Biogen inventory explodes increased after potential ‘mega blockbuster’ Alzheimer’s drug research

Biogen inventory (BIIB) is booming amid as Wall Road speculates a couple of potential revenue growth after a promising research detailed the corporate’s new Alzheimer’s drug in partnership with Japan’s Eisai.

“We predict that lecanemab holds mega blockbuster potential, doubtless within the $6-8 billion vary,” Guggenheim analyst Yatin Suneja wrote in a notice to shoppers on Wednesday.

The 2 pharma firms mentioned their drug lecanemab decreased cognitive and useful decline by 27% relative to a placebo. The findings come over an 18 month stretch in a Part 3 research of 1,800 sufferers with early-stage Alzheimers.

Shares of Biogen surged almost 50% in pre-market buying and selling Wednesday on the event. The corporate’s ticker web page was essentially the most lively on Yahoo Finance forward of the opening bell.

“Immediately’s announcement offers sufferers and their households hope that lecanemab, if authorised, can probably gradual the development of Alzheimer’s illness, and supply a clinically significant influence on cognition and performance,” Biogen CEO Michel Vounatsos mentioned in an announcement.

The FDA is presently reviewing whether or not to grant lecanemab conditional early approval.

An estimated 6.5 million individuals within the U.S. age 65 and older are presently residing with Alzheimer’s, underscoring the gross sales potential for Biogen domestically alone.

Guggenheim’s Suneja thinks Biogen is primed to learn from an approval of lecanemab, and the inventory could have additional room to run, although there’s a caveat for buyers: Biogen did not create the drug alone.

“With strong perform information, approval of lecanemab as the primary authorised remedy for AD has the potential to succeed in the >1M eligible sufferers,” Suneja defined. “If the corporate can safe fast CMS reimbursement upon potential approval (that is doubtless based mostly on the NCD protection with proof improvement memo), we estimate peak gross sales could possibly be within the $6-8 billion. One caveat to this program vs. Aduhelm is that Eisai owns the asset and can file revenues globally (Biogen will get 45% revenue break up). … Biogen and Eisai will co-promote lecanemab and share earnings equally, which limits the height alternative to Biogen. Regardless of this, we imagine lecanemab is value ~$100-125/share towards our internet current worth for Biogen.”

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Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Observe Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

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