'Looking for upside in biotech? Start with gene therapy' - BTIG

Taysha Gene Therapies

15/06/2021 14:30

** BTIG sees attractive opportunity in gene therapy after
recent weakness due to FDA scrutiny and safety concerns
    ** Brokerage says FDA approvals for Luxturna and Zolgensma
gene therapies, M&A activities, and efficacy readouts suggest
the potential of transformative therapies
    ** In 2019, the U.S. FDA approved Zolgensma, Novartis'
 NOVN.S  gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA); in
2017, the FDA said Spark Therapeutics Inc's experimental gene
therapy, Luxturna, for a rare inherited form of blindness is
effective
    ** "Better understanding of human biology and continued
innovation in technology should support even accelerated
translation from the lab to the clinic" - BTIG
    ** Says increase in clinical holds reflects increasing
clinical development activities in gene therapy; believes FDA is
comfortable with safety in gene therapy
    ** "Disorders that affect the central nervous system (CNS)
represents a significant potential for gene therapy" - BTIG
    ** BTIG initiates coverage on the following cos:
    
    
 Company                    RIC                        Rating            PT
 Applied Genetic             AGTC.O                    Buy               $11
 Technologies                                                            
 AVROBIO                     AVRO.O                    Buy               $23
 Magenta Therapeutics        MGTA.O                    Buy               $20
 Passage Bio                 PASG.O                    Buy               $25
 Sarepta Therapeutics        SRPT.O                    Buy               $110
 Selecta Biosciences         SELB.O                    Buy               $10
 Sio Gene Therapies          SIOX.O                    Buy               $8
 Taysha Therapeutics         TSHA.O                    Buy               $44
 Uniqure                     QURE.O                    Buy               $46
 
 (Reporting by Siddarth S)
 ((Siddarth.s@thomsonreuters.com;))