Citizens reiterated a Market Outperform rating on Abivax with a $131.00 price target after the company presented a series of clinical and preclinical data at a European medical conference. The shares are trading at $130.35 and have returned 1,513% over the past year, though InvestingPro analysis suggests the current share price may reflect an elevated valuation.
Analyst Jason Butler left the recommendation unchanged following Abivax's presentation of 22 abstracts at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization annual meeting in Stockholm, Sweden. Citizens' price objective is based on a risk-adjusted discounted cash flow model, according to the firm's note.
The material presented at the conference included additional analyses from the Phase 3 ABTECT-1 and ABTECT-2 trials of obefazimod, Abivax's investigational therapy for ulcerative colitis. These abstracts supplied further detail on the drug's mechanism of action and contributed to a deeper view of how obefazimod may perform in the target patient population.
Presenters highlighted what they described as a differentiated safety and efficacy profile for obefazimod in patients with ulcerative colitis. The data packages released at the meeting were characterized as extending the understanding of the treatment's pharmacology and clinical behavior in inflammatory bowel disease.
Alongside the Phase 3 updates, preclinical work shown at the conference included initial evidence of anti-fibrotic activity in inflammatory bowel disease models. Those findings were described as early-stage preclinical signals rather than clinical outcomes.
Despite the clinical and preclinical activity and investor interest, analysts aggregated by InvestingPro do not expect Abivax to be profitable this year. The biotech posted a loss of $5.24 per share over the last twelve months, a figure cited in analyst notes assessing the firm's near-term financial trajectory.
The company has also been the focus of substantial market speculation about potential acquisition interest from large pharmaceutical firms. Reports circulating after the conference indicated AstraZeneca could be preparing a potential offer valuing Abivax at about 13.75 billion, while separate rumors suggested Eli Lilly may be considering a 15 billion bid. Abivax has publicly denied having any takeover intentions.
Several brokerages have reiterated or adjusted their stances amid the clinical updates and the market chatter. Guggenheim maintained a Buy rating with a $175.00 price target, signaling confidence from that firm in Abivax's strategic direction. Citizens' own Market Outperform call and $131.00 target followed Abivax's reiteration of timelines for its clinical programs in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. BTIG raised its price objective to $150.00 from $120.00, citing positive data from the Phase 3 ABTECT trials for obefazimod. Leerink Partners reiterated an Outperform rating with a $138.00 price target and noted alignment with Abivax's strategic updates for 2026.
Together, the new clinical analyses, the preclinical signals, the cluster of broker updates, and persistent takeover rumors underscore intensified market attention on Abivax. While the data presentations have expanded scientific understanding of obefazimod's profile, financial and strategic uncertainties remain, and analysts continue to weigh those developments against the company's recent losses and the current market valuation.