Reaffirming Buy on NovaBridge Biosciences: Differentiated Givastomig Profile, Expanded Patient Reach, and Strengthened Long-Term Value Proposition

Analyst Andres Y. Maldonado of H.C. Wainwright reiterated a Buy rating on NovaBridge Biosciences, with a price target of $9.00.

Andres Y. Maldonado has given his Buy rating due to a combination of factors that underscore NovaBridge Biosciences’ differentiated clinical profile and strategic positioning. He emphasizes that the company’s lead asset, givastomig, has shown robust response rates and durable progression-free survival in first-line HER2‑negative metastatic gastric cancer when combined with Opdivo and chemotherapy, across a broad spectrum of PD‑L1 and CLDN18.2 expression. The early‑stage trial results also indicate a manageable safety profile, with no treatment‑related deaths and mostly low‑grade adverse events, which supports confidence in the drug’s risk‑benefit balance. In Maldonado’s view, these data collectively support the potential for givastomig to become a best‑in‑class CLDN18.2‑targeting bispecific antibody in frontline immune‑chemotherapy regimens.
Furthermore, Maldonado highlights that givastomig’s ability to activate T cells via 4‑1BB costimulation specifically in CLDN18.2‑positive tumor microenvironments allows it to be effective even at relatively low CLDN18.2 expression levels, significantly enlarging the potential patient pool versus legacy agents like zolbetuximab that require much higher expression thresholds. He also notes emerging evidence of better gastrointestinal tolerability compared with zolbetuximab, which could translate into more practical dosing and broader clinical adoption. The planned global randomized Phase 2 trial against standard of care, combined with management’s clear commitment to prioritizing givastomig and a disciplined capital allocation strategy with an extended cash runway, further reinforce his conviction in the company’s long‑term value creation. These clinical and strategic elements together justify reaffirming the Buy rating and raising the price target, as he sees a favorable risk‑reward profile at current valuation levels.

Y. Maldonado covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Protara Therapeutics, ImmunityBio, and Sutro Biopharma. According to TipRanks, Y. Maldonado has an average return of 26.2% and a 56.52% success rate on recommended stocks.