug to treat Alzheimer's.

In his Xcelerated Profits Report, the advisor explains, "Medivation continues to make good clinical trial progress with its Dimebon drug for Alzheimer's Disease.

"The firm received some mainstream media attention at the recent International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) in Vienna. Reuters, Forbes and Bloomberg all reported that Dimebon is changing the way scientists think about Alzheimer's.

This post is part of a 12-article feature on the best bets for investing in China. To see all the other recommendations in this special report, click here.

"Shanghai-based Wuxi PharmaTech (NYSE: WX), a new addition to our model portfolio, is a bargain," says China region expert Jim Trippon.

In his The China Stock Digest, he explains, "In a nutshell, WuXi performs pharmaceutical R&D on a contract basis for paying clients; it provides services to nine of the top ten pharmaceutical companies in the world."

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) -- which has a highly effective though risky treatment for multiple sclerosis called Tysabri -- is our top pick for 2009," says analyst Richard Moroney.

The editor of Dow Theory Forecasts, an advisory that has been published for more than 50 years, explains, "Despite superior growth prospects, the Tysabri concerns have kept Biogen's shares under pressure.

"In the past two months, consensus profit estimates have crept upwards for Biogen Idec. Per-share profits are expected to climb 33% in 2008 and 9% in 2009. Over the next five years, profits are expected to climb 12% annually. Two factors support this outlook.

"First, Biogen plows nearly a third of its revenue into research and development, raising expectations of a fertile lineup of new drugs. Second, there's Tysabri, a highly effective though risky treatment for multiple sclerosis.