Abivax SA: Strengthened Outlook for Obefazimod in IBD Drives Higher Target Price and Buy Rating

Analyst Julian Harrison from BTIG maintained a Buy rating on Abivax SA Sponsored ADR and increased the price target to $150.00 from $120.00.

Julian Harrison has given his Buy rating due to a combination of factors related to Abivax’s lead asset obefazimod and the company’s strengthened outlook through 2026. He sees obefazimod’s Phase 3 induction results in ulcerative colitis as strong enough that physicians are likely to favor it for moderate to severe patients, helped by once-daily oral dosing that fits flexibly from early to late lines of therapy. The recent Phase 3 safety review showed no new concerns with most patients having completed long-term treatment, which supports confidence ahead of the key maintenance readout expected in the second quarter of 2026 and a targeted U.S. regulatory submission later that year. Harrison also notes that management forecasts a more than doubling of the ulcerative colitis market by 2032 and expects continued expansion in Crohn’s disease, positioning obefazimod to benefit from a rapidly growing inflammatory bowel disease segment.
He further highlights the ongoing Phase 2b trial in Crohn’s disease as a major potential catalyst, emphasizing historical success in translating positive ulcerative colitis data into Crohn’s disease for similar drug classes and viewing obefazimod’s activity in difficult-to-treat ulcerative colitis as supportive for success in this indication. Abivax is also working on combination regimens with other mechanism-of-action agents, with a lead combo to be chosen by the end of 2026, which could extend the drug’s use and competitive positioning. On the financial side, Harrison has revised his assumptions to reflect lower expected cost of goods sold and higher anticipated market penetration in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. These updates led him to raise his price target from $120 to $150 per share, underpinning his Buy recommendation on Abivax SA Sponsored ADR.

According to TipRanks, Harrison is a 5-star analyst with an average return of 31.5% and a 54.68% success rate. Harrison covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Cullinan Management, Akebia Therapeutics, and Apogee Therapeutics.