bluebird bio Inc (NASDAQ:BLUE) shares surged more than 24% Friday after the stock was initiated with an Overweight rating and $7 per share price target at JPMorgan.
Analysts there told investors in a research note that the stock is "set to ascend" based on the Zynteglo launch and sickle cell disease (SCD) expansion.
"With two transgenic cell therapy launches underway, and a third on deck perhaps by year end, we see bluebird being well-positioned in the emerging class of autologous cell therapies for inherited hematological disorders," the analysts wrote.
They added that feedback from the firm's physician survey supports "compelling latent demand for the modality in treating sickle cell disease (SCD), with specific views on BLUE's lovo-cel supporting its competitive if not best-in-class positioning."
Furthermore, they noted that "while CMC remains an incremental risk in the lovo-cel BLA review cycle and a potential source of share volatility," they believe current levels "under-appreciate lovo-cel's ultimate approvability and the SCD commercial opportunity on a risk-adjusted basis."
"We anticipate BLUE shares maintaining their momentum, potentially driven sharply by BLA acceptance and solid 1H Zynteglo commercial performance, where expectations look appropriate if not beatable," the analysts concluded.