The biotechnology sector has officially recovered after it stumbled into bear market territory after major biotech indexes plummeted during the second half of 2015. The sector fell by 13% in just four days in late September, dropping more than 45% before finding a bottom. 

Highly risk-tolerant investors who believe biotechnology will continue to grow in 2019 should consider mutual funds that have a high portfolio allocation to the biotech sector. These mutual funds provide professionally managed exposure to the sector and help minimize costs while investing in many stocks related to biotech, pharmaceuticals and healthcare.

Fidelity Select Biotechnology Portfolio (FBIOX)

The fund seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in companies involved in biotechnology-related activities. Under normal market conditions, the Fidelity Select Biotechnology Portfolio invests at least 80% of its total net assets of common stocks of companies involved in research, development, manufacturing and distribution of various biotech products and services. The Fidelity Select Biotechnology Portfolio's top industry allocations are 89.95% to biotech and 7.67% to pharmaceuticals.

The Fidelity Select Biotechnology Portfolio was issued by Fidelity Investments on Dec. 16, 1985. As of October 24, 2018, the fund has achieved an average annual return of 17.71% and has total net assets of $8.85 billion. Additionally, it has a one-year return of 9.86%. The fund requires a minimum investment of $2,500 and charges an annual net expense ratio of 0.74%.

T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund (PRHSX)

The T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation by investing at least 80% of its total net assets in common stocks of companies involved in research, development, production and distribution of products and services related to the health care, medicine and life sciences sectors. 

The T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund was issued on Dec. 29, 1995, and currently manages $12.8 billion. As of October 24, 2018, it has generated a trailing total return for a 10-year period of 20.76%. The fund has a YTD return of 20.23%. A minimum investment of $2,500 is required to invest in the fund, with an annual expense ratio of 0.77%.

While the T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund does not provide full exposure to the biotech sector, its top 10 holdings, equal to 37.06%, contain familiar names in healthcare such as UnitedHealth Group Inc., Anthem Inc. and Alexion Pharmaceuticals. 

Fidelity Advisor Biotechnology Fund - Class A (FBTAX)

The fund is a pure biotechnology fund; it allocates 92.74% of its total net assets to the biotech sector and 5.74% to the pharmaceuticals sector. As of October 24, 2018, the Fidelity Advisor Biotechnology Fund has total net assets of $2.85 billion. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its total net assets in common stocks of companies involved in developing, researching, manufacturing and distributing biotech-related products and services, as well as companies that benefit from advances in the biotech sector.

The Fidelity Advisor Biotechnology Fund - Class A was issued on Dec. 27, 2000, by Fidelity Investments. As of October 24, 2018 the fund has a YTD return of 3.19%, with an average five-year return of 11.31% and an average 10-year return of 16.91%. The fund charges an annual net expense ratio of 1.06% and requires a minimum initial investment of $2,500.

Janus Henderson Global Life Sciences A (JFNAX)

The Janus Global Life Sciences Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation by investing at least 80% of its total net assets in common stocks of companies that the portfolio manager deems to be related to life sciences sector. The company invests in life science and biotech companies such as Merck and Co., Eli Lilly and Co., Sanofi, Biogen Inc. and others. 

The Janus Global Life Sciences Fund was issued on Dec. 31, 1998, by Janus Capital Group. The fund requires a minimum initial investment of $2,500 and charges an annual net expense ratio of 1.02%. As of October 24, 2018, the fund has a YTD return of 11.96%, a five-year average return of 13.63%, and 10-year average return of 17.27%. The fund stewards $4.1 billion AUM.

Franklin Biotechnology Discovery Fund (FBDIX)

The fund's objective is to provide investors with long-term capital appreciation. The fund attempts to achieve its objective by investing at least 80%, under normal market conditions, of its total net assets in common stocks of biotechnology and discovery research companies. The fund's top allocations are 80.39% to biotechnology, 13.23% to pharmaceuticals, and 6.33% to life sciences tools and services. 

The Franklin Biotechnology Discovery Fund was issued on Sept. 15, 1997, by Franklin Templeton Investments. The fund charges an annual net expense ratio of 1.02% and requires a minimum investment of $1,000. As of October 24, 2018 the fund has generated a 10-year average annualized return of 15.77% and an average annualized return of 7.57% for the past five years.