Codexis , a biotechnology company that develops and manufactures enzymes for pharmaceuticals, was among the top performers in the sector last month, up more than 10%. Wall Street is bullish on the California-headquartered company, which 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 a 118% potential upside over the 12 months, according to FactSet. The stock was trading around $6 as of Thursday’s close. The company is due to report the results of its phase-1 trial for CDX-7108, an enzyme developed in partnership with Nestle Health Science to treat people with an impaired pancreas. Analysts at Piper Sandler said in a note to clients on Jan. 18 that if the results are positive, it “could shift some of the focus away from quarterly numbers toward longer-term value for therapeutic opportunities.” Codexis began the drug trial in late 2021 and will release its fourth-quarter earnings in March. The 22-year-old firm is not the only biotech firm to receive favorable ratings from Wall Street. Six other global biotech stocks — part of the WisdomTree BioRevolution Index and screened by CNC Pro — are up 10% or more over the past month on average. The consensus price target for some of the stocks point to triple-digit gains over the next year. These stocks are covered by at least five analysts and have buy ratings from all of them. They are also expected to report growth in earnings per share for the next financial year: Top of the list is Precigen , a U.S. company focused on developing gene and cellular therapies. Results from a PRGN-2012 trial, a treatment targeting tumors in air passages, are expected to be released in the coming days. The company is also hosting a virtual event for investors on Jan. 24. “We believe that PRGN’s R & D event will validate the key value propositions that underscore PRGN-2012,” said Cantor Fitzgerald’s analysts 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. Although rare, according to analysts, RRP is currently treated with costly, burdensome, and potentially risky surgical procedures. Other companies on the list include the London-listed stock of Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Genus , which analysts expect to rise by more than 40% over the next 12 months. Clinical diagnostics company Bio-Rad Lab and Sweden-headquartered IVF specialist Vitrolife are the other stocks expected to go up by analysts.
