Codexis, a biotechnology company that develops and produces enzymes for pharmaceuticals, was among the best performing companies in the industry last month, up more than 10%. Wall Street is bullish on the California-headquartered company that makes the enzymes for Pfizer’s Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment; all eight equity analysts covering the stock give it a buy rating. Their median price target points to 118% potential upside over the 12 months, according to FactSet. The stock was trading around $6 as of Thursday’s close. The company will report the results of its phase 1 trial for CDX-7108, an enzyme developed in collaboration with Nestle Health Science to treat people with impaired pancreas. Analysts at Piper Sandler said in a note to clients on Jan. 18 that if results are positive, it “could shift some of the focus from quarterly earnings to longer-term value for therapeutic opportunities.” Codexis began the drug trial in late 2021 and will report its fourth-quarter results in March. The 22-year-old isn’t the only biotech company to receive favorable ratings from Wall Street. Six other global biotech stocks — part of the WisdomTree BioRevolution Index and screened by CNC Pro — have averaged 10% or more gains over the past month. The consensus price target for some stocks points to triple-digit gains for the year ahead. These stocks are followed by at least five analysts and all have buy ratings. They are also expected to report earnings per share growth for the next fiscal year: Topping the list is Precigen, a US company focused on the development of gene and cellular therapies. The results of a PRGN-2012 trial, a treatment targeting tumors in the airways, are expected to be released in the coming days. The company is also hosting a virtual event for investors on January 24. “We believe PRGN’s R&D event will validate key value propositions underpinning PRGN-2012,” Cantor Fitzgerald analysts said in a note to clients on Jan. 12. It could have the “best/clearest efficacy and safety data” for a therapeutic vaccine in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, they added. While RRP is rare, according to analysts, it is currently treated with expensive, burdensome, and potentially risky surgical procedures. Other companies on the list include London-listed shares of Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Genus, which analysts expect to rise more than 40% over the next 12 months. Clinical diagnostics company Bio-Rad Lab and Sweden-based IVF specialist Vitrolife are the other stocks analysts expect to move higher.
Buying Biotech Stocks? Analysts see this enzyme share increase by 118%