Monday, Needham reiterated its Buy rating on shares of Viridian Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VRDN) with a set price target of $38.00. The firm's analyst hosted a call with Dr. Paul Griggs, a specialist in thyroid eye disease (TED), to discuss the current treatment landscape and Viridian's recent clinical trial results.
The conversation with Dr. Griggs, an ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon at Northwest Eye Surgeons, focused on his experience with existing TED treatments like Tepezza and his insights into Viridian's VRDN-001, also known as veligrotug. Dr. Griggs, who treats approximately 250 moderate-to-severe TED patients, shared his expectations for the forthcoming THRIVE-2 trial results and the potential of subcutaneous therapy for TED.
During the call, the recent phase 3 THRIVE trial results for VRDN-001 were examined. VRDN-001 is Viridian's investigative therapy for TED, and the discussion also touched on the potential benefits that subcutaneous administration could offer to patients.
Furthermore, the analyst and Dr. Griggs delved into other TED programs that are currently in clinical development, assessing the broader landscape of treatment options for this condition.
Viridian Therapeutics' stock rating and price target have been maintained by Needham without any changes following the insights gained from the KOL call with Dr. Griggs. The company continues its efforts in advancing treatments for thyroid eye disease, with the market watching closely for the results of the upcoming THRIVE-2 trial.
In other recent news, Viridian Therapeutics has made significant strides in its clinical trials for thyroid eye disease (TED) treatments. Following the successful Phase III THRIVE trial results, several analyst firms have adjusted their outlook on Viridian.
Goldman Sachs reiterated its Buy rating, maintaining a price target of $31.00, while RBC Capital raised the price target to $44 from $35, also maintaining an Outperform rating. Needham increased its price target on Viridian shares to $38, up from the previous $30, reiterating a Buy rating.
The Phase III THRIVE trial demonstrated that Viridian's drug, veligrotug, met all primary and secondary endpoints, showing potential advantages over the existing treatment, Tepezza. This success has reduced the risks associated with Viridian's TED programs, including VRDN-003.
In addition to these developments, Viridian initiated a public offering of $150 million of its common stock and Series B non-voting convertible preferred stock. The proceeds will be used for clinical development programs, working capital, and general corporate purposes. The offering is managed by Jefferies, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Stifel, and RBC Capital Markets. These are the recent developments in the company's ongoing efforts.
InvestingPro Insights
To complement the analysis of Viridian Therapeutics' (NASDAQ: VRDN) clinical developments and market position in thyroid eye disease treatments, let's examine some financial metrics and expert insights from InvestingPro.
According to InvestingPro data, Viridian Therapeutics has a market capitalization of $1.76 billion, reflecting significant investor interest in its potential. The company's stock has shown strong performance, with a 78.96% price total return over the past six months and an impressive 86.19% return over the last year. This aligns with the positive outlook from Needham's maintained Buy rating and $38 price target.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Viridian holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, which could provide financial flexibility for ongoing clinical trials and potential commercialization efforts. Moreover, the company's liquid assets exceed short-term obligations, suggesting a solid near-term financial position as it progresses through clinical development stages.
However, it's important to note that Viridian is not currently profitable, with analysts not anticipating profitability this year. This is typical for biotech companies in the development phase, focusing on bringing promising treatments like VRDN-001 to market.
For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 11 additional tips for Viridian Therapeutics, providing a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position.
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