Intercept upgraded to Buy from Sell at Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs analyst Salveen Richter double upgraded Intercept Pharmaceuticals (ICPT) to Buy from Sell and raised his price target for the shares to $157 from $46. The stock closed Friday down 3.5%, or $3.57, to $97.26. The analyst says Ocaliva in fatty liver disease nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is the crux of Intercept’s value proposition and that he’s positive into the Phase 3 Regenerate interim readout in the first half of 2019. Richter this morning also downgraded Madrigal Pharmaceuticals (MDGL) to Neutral from Buy. He believes, however, that Madrigal’s MGL-3196 is a “best-in-industry, next-generation” drug for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The analyst expects Intercept’s Ocaliva will achieve one or both of the Phase 3 co-primary endpoints of NASH resolution and fibrosis improvement. He sees share upside of 60%-plus as the first half of 2019 catalyst approaches. Intercept should benefit from Ocaliva’s global first-mover advantage in NASH, Richter tells investors in a research note. Goldman estimates peak global sales of NASH drugs to be $3.7B.

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