Leerink initiates select Genetic Medicine names on increasing regulatory clarity. Leerink analyst Mani Foroohar initiated select Genetic Medicine stocks, stating that the field is “is rich with companies developing drugs” to treat rare diseases and that he is increasingly more bullish on “innovation velocity and increasing regulatory clarity in the sector. Based on his “balanced view of pricing dynamics”, the analyst issues an Outperform rating on Wave Life Sciences (WVE), Rocket Pharmaceuticals (RCKT), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), Eidos Therapeutics (EIDX), Dicerna (DRNA) and Bluebird Bio (BLUE). The analyst likes Wave Life Sciences as a pure play on Oligotherapeutics and its stereopure chemistry platform as a differentiated approach to oligo drug design. Foroohar is positive on Rocket Pharma’s lead assets in gene therapies for Fanconi Anemia and Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I “which will likely be the company’s first potential approved product.” The analyst is positive on Intellia Therapeutics’ “robust balance sheet to support development, trading at a material discount to closest comps peers”. For Eidos, the analyst cites the prospects of its drug candidate for TTR amyloidosis currently in a placebo-controlled Phase 2 study that may offer a competitive profile relative to Pfizer’s (PFE) tafamidis. For Dicerna, Foroohar notes that its DCR-PHXC “is an RNAi therapeutic that targets lactate dehydrogenase A for the treatment of all subtypes of Primary Hyperoxaluria vs. competitor Alnylam’s (ALNY) lumasiran, which only treats PH Type 1. For Bluebird Bio, the analyst is positive on its position as a “leader in ex vivo gene therapy, with four programs with visibility towards near-term regulatory approval”. Foroohar initiates Avrobio (AVRO), Alnylam (ALNY), and Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) with Market Perform rating based on competitive launches for their products along with “mixed” early signs of their results. The analyst also rates Regenxbio (RGNX) at underperform, saying that its “current valuation more than accounts for robust royalty streams from sales in spinal muscular atrophy” and other partnered assets.
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