Analysts have provided updated assessments on Abivax (NASDAQ: ABVX), reflecting continued confidence in the company's valuation outlook. Truist Securities analyst Gregory Renza maintained a Buy rating and raised the price target to $155 from $135. Separately, Citizens analyst Jason N. Butler reiterated a Market Outperform rating with a steady price target of $187, while Leerink Partners analyst Thomas Smith maintained an Outperform rating and raised the price target to $148 from $140.

Rating and Price Action

The research notes reinforce a positive stance on Abivax shares. Truist increased its objective from a previous $135 to $155. Citizens kept its target steady at $187, while Leerink raised its target from $140 to $148.

Abivax SA announced positive topline results from the ABTECT Maintenance Part 2 trial for obefazimod, demonstrating meaningful clinical benefit in patients with refractory ulcerative colitis. The data supports a planned New Drug Application submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the fourth quarter of 2026. The supplemental Phase 3 maintenance trial evaluated obefazimod in adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who either did not respond to induction treatment or relapsed during the maintenance trial.

Efficacy in Induction Non-Responders

Among patients who failed to achieve clinical response after 8 weeks of induction, continued treatment with obefazimod resulted in clinically meaningful rates of clinical and endoscopic endpoints at Week 44. Patients treated continuously with 50 mg obefazimod demonstrated the strongest outcomes across all endpoints.

Dose Escalation Strategy

Dose escalation to obefazimod 50 mg recaptured clinical remission in 45.5% of patients who relapsed during ABTECT Maintenance Part 1. Patients who relapsed on placebo and moved to 50 mg achieved a 45.0% clinical remission rate, while those escalating from 25 mg to 50 mg achieved a 45.5% remission rate. This supports a practical dose-escalation strategy for regaining and sustaining disease control.

Safety Profile

The integrated Phase 2 and Phase 3 UC program, encompassing 1,704 patient-years of exposure, showed exposure-adjusted incidence rates (EAIRs) for malignancies excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) were 0.35 and 0.64 events per 100 patient-years in the all-active combined and 50 mg cohorts, respectively. These rates are consistent with expected UC background rates. In Part 2 specifically, EAIRs for malignancies excluding NMSC were 0.48 and 0.69 events per 100 patient-years in the all-active combined and 50 mg cohorts.

Marc de Garidel, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Abivax, stated that the results represent an important milestone, demonstrating meaningful clinical benefit while substantially expanding the long-term safety database. The company plans to submit its NDA in the fourth quarter of 2026.