On Wednesday, Truist Securities maintained its Hold rating on shares of Sage Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SAGE), with a steady price target of $22.00. The decision comes after Sage Therapeutics announced the failure of its Phase 2 PRECEDENT study of dalzanemdor for Parkinson's disease. The drug did not show any efficacy signals compared to placebo, as measured by the WAIS-IV Coding Test Score at Day 42, which was the primary endpoint of the study.
Sage Therapeutics reported that dalzanemdor also showed no difference from placebo on secondary endpoints, according to management's commentary during this morning's webcast. Following these results, the company has decided not to continue pursuing the development of dalzanemdor for Parkinson's disease.
The analyst from Truist Securities pointed to a history of unsuccessful non-channel blockers of NMDAR (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor) in central nervous system therapies. The note referenced previous negative or mixed clinical data from other NMDAR modulators, including CTP-692, rapastinel, NYX-2925, and NYX-273. This pattern of results has led to skepticism about the potential therapeutic benefits of this class of drugs.
Looking forward, Sage Therapeutics is expected to release topline data from several other studies. These include the Phase 2 SURVEYOR study in Huntington's disease (HD) expected in mid-2024, the Phase 2 LIGHTWAVE study in mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia scheduled for late 2024, and the Phase 2 DIMENSION study in HD also anticipated in late 2024.
Truist Securities' current stance is to maintain a Hold rating on Sage Therapeutics, indicating a cautious approach to the stock as the firm awaits further outcomes from the company's pipeline.
InvestingPro Insights
In light of Truist Securities' Hold rating on Sage Therapeutics, several metrics and insights from InvestingPro offer a deeper look into the company's financial health and stock performance. Sage Therapeutics holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, which provides a degree of financial stability amidst the clinical trial setbacks. However, the company's recent failure in the Phase 2 study of dalzanemdor for Parkinson's disease aligns with the InvestingPro Tip that analysts anticipate a sales decline in the current year.
Moreover, the stock's performance has been underwhelming, with a price that has significantly declined over the last three months. This is reflected in the real-time data, which shows a 1 Month Price Total Return of -16.88% and a 3 Month Price Total Return of -38.4%. Additionally, the company's stock is trading near its 52-week low, with the Price % of 52 Week High currently at 27.67%.
Despite these challenges, Sage Therapeutics' liquid assets exceed its short-term obligations, which might provide some cushion against immediate financial pressures. For investors seeking more comprehensive analysis, there are additional InvestingPro Tips available, which can be explored at https://www.investing.com/pro/SAGE. To enrich your investment strategy with these insights, use coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription. Currently, there are 11 more InvestingPro Tips listed for Sage Therapeutics on InvestingPro.
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